Jesus in the Temple Crafts for Kids

The story of Jesus in the Temple, Luke 2:41-52, teaches children that by studying and learning they can grow in favor with God and man. Children are often very proud of what they are learning. This Bible story teaches them that just as they are growing and learning many things, so did Jesus when he was a child. It emphasizes the importance of wisdom, growth and obedience. There are many easy crafts and art projects that help children to remember this Bible story. With a few basic art supplies, add these crafts to a Jesus in the Temple lesson plan.

Have your children help you in making a Growing for Jesus flower chore chart or memory verse chart. Explain to the children that Jesus grew in favor with God and man by working hard and learning. Decide with your children what chores they need help remembering to do. With older children, you could use the poster to reward the children for new Bible verses recited by memory. Take a large poster board and have the children help you paint "Growing for Jesus" at the top of the poster. The children can then use green paint or marker to make grass along the bottom of the poster; be sure to include 10 stems for the flowers. Use blue paint or markers to add clouds around the words at the top. Using multiple colors of construction paper, cut out large flowers and have your child decorate them with paint, glitter or stickers. Every time a child does his chore or recites a new bible verse by memory, have her pick a flower to tape on the poster. When the poster is full of flowers, reward your children for their "growth" in a way you deem appropriate.

Use ice cream sticks and tacky craft glue to build a temple. Tacky craft glue can be found at a variety of craft stores and department stores. It will hold the ice cream sticks together much faster than white school glue. Start by gluing the sticks to make a flat, square bottom for the temple. Build the walls up and put a roof across the top of the walls. You may want to leave a space open in the roof so that the temple can be used as a piggy bank or place to store marbles that are earned by the children. The marbles or coins can then be turned in by the children for a special reward. Once the glue is dry, use paint or markers to decorate the temple.

Fold a piece of heavy cardstock in half. Draw a simple outline of a church with the peak of the roof on the fold. Cut it out and open it up. Have the children color the church. They can glue pieces of torn tissue paper to the windows to make stained glass. Fold the church again so that it stands up on the taple. Using pipe cleaners, make several big pipe cleaner people and one little pipe cleaner person. Cut faces, hair and clothing shapes out of construction paper to glue on your pipe cleaner people. The bigger people represent the teachers at the Temple, Mary and Joseph. The smaller pipe cleaner person is Jesus.

Fold two pieces of construction paper in half and cut so that there is a matching window in the middle of each paper. You can cut any shape. Cut pieces of multicolored tissue paper into 1-inch squares. Each project will require 40 to 50 small pieces of tissue. Cut two clear plastic transparency sheets so that they cover the windows. Glue the transparencies over each window. Spray each sheet with spray glue. Place the tissue paper all over the window so that the pieces are overlapping. Carefully position the other window over the tissue papered window. Press down to seal the two sides together. Punch a hole in the top and hang it in a window using a piece of ribbon.

Take five to 10 index cards and punch a hole in the upper left corner of each. Have the child decorate each card with a chore that he promises to do when presented with that card. For example, a card may say "take out the trash" with a picture of a trash can. You can use clip art or stickers, or the child can draw his own picture. Thread the cards onto a ribbon and tie it in a bow.