Free (Page 1)
Crafts, Games, Recipes, Ideas, Downloads, Etc.
giant ice block
Giant Ice Block
Looking for a "unique"
way to cool off this summer?
Try a GIANT Ice Block!
Easy to create...You just need a tub, some water, a few plastic
frogs and a freezer.
1. Locate a giant tub
2. Add 3-4" of water
3. Toss in a few plastic frogs
3. Freeze
4. Add 3-4" of water
5. Toss in a few plastic frogs
6. Freeze
7. Add 3-4" of water
8. Toss in a few plastic frogs
9. Freeze
Continue until the entire tub is full.
(This will take approx 1-2 weeks to fill and freeze solid)
Just add a little water each day until it is full.
On reveal day, just turn the tub upside down, allow to sit for 10-15 minutes, and dump it out.
Allow the kids to take turns sitting on the block of ice and then hand out plastic knives, squirt guns, and/or squirt bottles and allow them to "free the frogs" by chipping away at the ice.
Each frog that they successfully free...hops home with them!
(Frogs can be purchased from Oriental Trading. Add anything else that you would like to add.)
An ice block can be added to any summer activity!
time
talent
tithe
Time, Talent, Tithes
T-Shirt Design
Teaching a series on tithing?
Want to make it stick?
Create these cute t-shirts with your children to help them
Remember the 3 T's...
Time, Talent, and Tithes.
All you need is a few white T-shirts, paintbrushes and a
black sharpies... for writing and
fabric paint.
Creating custom t-shirts will help reinforce the importance
of our
Time, Talent, and Tithes.
Note: Plan on spending 2 weeks on this project or spread it out over the entire series. You will only be able to work on one side per week due to drying time.
If you are looking for lessons for this type of series, consider using the following
Barnabas (Missionary), The poor woman's gift, Parable of the Talents
On a budget? Ask each child to
bring an old white t-shirt from
home. They will work just as well!
I spy bottles
I Spy
Treasure in a Bottle Craft
Supplies:
A water bottle with a lid (1 per child) (There are some really neat salad dressing bottles that look like treasure bottles (Bitten or Walden Brand). If you can find bottles that have long necks...such as the pictures above or the Salad Dressing bottles...use them!
Funnels (to fill bottles with birdseed) Test your funnel once you have purchased your seed to make sure that the opening is large enough for your seeds to pass through easily.
A piece of hemp, string, or yarn. Approx. 12” Long with small knots at each end (1 per child)
A bag of birdseed or rice
20 trinket items (clean out your leftover craft items) Buttons, screws, pennies. toothpicks, paper clips, beads, etc. whatever you can find. (20 items per child)
A "Treasure in a Bottle" poem with a hole punched in the upper left-hand corner. Add a hole reinforcement to the back of the tag (round white hole reinforcements). The bottle will be used a lot and the reinforcements will ensure that the tag remains intact.
(1 Per Child).
A 4X4 piece of netting (optional)
Instructions:
Allow each child to:
1. Fill their bottle (halfway) with birdseed
2. Drop the 20 trinkets inside
3. Put the lid on top and shake the bottle
4. Re-open the bottle and finish filling the bottle with birdseed. Leave a 3” gap, depending on your particular type of bottle, between the birdseed and the top of the bottle
5. Screw on the lid
6. If you are using netting, have them center the netting on top of the bottle lid and pull it down around the neck of the bottle.
7. Place a piece of braided yarn around the netting and the neck of the bottle and tie one knot
8. Run one end of the yarn through the hole on the poem gather the two ends of the string together and tie into a knot.
You can use this craft for any lesson involving the ocean, water, treasure, etc.
I have used it when teaching on Paul's Shipwreck.
For the lesson about Rahab. I simply left off the netting and hemp and I replaced it with 3 strands of red yarn braided together to represent the scarlet rope. We talked about the men escaping and how they were "hunted" for...but not found.
I have also used it when teaching on the "Spying Out Canaan"
SIN VS SALVATION
Oil Fears Water - Sin VS Salvation
WILLY WONKA DAY
Willy Wonka Day
Encourage church attendance with a Willy Wonka Event...beginning
on October 1st...National Willy Wonka Day!
Each week (throughout October), children will receive a chocolate bar with a Golden Ticket hidden inside a few of the candy bars. If they receive a golden ticket, they will win one of the large prizes. Select your prizes in advance so that the children know what they are playing for.
You can also add a few extra "smaller" prize tickets inside some of the bars to keep the anticipation going!
Since this is a Willy Wonka event, candy prizes would be perfect. Look for vintage candies that the children may have never seen or tasted before...create a gift basket or bucket filled with yummy treats...or a giant candy bar, etc. You can work the prizes to fit with your families and budget!
ugly sweater competition
Ugly Fall Sweater Competition
Create a little Fall Fun by hosting an ugly fall sweater competition. Competition can be held "in person" or you can challenge your kids, your families, or your entire community. Participants simply take a pic of themselves in their "ugly fall sweater" and submit it on your Facebook page...under your Ugly Fall Sweater Competition post.
budget
saving
tips
Budget Saving Tips
Holiday Sales
Holiday sales are a children's leaders dream come true. Items can be purchased for almost nothing and stored away for the following year...even many food items such as a gingerbread house, candy, etc. Just check your expiration dates.
You do have to be quick. Go early the day after, and continue to check for a few days.
The day after is usually the best picks, but they continue to reduce the price for several days after the holiday.
Use your imagination...an Easter bunny makes a great prize at any time of the year. Suckers are always a perfect snack...and a bubble wand at the end of summer is just as fun at the end of summer as it is at the beginning.
When you see items on clearance, think about where you could use them.
The following are a few ideas to get you started.
After Easter Sales
-
Easter Bunnies - Easter Bunnies can be used for prizes at any time of the year. If you remove the tag and perhaps a ribbon (if it says Easter on it) you have a regular bunny.
-
Bunnies for new babies born in the nursery (Remove ribbon for safety)
-
Treat Bags (Check Hobby Lobby)
-
Cupcake liners
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Prizes to hand out
-
Peeps (Fall marshmallow roasting)
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Confetti Eggs (Outdoor summer egg night activity)
-
Eggs, grass, baskets, stuffed animals (For next years egg hunt)
-
Look for candy that is not holiday-specific and that will store well. (Fall Festival)
After Christmas Sales
-
Gingerbread houses - Use to make Valentine houses - Decorate with Valentines Day candy
-
Purchase red paper plates to be used on Valentines Day
-
Cross Christmas ornaments to use on Easter (Hobby Lobby has them 75%to 90% off.)
-
Fluffy “snowballs” use them all through the year for glow in the dark dodgeball. They don’t hurt when someone is hit.
-
Christmas Cards - Missions
-
Treat Bags (Check Hobby Lobby)
-
Cupcake liners
-
Hershey Kisses and separate the colors - red for Valentine's, green for St. Patrick's and silver for Easter.
-
Stocking stuffers for next year
-
Prizes to hand out
-
Clearance prizes for VBS
Valentines Day
-
Bags of candy - Use for Easter
-
Treat Bags (Check Hobby Lobby)
-
Cupcake liners
Back to School Sales
-
Restock your supply cabinet...pencils, crayons, markers, paper.
-
Backpacks and pencil holders...Bible Buck Store.
After Summer
-
Pool noodles - can be used for endless games
-
Water Balloons
-
Bubble Wands (Great back to school gift or prize item)
After Halloween
-
Wigs and Costumes
-
Glow sticks - for glow in the dark events
-
Treat Bags
-
Cupcake liners
-
Face paint for spring carnival or VBS, etc.
Thrift Stores and Yard Sales
-
A Thrift store or yard sales is a PERFECT place to look for props. VBS, plays, musicals, etc.
VALENTINES DAY
Valentine's Day - Porch Drop
Looking for a Valentine's Day Porch Drop...Attach one of the tags below to a box of Little Debbie's Valentine treats, a box of Conversation Hearts, a heart-shaped sucker, a small box of heart-shaped chocolates, Hershey Hugs and Kisses, a jump rope, a moon pie, or a purchased/baked heart-shaped cookie treats. Add your own devotional, scripture, and a couple of fun treats (optional: a balloon, a couple of pieces of chocolates, a valentine's cards) and you're all set.
teapot craft
Teapot Craft/Gift for Mother's Day Craft
OR
Thank You Card/Gift for Volunteers
Here's a gift for Mother's Day.
I'll try my best in every way.
But if you get upset with me.
Relax and have a pot of tea.
A cup of tea to say 'THANK YOU"
For all the things you have done.
Enjoy, relax and have a day
of happiness and fun!
Before You Begin
-
Download the teapot and heart templates below.
-
Locate the paper/card stock that you want to use. Teapots can be made from construction paper, craft paper, card stock etc. The larger sheets of construction paper (12" X 18") or any paper approximately this size...works best. If you do not have "12X18" sheets then you will need to use two pieces of paper and tape them together at the top.
-
Teapots can be any color that you choose...even white (if you want to decorate them)
-
You will need the following supplies: glue, scissors, red or pink construction paper (for the hearts), markers (to sign cards) any craft items that you choose to use for decorating your cards (optional) and teabags (individual cup or teapot size). If you use the teapot size bags, you may need to adjust the size of your heart.
Let's Get Started
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If using a large piece of paper then fold in half (long edge).
-
If you are using smaller paper then stack two pieces together... one on top of the other.
-
Cut out the template
-
Lay the template on top of the construction paper.
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Place the top of the template on the fold line...or at the very top of your paper.
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If using the larger (folded) paper, make sure that you do NOT cut the top edge apart See the sample pic below.
-
If you used two smaller pieces of paper, trace around your template and cut the two pieces of paper at the same time. Then tape the two teapot pieces together at the top.
TEAPOT AND HEART TEMPLATE
caught you serving
Caught You Serving The Lord
Encourage Serving Others