DIY Projects

25 Christ-Centered Christmas Crafts for Kids

November 11, 2016 by Laura Tucker 5 Comments

As much as I love the Christmas holiday season, I always have to be careful with how caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all. It’s so easy to get suckered into the commercialized aspect of things and completely lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

My family celebrates Christmas because it symbolizes the day that God sent his son, Christ Jesus the Messiah to be born. Christ’s entrance into the world is nothing short of miraculous, and I want my daughter to know why we celebrate. Sure, we can get excited about Santa Claus and presents, but those are all Earthly things that will pass. We celebrate our Lord who is not of the world, and gives us eternal life in Heaven!

So since December is quickly approaching, I decided to throw together a compilation of cute and fun little Christ-centered Christmas crafts that are geared towards little children. I know that there’s going to be plenty of Santa Claus crafts to go around this season, but these crafts offer a valuable teaching lesson and an opportunity to share with children about the birth of Jesus Christ!

All of these crafts have been put together by some pretty AMAZING crafty moms and bloggers from all over the world. If you decide to try out some of these crafts with your kiddos, I’m sure they’d love for you to leave them a kind and encouraging word on their posts!

Nativity Finger Puppets (Source: The Crafty Classroom)

Stained Glass Nativity (Source: Housing a Forest)

Star of Bethlehem Ornament (Source: Equipping Godly Women)

Wise Men Stick Puppets (Source: Made by Millie’s Mom)

DIY Stable Ornament (Source: Adventures of a DIY Mom)

Clay Pot Nativity (Source: Fun Family Crafts)

Angels We Have Heard on High Craft (Source: Happy Home Fairy)

Away in a Manger Cookies (Source: Catholic Icing)

Jesus Lights Up My Life Crafts (Source: Danielle’s Place)

“Names of Jesus” Printable Ornaments (Source: Bible Story Printables)

Paper Plate Angel (Source: Our Potluck Family)

Christmas Shepherd Craft (Flame: Creative Children’s Ministry)

Baby Jesus Ornament (Source: What Shall We Do Today? Life as an Air Force Family)

Jesus in a Manger Hand Print Craft (Source: Crafty Morning)

Stained Glass Window Advent Craft (Source: Kinder Craze)

Christmas Scripture Kisses (Source: My Daylights)

Symbols of Christmas Kit (Source: Peppermint Plum)

Footprint Christmas Nativity Canvas (Source: Munchkin Time)

Nativity Chalk Silhouette (Source: The Chaos and the Clutter)

Graham Cracker Nativity Scene Edible Craft (Source: Gluesticks Blog)

Cookie Jar Christmas Craft (Source: The Lettered Cottage)

Fingerprint Manger Scene (Source: Crafty Morning)

Scripture Craft Stick Christmas Tree (Source: Fun At Church)

Simple Baby Jesus Craft (Source: Happy Home Fairy)

Wise Men Toilet Paper Roll Craft (Source: JDaniel4’s Mom)

I hope that you’ve been inspired to share the word of Christ with others this season through these creative crafts projects! I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas season coming up, and that you find the love of Christ wherever you may go!

How I Transformed A Closet Into My Office Space + OttLite Review

November 7, 2016 by Laura Tucker 3 Comments

When my husband and I moved into our current home, we knew that we were going to have far less room in our new house than we were accustomed to. We decided to move back to my husbands hometown and stay in his grandparent’s rental property for a few years to save up enough money to build our dream home. While we’re forever grateful for this humble little abode, it’s had it’s share of challenges. For instance, the house is approximately 1100 sq feet, so coming up with places to put our belongings requires us to get really, really creative sometimes. With just 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and no storage space at all, things got tight fast.

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20 Edible Thanksgiving Crafts for Kids

October 25, 2016 by Laura Tucker 10 Comments

Wow has this year really flown by! Before we know it, we’ll be cutting the Turkey at the dinner table on Thanksgiving day! I remember always getting a kick out of celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday when I was in elementary school. Every year we’d have a “party” where we would do a special study on early American culture, put together fun little crafts and devour seasonal snacks until our bellies were stuffed!

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Superhero Craft Ideas – Hero Central VBS Theme

September 30, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

Who all is pumped up about VBS 2017?! It may be almost a year away, but lots of people are already starting to make preparations for the big undertaking that is Vacation Bible School. If you’ve ever been on the worker side of VBS, you know it’s quite a job…and very important one at that! There are quite a few themes to choose from this year, and they’re all SUPER cool!

Lifeway’s theme is lighting up the sky with Galactic Starveyors – a study where kids will learn all about the Creator of the universe. Group Children’s Ministry’s theme is Maker Fun Factory, where kids are getting a little technical and taking on the role of inventors as they study God, the greatest inventor of all time.

This year, Cokesbury has rolled out an amazing VBS theme called Hero Central, where children will be learning all about the different heroes of the Bible while discovering their own strength in God! Now that’s a message to really get excited about!

If you’ll be helping out with with VBS 2017 and are looking for some fun craft alternatives to use with the Hero Central theme, I’ve put together a list of 12 craft-tastic ideas to help you and the kiddos really get in the hero spirit! If you have any additional ideas you’d like to share, just leave a comment below!

Happy crafting, y’all! 😉

Simple Super hero mask – Well all know that a superhero needs a mask, right?! I think these little masks are so cute, and they’re easy to customize and get creative with! You can find out more about this simple craft, plus find a free printable template over at The Craft Train!

DIY Superhero Mini Shield – A hero needs to have some solid armor, and these cute little DIY mini shields will do just the trick! Get the scoop on how to make these little shields of awesomeness over at Spaceships and Laser Beams!

Upcycled T-Shirt Capes – If you’re going to fly faster than a speeding bullet, you’ve got to make sure your cape can help you get the job done! Besides, you want to really look the part of a true superhero, right? Of course you do! Find out how you can make these simple capes using old repurposed t-shirts over at The Tiptoe Fairy!

Decoupaged Super Hero Picture Frame – We’re always taking a ton of pictures at our VBS, and I’m sure you will, too! Make sure the kiddos have a super cool frame to put their VBS portrait in! Get the scoop on how to create this sweet hero-inspired picture frame over at Crafts By Amanda!

Paper Bag Superhero – This is a craft that may be more suited for the younger kids in the bunch. They’ll have fun coloring and creating their own super hero using simple materials that’ll only cost pennies on the dollar! Plus, there’s a free mask printable included! Just head on over to Glued to My Crafts Blog to learn more!

DIY Superhero Cuffs – A superhero’s outfit just isn’t complete without the matching cuffs! Kids can personalize their cuffs to match the persona of their own created superhero! The items needed to make this craft are simple, everyday items found in our own homes. Learn more about this craft by visiting Kids Activities Blog!

Craft Stick Superheroes – This is another cute little craft that’ll be more appropriate for the younger children attending VBS. These super cool little stick heroes are featured over at Premeditated Leftovers, so go check them out!

DIY Comic Strip Craft – This one is probably my very favorite craft listed here! Just think about all of the creative ideas kids will come up with when they’re creating their very own comic strip! You can find more ideas and details on how to create your own comic at What Do We Do All Day!

Superhero Pom Pom Shooter – Every superhero needs a defense mechanism, right? Why not let it be shooting pom poms at the enemy?! If you don’t mind mini pom poms flying across the room while you’re teaching class, then this craft might be a good fit for you! 😉 You can find out how to make these cute little shooters at Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails!

Rainbow Loom Super Hero Flingers – This craft requires a higher level of skill and possibly time, but it would be a huge hit with kids to get to make their own flying superhero! You can find all the details over at Frugal Fun 4 Boys!

DIY Superhero Peg Dolls – Aren’t these little peg dolls just the cutest? This craft isn’t just for the girls, little boys can have fun creating their own hero action figures, too! For a complete tutorial and for more ideas, visit The Craft Train!

Mason Jar Super Hero Money Bank – Who doesn’t love a good mason jar craft?! They’re so versatile! This is another fun craft that kids can personalize and decorate however they’d like! You can even challenge kids to fill up their piggy banks and bring them back at the end of VBS for the offering! You can find all the details over at Fire Flies and Mud Pies!

Will your church be participating in this SUPER awesome superhero theme this year for VBS? Do you have any other hero-inspired craft ideas that you’d like to share with the world? Drop a comment below and share the love!

Update: I found this SUPER cool (and really inexpensive) backdrop that will be PERFECT for snapping pictures of the kiddos with their crafts in front of. Check it out!

Outer Space Snack Ideas – Galactic Starveyors VBS

September 15, 2016 by Laura Tucker 6 Comments

As sad as it is to admit it, VBS 2016 has officially come to a close! One of the most popular VBS themes for 2016 was “Submerged” by Lifeway, where kids learned all about submerging themselves in God’s word and finding that Jesus doesn’t just see what’s on the outside of people, but instead He sees what’s deep down in the inside of people and loves us no matter what.

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Maker Fun Factory VBS Craft Ideas

September 8, 2016 by Laura Tucker 7 Comments

Affiliate links may be included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing about VBS and I love helping you simplify the process my sharing my favorite VBS craft supplies!

It may be nearly a year away, but there’s just something about Vacation Bible School that gets me SO excited! I love taking a look at all of the options that are going to be available to choose from for the upcoming year. I really believe 2017 is going to be an AMAZING year! Lots of different themes are really challenging children to get creative, use their God given talents, dig deep into HIS word and have fun while doing it!

You may have seen my previous posts about LifeWay’s VBS themes for 2016 and 2017 (Submerged and Galactic Starveyors), but I thought I’d share another really fun option that’ll really get your gears turning! Maker Fun Factory is organized by Group Children’s Ministry, and through this VBS package children will be taking on the role as inventors as they discover that we were fearfully and wonderfully made by God the creator!

Be sure to visit their website to get a sneak peak at all of the resources that are already put together for Maker Fun Factory! (You can even listen to the music tracks, which I am totally loving!)

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How I Keep Toddler Messes at Bay: DIY No Sew Splat Mat Tutorial

September 1, 2016 by Laura Tucker 4 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ProtectYourEverything #CollectiveBias

Sanity. It’s something that I’d like to have a little bit more of, but it’s been hard to maintain here lately. My 15 month old daughter is the keeper of my sanity, and how she feels at any given point in the day determines the amount of it I have. If you have a toddler trying to rule your roost, I’m sure you feel me on this one.

It seems like my daughter has been trying to stake her claim on independence since she left the womb. She has never tolerated me helping her with anything. I can’t share a snack with her, I’m not allowed to play blocks with her, she wants to bathe herself and Heaven forbid I try to feed her. This child, y’all. She’s something else! But her independence is something that is valuable to her, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love watching her learn things all by herself.

However, when a toddler is doing something on their own, there’s going to be a mess. No doubt about it!

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Outer Space Craft Ideas – Galactic Starveyors VBS Theme

August 19, 2016 by Laura Tucker 6 Comments

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing VBS projects with my followers and helping you make your VBS a success!

Summer 2016 isn’t over just yet, but as most of the country is getting ready to head back to school, Vacation Bible School season is coming to a close. One of the most popular VBS themes for 2016 was “Submerged” by Lifeway, where kids learned all about submerging themselves in God’s word and finding that Jesus doesn’t just see what’s on the outside of people, but instead He sees what’s deep down in the inside of people and loves us no matter what. Isn’t that such a great message? If you got to participate in Submerged this year, I’m sure it definitely made a “splash” of an impact on your life. I know it did mine!

VBS 2016 may be wrapping up, but Lifeway just recently released their theme for Summer 2017 and it is AWESOME! Galactic Starveyors is the brand new upcoming theme, and through this series kids will discover the marvels painted in the sky by the Creator. Most importantly, they’ll learn that God is the maker of the entire universe and everything within it, even the things that can’t be seen with a telescope! And while seeing all of the giant stars and planets in the sky may make all of us feel really small, God loves each and every one of us individually and wants a personal relationship with us. Isn’t that amazing!? This VBS is really going to be a blast!

(By the way, you REALLY need to hear the new theme song. It’s SO catchy!)

If you’re an early-bird planner and are looking for a few alternative craft ideas to share with children during VBS, I’ve put together a collection of 15 crafts that are really out of this world! 😉

Plus, check out these stellar Galactic Starveyor Snack Ideas, too!

Straw Rockets – Kids will be launching their own personal little rockets into orbit with these fun little straw rockets! Buggy and Buddy created this craft with an AWESOME free template for your to print out so you can get ready for takeoff, too! A list of supplies needed and a step by step tutorial on how to assemble them is included!

DIY Galaxy Slime – What kid DOESN’T want to play with a big beautiful thing of slime?! Isn’t this galaxy slime SO pretty? It’s super fun and easy to make, too! Two-daloo is sharing all of the how-to’s with this craft, so be sure to stop by and check it out!

Rocket Power Jet Pack – I mean, have you ever seen a craft as cute and fun as this?! I want to make one for myself right this very minute! Find a step by step tutorial and a list of supplies needed over at Doodle Craft Blog!

Mini Soda Bottle Rockets – The folks over at Toddler Approved are launching their own rockets into outer space, and they look like they’re a ton of fun to create! They use lots of common household items, so it’ll be a breeze to collect the supplies needed for this one!

Easy Sun Craft – I just love the bright and vibrant colors of this simple sun craft! Kids will have fun learning all about the Son during VBS while creating this beautiful sun from yarn, beads and popsicle sticks! For more details, visit The Kindergarten Connection! While you’re there, browse through all of her other fabulous kids crafts and activities!

Chalk and Stars Constellation – This really cute idea comes to us from Gift of Curiosity! Since the VBS theme is all about gazing at the stars in the universe and marveling at their beauty and their Creator, why not do a simple craft to create your own constellation? You can have students model their patterns after real constellation or have them get creative and design their own!

Easy Glow-in-the-Dark Night Sky Scripture Canvas – This one is brought to you by yours truly! After leading crafts during VBS and Sunday School for many years, I look for projects that are quick, easy and meaningful. I know kids are going to love painting their own canvas and decorating them with fun glow in the dark stars to display in their rooms!

Craft Stick Stars – This one is really simple, but leaves lots of room for creativity! I love craft projects like this because just like no two stars in the sky are the same, no two craft stick stars will be the same! This one comes to us from Danielle’s Place (scroll to mid page to find this craft). Be sure to visit their website to find even more awesome crafts for every season!

DIY Moon Rocks – This craft is probably the most frugal out of the entire bunch. The ingredients in these super cool DIY moon rocks cost just a few pennies to put together, but kids will marvel at how such simple ingredients can create something so stellar! The awesome ladies over at The Crafting Chicks put together an amazing tutorial to show you how to make it work!

Falling Stars Wall Hanger – This one is probably my very favorite of the bunch! Isn’t it pretty? Kids will love making their own mobile or wall hanger of beautiful starts to hang in their rooms to remind them of all of the lessons they learned at VBS. They can even decorate each star or write the memory verse of the week on them. Lots of possibilities with this one! This craft comes to us from Just a Girl and Her Blog – a really fabulous blog with all sorts of other fun craft and DIY ideas!

Crystal Stars – This one looks like SO much fun, I’m seriously thinking about making it myself as soon as my toddler goes to sleep! 😉 This fun craft comes to us from One Little Project, where she lists all of the ingredients needed as well as a step by step tutorial (with gorgeous photos) to show you how to make it!

Paper Towel Tube Telescope – Here’s a really fun one for all of the starveyors at VBS this year! Have students make their own telescope so they can scope out all of the beautiful stars in the sky when they go home! This one comes to us from Highlights – a great resource for kids and parents alike for great ideas and projects that kids can get involved in!

Galaxy Jars – These gorgeous and simple galaxy jars are truly mesmerizing! Kids will be oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over them once they see them! They only require a few “ingredients,” so it should be easy to gather all of the supplies needed. Hop on over to Crafty Morning to see how she made them!

Styrofoam Planets – I’m pretty pumped up about this one, y’all. This DIY planet using an old CD is such a neat idea! This craft comes to us from Mommy In Sports, a great blog full of craft ideas, parenting advice, recipes and SO much more!

Marshmallow and Spaghetti Constellations – This craft will be a hit with the younger kiddos enrolled in VBS. Kids will have fun constructing their own constellations using marshmallows and spaghetti noodles. You can find more information on how to complete this project at Deceptively Educational!

Constellation Viewers – I love how perfectly this one fits in with the theme! School Time Snippets has a list of all supplies needed for this craft as well as a tutorial of how to put it together. Kids are really going to feel like real starveyors with this one!

If you’re looking for a few quick and simple craft projects with minimal cleanup, Oriental Trading has a few really awesome craft kits that fir perfectly with this theme! Plus, Oriental Trading pretty much always has a sale going on. Here’s a few of my favorite easy craft ideas from Oriental Trading!

Magnifying Telescope Craft Kit – (Makes 12) $6.49

Galaxy Constellation Wheel Craft Kit (Makes 12) $6.49

Galaxy Prayer Box (Makes 12) $8.49

Galaxy Mobile Craft (Makes 12) $7.49

Galaxy Magnetic Picture Frame Kit (Makes 12) $7.49

Outer Space Magic Scratch Ornaments (Makes 24) $7.99

Galactic Tissue Paper Craft Kit (Makes 12) $9.49

Click the image below for even MORE Galactic Starveyors themed supplies to rock your VBS for 2017!

Will you be participating in VBS 2017? Are you going to be going on an out-of-this-world journey as a Galactic Starveyor? Leave a comment and let me know when your church’s Vacation Bible School will be taking place and if you’ll be using any of these fun craft ideas with your kiddos!

4 Ways to Celebrate the Olympics with Kids + FREE Coloring Sheets

August 1, 2016 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

With the 2016 Olympic Games quickly approaching, excitement has started to fill the air as American athletes are putting a lifetime of hard work into the qualifying rounds to see who will take a coveted USA team spot and represent our great country in the Olympics in Brazil. I get chills just typing that, y’all!

The Olympics are truly something big and monumental to celebrate, not just something taking a time spot on your favorite TV channel. I hope to encourage you to start a discussion with your children about the Olympics and get excited about the games coming up in just a few short days. I’ve put together a list of 4 Ways to Celebrate the Olympics with Kids, plus I’ve included 3 FREE coloring sheets for you to help get kids interested and inspired about the events!

Make Olympic Inspired Snacks
- To get your kiddos excited about the Olympic games, whip up a few easy and fun Olympic-inspired treats to munch on while the games are on! I’ve been pinning ideas like crazy over on my Olympics Pinterest Board. Take a look and get your chef hat ready, because you’ll want to make them all! 😉
Create an Outdoor Olympian Obstacle Course
- What better way to celebrate the Olympics than to get active and play! Create a fun and challenging obstacle course related to your kid’s favorite sports, or bring the fun indoors and get creative! Relay races, laps in the pool, beach towel volleyball, noodle toss, etc. are just a few ideas that come to mind. You can even host a mock opening ceremony with music, dancing and singing. The possibilities are endless!
Get Your Color On!
- I’ve got 3 simple and fun coloring sheets that you can print for FREE! These are perfect to help children get excited about the upcoming Olympic games, to help keep little ones occupied while watching them on TV with the family, or just to color whenever/wherever! (If you decide to print them, would you kindly consider subscribing to my email updates? I work hard to create my content, so your support is incredibly valuable to me!)
- Free Olympic Medals Printable Coloring Sheet
- Free Olympic Rings Printable Coloring Sheet
- Free Olympic Laurel Wreath and Torch Printable Coloring Sheet
Learn the History
- I remember learning all about the Olympics when I was a child in school. Did you know that the history of the games dates back to over 2,700 years ago?! I’ve found this website to be an amazing resource for kids to learn more about the Olympics and how they got to be where they are today. Encourage your children to learn more about this amazing historical event. Who knows, you may be raising your own future little Olympian!

What are some other fun and creative idea to encourage children to get excited about the Olympic Games? Will you be watching the games with your family? What is your favorite sport to watch? Leave a comment below and let’s chat!

How to Repurpose Old Formula and Snack Cans

June 27, 2016 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

Do you find yourself frequently throwing away empty cans? We go through a ton of cans and containers in our house. It seems like my toddler is forever devoted to her beloved crunchy snacks (seen below), and we go through containers of them ALL the time. The crafty person inside me cringes every time I throw those empty cans away, because I know there are ways to repurpose them! Then I look around at how tiny my house is and toss them anyway. (We unfortunately don’t have a recycling program where I live, or else I would totally recycle!)

I’ve been waiting for a little inspiration to hit me before I kept a container to repurpose, and that bright idea finally hit me late last week. I love to change out the centerpieces on my kitchen table from time to time, so I thought I’d take a stab at throwing something great together with some craft supplies that I had lying around.

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DIY Projects

Update: I found this SUPER cool (and really inexpensive) backdrop that will be PERFECT for snapping pictures of the kiddos with their crafts in front of. Check it out!

Affiliate links may be included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing about VBS and I love helping you simplify the process my sharing my favorite VBS craft supplies!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ProtectYourEverything #CollectiveBias

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing VBS projects with my followers and helping you make your VBS a success!

Click the image below for even MORE Galactic Starveyors themed supplies to rock your VBS for 2017!

Make Olympic Inspired Snacks

Create an Outdoor Olympian Obstacle Course

Get Your Color On!

Learn the History

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