...JOY! Felt Cuffs

Our lesson this week is the story of Paul and Silas having joy and praising God while in prison. So to go along with that we're making cuff style bracelets that say JOY. (I admit that I amuse myself with the idea of making cuff bracelets for a story that involves handcuffs. Get it?)



After I took a class where felt charm bracelets were made, I've loved this idea, so I was happy to find a way to share it with the kids at church. With a limited time to work on crafts, this is simplified quite a bit. But you could make it more involved if you like.

Prep for this craft:
Cut felt pieces to 2"x8" (one per child)
Sew a large button to one end (optional...you could have kids do this)
Cut a button hole in the other end (again...you could have kids do this)
Cut JOY letters from felt

You'll also need:
Embroidery thread
Needles
Extra felt scraps
Scissors
Glue

Download the PDF assembly instructions here.

...He So Loved the World Cross Necklaces

This coming Sunday our children's ministry lesson is on the crucifixion. (yes, it's Palm Sunday, but the curriculum we are using split up the crucifixion and resurrection into two lessons...a bit crazy, but there it is) As a reminder of Jesus' great love, our 2nd-5th graders will be making nail cross necklaces.

A quick search online turns up various examples of this, either to buy already made, as kits, or just as ideas. This is a slightly simplified version to save money and to make it a bit easier for kids to assemble.

Prep for this craft:
-Purchase 2" and 2 1/2" masonry nails, one of each size for each child (you may want to wipe them off in advance...they usually have a layer of oil that will come off on skin and clothes)
-Cut pieces of 20 gauge jewelry wire, one for each child
-Cut jute or hemp (about 36") and tie into necklaces, one for each child

Download the PDF assembly instructions here.

..."How Can I Serve You?" Braided Bracelets

We made these bracelets in our children's ministry last week. The basic idea came from a book of Hello Kitty crafts. They were really simple, and the kids LOVED them.

We used them to illustrate the idea of serving each other, so the kids were asked to trade off holding the bracelet for a friend while braiding. Younger kids (kindergarten/1st grade) had a hard time braiding, so the leaders served them by braiding as needed!)

Prep for this craft:
-Cut fun foam into 1/4" x 7" strips (3 for each bracelet)
-Cut embroidery floss or string into lengths of about 6" (2 for each bracelet)

Download the PDF assembly instructions here.