Suncatcher Cross Craft

This suncatcher cross is a great activity for kids (includes object lesson for being bold in your faith, which can be used with Rocky Railway VBS)!

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Supplies:

• Black cardstock paper
• Scissors
• Cross template (download below)
• Tissue paper squares
• 1/2 sheet laminating sleeves
• Laminators (we had 2 running to go more quickly)
• Hole punch (buying low impact hole punches has seriously been one of our best ministry purchases!)
• Ribbon

Prep Instructions:

Download & print cross template below on white copy paper.

Using the template, cut crosses out of black cardstock paper (1 per child).  You will be able to cut 3 crosses out of each sheet of paper… so if you’re preparing for 90 kids, you’ll need 30 sheets of black cardstock.

Instructions (at VBS):

• Tell the students: Tonight, we are talking about the fact that Jesus helps us to be bold.  What does that mean?  (Let them give some answers.)  There are times when it’s scary to talk about our faith.  Jesus had times when he knew talking about his faith would be dangerous for him, but he did it anyway.  Jesus shared his love with everyone, and he challenges us to do the same.  The cross is a reminder for us to love one another, just as Jesus loved us.  It challenges us to be bold.  When the world around us seems dark and scary, the cross gives us hope that things will get better.  Today we’re going to make a cross suncatcher.  You can hang it in a window to remember that no matter what happens in life, we can choose to be bold in our faith, to love one another deeply, to have hope for the future.
• Give each student a laminating pouch.  Have them open it up. (You could also lay out open laminating pouches and crosses on the table to save time.)

• Have kids write their name on one tissue paper square and put it at the top corner of the laminating pouch.
• Let kids lay a layer of tissue paper squares on one side of the laminating pouch.
• Lay a black cross in the center of the laminating pouch. 

• Laminate the pouch (be careful not to spill out the tissue paper squares).
• Once it’s laminated, use a hole punch to put two holes at the top of the laminating pouch.
• Cut a piece of ribbon about a foot long, then tie it through each hole to hang the suncatcher.

• Encourage kids to take the suncatcher home.  This is an opportunity for each kid to be bold in their faith.  They can think of someone who needs hope, and give the suncatcher to them.  It could be a grandma, a lonely neighbor, a sad friend, a parent or even hang it at home to remind yourself to have hope.  Make sure to share with the person you give it to that it is a reminder that we all have hope for bright days ahead because of Jesus!

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