One fun part of any Vacation Bible School is crafts. Kids enjoy being creative and having something to show to others. These can be simple and inexpensive projects and will still have the affect of the craft kits. I completely understand not all churches or groups have available funds to purchase the traditional Lifeway craft kits for each child. Those craft kits are great for smaller groups but cost can add up quickly when you are preparing for a few hundred children. Below you will find some simple alternative craft ideas ranging in price that go along with the Submerged theme.
Alternative Craft Ideas
1. Paper Plate Turtle Craft Intructions – Simple and easy to make paper plate turtles. Check out the easy to follow step by step instructions. Great alternative Craft Idea that is inexpensive for VBS 2016 Submerged.
2. Paper Bag Jelly Fish – Get some colored paper bags from Dollar Tree as well as some googley eyes and have some children’s scissors on hand for children to cut their own. For smaller children I would recommend that your cut them before allowing kids to glue on the eyes. These are very simple. Add string on the back to make them wall hangers.
3. Cardboard Octopus – Very simple to make. Collect Toilet Paper Rolls. This will be an easy inexpensive alternative craft for Submerged VBS 2016. You will need Tissue paper. Pending on how many kids will be making these you can get 120 plus out of 1 pack of tissue paper from Dollar Tree. You will need glue sticks, liquid glue, googly eyes, black sharpie and scissors. Simply glue your tissue paper wrapping it around the paper roll and stuffing the edges inside glued down. Glue on your eyes where you desire. Cut about 1 cm apart halfway up and fold upward.
Get the full Cardboard Octopus Instructions Here.
4. Hand Print Octupus – Use washable paint. Spread the paint over a child’s hand and place on the paper. Remove hand and let the paint set and dry. Glue on Googly eyes.
Photo Credit – Craftymorning.com
5. Paper Plate Fish – You will need colored paper plates, double sided tape or fast drying glue and a black sharpie and googly eyes for added fun. Simply have your child choose their colors of plates and where you cut your triangle you will use as your fin. Color with black marker the eye ball or you can use a googly eye. Add a secondary color for fin or any fish design. Be creative. Offer some gems or glitter for the kids to glue on and make their fish one of a kind.
6. Paper Bowl Jellyfish – You can get paper bowls 12ct from Dollar Tree. Use color tissue paper to cover or give your kids crayons to color the bottom of the bowls. Cut out shapes to add to the top of the jellyfish to make them unique. Use corresponding color streamers, cut 6-8 for each at equal lengths and glue on the inside of the bowl.
7. Egg Carton Crab – You can recycle using egg cartons by painting them red and adding some red pipe cleaners and googly eyes. Simply cut the red pipe cleaners to fit the crab carton base made for the body and poke the ends thru hands made from the egg carton as well. Glue on some googly eyes.
You can find full step by step instruction for Egg Carton Crab
8. Blue Whale Paper Cups – You can either grab a sleeve of 12ct blue cups at Dollar Tree or even white ones and cover with blue tissue paper. Poke a whole at the bottom of the cup and add silver pipe cleaners curled as pictured below. Using blue construction paper cut some fins and a tale. Glue on some googly eyes and you have yourself a whale.
9. Craft Stick Fish – You will need four craft sticks. You can use either the colored or regular and let the kids paint them. If time is an issue I recommend the colored sticks. You will need tissue paper and quick drying glue. You will need a black sharpie for the gills and a googly eye. This is a great alternative craft that cost mere pennies each to make. Very low cost and appropriate for most ages.
10. Sock Octopus Craft – You can get a couple pair of socks for $1 at Dollar Tree. This will make 4 Octopus. Get a bag of stuffing or pick up a cheap pillow for less than $3 at Walmart you will get easily 25 out of this pillow.
11. Paper Bag Fish – Very simple to make and cost about 25 cents each to make. Get colored paper bags from Dollar Tree located in the party favor area. You get 10ct for $1. Then head on over to the craft area and pick up some googly eyes and glitter glue. You can even pick up some jewels for added pizzazz.
Topic: Submerged – Alternative Craft Ideas