(This post was originally written as part of a series I wrote for GodsVerse.org - You can read the original here)
It can be challenging to find baptism crafts for Sunday school. Let’s discover 5 new Bible crafts based on this important event in every believer’s life. Below is a collection of creative ideas and a couple of Sunday school crafts that you can use in children’s church. Whether you are teaching the kids about the baptism of Jesus or your church is having a baptism Sunday, there will be an option from the list below that can work for you.
Note to the Sunday school teacher
Remember that children’s ministry is more than entertainment or games. Even though there are beautiful and fun ways that we can teach kids, we need to always make sure our heart is in the right place. Are you going into Sunday with the expectation that kids will encounter God? How are you preparing yourself (and your volunteers) to be discerning what the Holy Spirit wants to do in your time with the kids? Can you pray over the classroom or meeting space beforehand?
Before you scroll down and dive into the crafts and activities below, I want to encourage you to pause and ask God to guide you to choose the best one for your specific group. He knows the name of each child you are working with and He cares about what you are going to teach them.
Some keywords to focus on when teaching about baptism are: new | spirit | Jesus | John | water | old life | new life | dove
5 Baptism Crafts for Sunday School with Activities
1. New Life Plant Signifying Baptism
If you're crunched for time, a simple activity is to have the children plant seeds in containers. It can be egg cartons, foamalite cups, empty tins, or anything else. You can buy one packet of seeds for fairly cheap (R30 in SA) and there you have it! Have the kids decorate the container if you have more time and some craft supplies and remember to teach them to water the seeds. Focus on the water as a symbol of growth and link that to the water of baptism - where a believer takes a step into a new life in Christ. The complete Sunday school lesson that accompanies this activity can be about how we get a new life when we are baptized. It is based on 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new".
2. The Spirit Dove at Jesus’ Baptism
This craft is based on the Holy Spirit descending as a dove at the baptism of Jesus. In your Bible time, read Mark 1:9-11 in the Easy-to-Read Version: “John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw the sky torn open. The Spirit came down on him like a dove. A voice came from heaven and said, “You are my Son, the one I love. I am very pleased with you.” You can also consider speaking this over the kids as well: God loves you; He is pleased with you. Hearing these things helps them see God for who He really is. He is not mad at them or distant.
Teach the kids that the Spirit of God also dwells inside each one of them. The lesson here is that the Holy Spirit is God-with-us. Use paper plates to make a simple white dove. A dove template can be found here. It’s always a good idea to make an example before class so that the kids can see a visual representation of what they’re expected to make. Toddler groups might find this craft a bit too advanced.
3. Through John’s Eyes – the Baptist
Consider focusing on the perspective of John the Baptist for a unique Jesus’ baptism craft. Older children will particularly enjoy this one since it’s a bit different from what they’ve probably done a million times before. John’s story is quite unique and it is a fun one to explore with kids. This craft helps children recognize the humanity of Bible characters, which in turn connects them to Jesus more – like, He was a real human being; fully God and fully man!
This is not so much a craft, but it is a great way to teach something in a way that middle school children will understand. A creative way to teach the kids the story of John is to focus on his diet of grasshoppers and honey. Take a sugar cookie and drizzle some honey over the top. It is optional to add some gummy sweets in the shape of bugs on top. Focus on Matthew 3:11 ““I baptize you with water to show that you have changed your hearts and lives. But there is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can. I am not good enough to be the slave who takes off his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” (ERV)
Also see our Adam and Eve Sunday school craft
4. The Baptism Came First, Ministry Followed
Focus on the fact that Jesus’ baptism kicked off His public ministry. Highlight the need for new birth and that we should not try to do things for God from our own strength. Switch things up on this day and do the craft first, turning your usual program on its head. Doing so will teach kids about how the baptism came first in a very practical way. Using a glue stick and some magazines, have the kids make collages of the baptism story. They can include all the elements like the river, the other people, John the baptist, the dove from Heaven, and so forth.
You can give more detailed instructions depending on the age group you are working with. For example: High school students might be challenged to create a portrait picture of John the Baptist or something like that. Other groups might cut out letters or words to craft their own poem about baptism. Perhaps a few brave ones can read their poetry out loud to the rest of the group.
Also see our doubting Thomas Sunday school crafts
5. Coloring page about the Baptism of Jesus
This printable activity can be printed on any blank page. It is a very simple activity suitable for any age group. This craft encourages independent work and might introduce a great window of opportunity for volunteers to move through the kids and pray with individuals as they color in. Draw the kids’ attention to certain details in the picture by asking them questions.
Older children can be challenged to take a Bible and copy the text of the baptism story onto their page. In the past when I’ve wanted to challenge my kids ministry group, I’d encourage group activities. For example: You can print this coloring picture on a big page (A2) and instead of handing out 30 individual pictures, the whole group can work together on one picture. This challenges kids to move beyond an individualistic mindset towards a collectivist one, which teaches them about loving their neighbor and having patience.
Final thoughts on Baptism Bible crafts
These baptism crafts for Sunday school are sure to break the box a little bit. Each activity or craft can actually be fleshed out a bit, and then you have a free Bible lesson based on baptism! Children can grasp the true meaning of baptism and how it is the place where everything is made new. If you are still unsure how to teach the meaning of baptism, the following Scripture is a great place to start:
“Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. Christ died, and we have been joined with him by dying too. So we will also be joined with him by rising from death as he did. We know that our old life was put to death on the cross with Christ. This happened so that our sinful selves would have no power over us. Then we would not be slaves to sin. Anyone who has died is made free from sin’s control. If we died with Christ, we know that we will also live with him Christ was raised from death. And we know that he cannot die again. Death has no power over him now. “ – Romans 6:3-9
Let us know if you used any of these ideas and how it went. Also, feel free to share some prayer requests for your Sunday school or kids ministry in the comments below. We would love to come around you and support you in this important task of nurturing the faith development of young ones. If you found this post useful, let us know what other Sunday school resources you would like to see from us.
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