Shadow Box Puppet Stories

Tell any Bible story using shadow puppets.  This is a great technique for those stories which are difficult to find pictures or visuals for. 

Get an empty box.  Cut off the bottom of the box.  Cut all the tabs off the top of the box except the longer two tabs.  These tabs will help stabilize the box when you are telling stories.  Cover the bottom of the box with two layers of white tissue paper.

Fold the other two tabs toward the inside of the box and secure with packing tape or duck tape.

Set the box on a table and shine a flashlight from the open end.  (I discovered that the best flashlights to use are those with LED lights.  They have the most even light rays.  The others tend to have a big circle in the middle which distorts the picture.  This tiny pink LED flashlight from Wal-Mart does a fantastic job.)

Make puppets from black or any dark construction paper.  I used a die cut for these but any pattern for people, animals, and objects will work.  Let the children retell the story over and over using this puppet stage.

Saul's Conversion

Saul's Conversion

Acts 9:1-19

Verses 18 - 19 say, "Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength."

This visual will allow the children to see "something like scales" magically falling from his eyes. (See the first picture.)  I made the picture of Saul poster size.  I colored it using pastel chalks and laminated it.   I cut out two ovals from white paper so his eyes would not show through the "scales".  The "scales" were made from 8 layers of wax paper.  

To attach the "scales", I used an Exact o knife to cut slits just above the eyes.  I made the slits just large enough for the small part of a small paper clip to fit through.  I then layered one white oval and 8 wax paper ovals on each eye.  The paper oval is on the bottom.  I put the "scales" between the paper clip and his face.  (See closeup picture.  The kids cannot see this if the picture is a small distance away from them.)

On the back, you see the paper clips.  I attached a short string to each paper clip and then to a popsicle stick.  I looped a short string around the popsicle stick and taped the top of that string to the poster.  This loop will keep the popsicle stick in place until you need to move it.

For the fun visual effect, show the children the face and talk about it.  When you get to the part where the scales fall off, pull the popsicle stick upward slowly with your thumb.  The scales will begin to slide off one or two at a time.  (Practice ahead of time.  Pulling too fast does not get the correct effect.)

Click here for instructions and pattern.

The pattern is on an 8 1/2 X 11 paper.  Feel free to make it larger. 

The head was made with a pattern from the book Bible Story Clip and Copy Patterns by Corbin Hillam.  This is one of my favorite books to use as patterns for many, many things!  This precious book is no longer in print, so Mr. Hillam has graciously allowed me to give you the pattern for free.  He is producing a CD with the art from this book.  The drawings are fantastic!  If you would like to purchase a CD for $15, you can contact him at corbinhillam@yahoo.com.  It is well worth the money!  Other items by him can be seen at www.corbinhillamdesign.weebly.com.

Telling Others About Jesus "Business" Cards

Tell All the World about Jesus!

It's important that we share the good news of Jesus Christ with everyone.  Sometimes, for children, it can difficult to know where to begin.  I print a few pages of these "business" cards and give each child a handful.  They go pass them out to friends and family who do not go to church and invite them to come.  

 

 

The John 3:16 card was made with permission using free Word Art by Karen Murray.  If you want to see and use some more amazing Word Art Bible verses by Karen Murray, go to www.papercraftmemories.com.  I will be making more business cards using her WordArt and posting them on this blog.
 

To print the Sunshine "Smile!  Jesus Loves YOU!" cards, click here.

To print the John 3:16 cards, click here.

To print the person ""Smile!  Jesus Loves YOU!" cards, click here.

Friction Pen Leper

Jesus Heals the Ten Lepers

Luke 17:11-19

The concept behind this project is the same concept seen in the story of the Rich Young Ruler.  Click on that link to see a short video showing exactly how these Frixion Pens work.  In short, heat makes the red ink disappear so the leper will "magically" be healed!

Materials:

• Very simple coloring page of man
• Colored pencils or markers
• Red Frixion Pen - Pilot brand (Found at Walgreen's and Staples)
• Heat embossing tool (I found mine at a garage sale) or blow dryer 

Instructions:

• Color the coloring page with colored pencils or markers.  (Do not use crayon as the wax will melt and make a mess!  Then your page will not be reusable.) Do not laminate.
• Color red leprosy dots on the skin with a red Frixion pen.
• When telling the story, use a heat embossing tool (for scrapbooking) or a blow dryer.  The heat from these tools will make the red ink disappear and he will be healed!

 

Fiery Furnace Gets Hotter

Fiery Furnace Gets Hotter

Daniel 3: 1 - 29

 

What a fun way to tell the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the Fiery Furnace!  The story starts with the middle picture.  When you get to verse 19 where Nebuchadnezzar tells the men to make the fire seven times hotter, you magically push on some popsicle sticks in the back and the flames get hotter and higher!  (Yes, it's technically 2 times hotter but it gives the impression we need.)

 

At the appropriate spot in the story, add Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.  Later add the angel.

 

For detailed instructions with pictures along with patterns, click here.