Catholic Crafts for Teenagers

Teens can make rosaries for themselves or for loved ones.

Whether you're the parent of teenagers seeking craft ideas for a family fun night or a religious education teacher looking for a project to keep your class entertained, there are several crafts you can choose from that reinforce the tenets of Catholicism. A craft project of this nature allows you to bond with the teens you know while you impart religious principles in a non-preachy way.

Prayer Crafts

Since prayer should be an important part of every Catholic's life, prayer-oriented crafts give teens tools they can use on a daily basis. Collect the necessary supplies to create your own rosaries, and allow each teen to make a rosary for his personal use. Have the rosaries blessed by the parish priest when they're finished. Creating prayer cards that feature important religious figures on the front and a prayer on the back is another option. Have the kids use colored pencils or magic markers to draw images of saints on heavy paper or lightweight cardboard. Place a prayer on the back of the card, cut the cards to size and laminate the cards to protect them from damage.

Charitable Crafts

As practicing Catholics, it's important for your teens to participate in charitable acts to assist those in need. Teach your teens to quilt, and create warm blankets to donate to a homeless shelter. Allow the teens to bring in old clothes which they can clip pieces from to include in the fabric of the quilt. Alternatively, choose a simple crochet pattern for a baby blanket, and devote several evenings to crocheting afghans to donate to teen moms who need them.

Bible Crafts

Catholic teens who want to grow in their spiritual knowledge often spend time studying the Bible. By focusing on Biblical crafts, you may help them develop a love for God's Word. Allow each teen to choose a favorite Bible verse and cross-stitch it onto a piece of Aida cloth. Chose an image of a religious symbol to include above the verse, and frame the project when done. Alternatively, have the group cut letters from felt, and glue them on a larger piece of felt in another color to spell out a favorite Bible verse. Hang the project in the teen's classroom at school or in your family room when finished.

Saint Crafts

Catholics often study the lives of the saints for inspiration and guidance as to how to live a holy life. Focus the attention of your teens on the lives of the saints by introducing new ones or reminding them of old favorites with a craft project. Choose unpainted ceramic figurines of various saints, allow your teens to paint them to their satisfaction and display them in a place of prominence. For a group project, hang a large piece of paper on the wall and allow the teens to create a mural that features a number of their favorite saints.

References

• Rosary Maker's Guide: Getting Started
• Better-Cross-Stitch-Patterns: Christian Cross Stitch Patterns