Crafts and Activities for Bible Parables

The Bible tells stories through its parables, told by Jesus to his followers in order to teach important lessons. In the books of Mark, Luke, John and Matthew, parables teach about humility, faith, trust, kindness and the dangers of cruelty. Creative kids can use the Bible's parables as a jumping off point to participate in crafts and activities. Parables can serve as inspiration for inexpensive, simple crafts, with materials available inexpensively from craft and dollar stores or mined from what's already in the home.

According to the "Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids," it is important to keep an inner light lit at all times to ensure the soul has faith, happiness and kindness. The inner light can help illuminate the need for change, love and justice in all areas of life. Kids can make a tribute to light with a simple craft candle project. Clean out an old mayonnaise, pickle or other condiment jar, removing the label and any residue. Decorate the outside with paint, markers and stickers, then fill halfway with decorative small objects such as beads, rocks, marbles and fake gemstones. Anchor a pillar candle (found at dollar stores) inside the jar, then continue to fill up the jar to about an inch below the top of the candle. Kids can watch the candle flicker and think of ways to keep their own internal light going.

The "Parable of the Sower" tells the story of a farmer who placed his trust in Jesus when planting his garden. He realized that, while some of his crops may be eaten by animals and birds, suffer due to extreme weather conditions or be crowded to death by overreaching weeds, some of his plants would flourish and thrive, creating sustenance for him and his family. Use the sower as inspiration to create a simple window garden. Clean old jars or foam cups out, then fill with soil from outside (or purchase specialty growing soil from a nursery). Add inexpensive seeds from packets (to combine parables, purchase mustard seeds, reflecting on the "Parable of the Mustard Seed") to the containers, then place in a window and see what grows.

One of the most popular parables of the Bible includes the telling of the 10 plagues inflicted upon the Egyptians during the reign of the Pharaohs. Cut pieces of colored felt to illustrate the plagues, such as blue raindrops for the flood, green frogs, white hail and brown horses and donkeys. Draw large backgrounds to tell the stories of the plagues, such as a barnyard scene for plague number five, the death of all livestock. Attach a few pieces of black or dark purple felt to a board to symbolize plague nine, the three days of complete darkness. Cut out small yellow stars to represent how the Goshen Israelites were able to avoid the plagues.