How to Make a Clay Bible Crafts Lamp
Kids enjoy crafts. Making crafts with children at church or school helps them understand and remember the lessons taught them. Help them to create their own replica of a Bible-era lamp by using clay. Bible lamps were very crude and simply made. Most looked like bowls with a sort of spout on one side to hold the wick. This project is good for kids of all ages, although younger children may need a little help forming the handle.
Instructions
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Give each child about a 1-cup portion of clay. Tear off two pieces from this clay, about the size of 1-inch balls, and set them aside to use for the handle and the center of the lamp later.
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2
Pass out rolling pins, or some other smooth round object, to the children. Let them roll out their large piece of clay to about 1/2-inch thick.
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3
Make a bowl out of the flat clay by pulling up the sides. Show them how to use their cupped hands to form a shallow bowl.
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4
Fold over 1/2 inch to 1 inch of the top of the bowl to form a lip around the edge of the lamp.
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5
Squish two of the sides in towards the center slightly to form a lamp base that is a little oblong.
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6
Pinch one of the short ends of the oblong to form a spout where people would pour oil out of the lamp or place the wick.
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Take one of the 1-inch balls of clay and roll it out to measure 1 inch by 2 inches. Loosely roll up the clay to form a tube. Press one end of the tube into the center of the lamp where they can put a candle if they want to use their lamps.
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Roll the other 1-inch ball of clay using your hand and the tabletop. Make a 4-inch long rope.
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Drape one end of the rope over the side opposite the spout. Press one end of the rope into the clay on top of the lamp and the other end to the bottom side of the lamp. Make it a curved shape where two of your fingers will fit so you can carry the lamp.
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Allow the clay to dry completely.
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Cover your work surface with newspaper. Use bronze-colored paint to paint the Bible era's lamp inside and out.
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Tips & Warnings
You may want to do this craft over two lessons. Form the lamp the first lesson and then paint it during the second lesson to allow plenty of drying time for the clay.
If you are doing this craft with small children, give them a cup to drape their clay over to form the bowl of the lamp because their hands are so small.
