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Bread of Life Craft for Kids

An easy Bread of Life craft for kids in three levels, a woven mat with a loaf flap and a waterpot flap that lift for John 6:35. Free printable template.

Preschool–Grade 5

Bread of Life Craft for Kids
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Free to print and copy for your church, classroom, VBS and home. Please don't resell or re-post our files; link to the page instead.

Ages
Preschool (3–5), Early Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5)
Time
15 to 30 minutes
Scripture
John 6:26–35
Bible story
Jesus, the Bread of Life

What you need

  • The printed template (page 2), one per child (cardstock is sturdiest)
  • Crayons or markers in yellow, brown, red and orange, plus any colors for the drawing
  • Scissors and a glue stick
  • The printed harder page (page 3), one per child, plus a light blue crayon (harder level)

Steps

  1. Color the mat yellow, and color the two bands and the fringe on the ends brown. Color the two hearts red. Leave the inside of the loaf circle and the inside of the waterpot outline white.Color the mat yellow, and color the two bands and the fringe on the ends brown. Color the two hearts red. Leave the inside of the loaf circle and the inside of the waterpot outline white.
  2. In the oval window, draw yourself coming to Jesus.
  3. Color the loaf flap brown. Color the waterpot flap orange, with its three bands brown.
  4. Cut out the mat, the loaf flap, the waterpot flap and the verse strip on the dashed lines.Cut out the mat, the loaf flap, the waterpot flap and the verse strip on the dashed lines.
  5. Fold the tab of the loaf flap back on the dotted line. Glue only the tab on the mat just above the loaf circle, so the loaf covers the heart and lifts up.
  6. Fold the tab of the waterpot flap back. Glue only the tab on the mat just above the waterpot outline, so the waterpot covers the heart and lifts up.
  7. Glue the verse strip on the back of the mat. Read it together.
  8. Tell it: Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). Point to your picture: "he that cometh to me." Lift the loaf: "shall never hunger." Lift the waterpot: "he that believeth on me shall never thirst."Tell it: Jesus said, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). Point to your picture: "he that cometh to me." Lift the loaf: "shall never hunger." Lift the waterpot: "he that believeth on me shall never thirst."

This Bread of Life craft turns one printed page into a woven mat with two flaps that lift. Jesus said, "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst" (John 6:35). Kids draw themselves coming to Jesus in the window, then lift the loaf of bread and the waterpot to find a heart under each one.

The finished craft, easy and medium level

The finished craft, harder level

What it looks like finished: easy and medium (first photo) and harder (second photo).

Why this craft works

  • Cheap and simple: one printed page, a glue stick, crayons and scissors.
  • The whole verse in one picture: the window for "he that cometh to me," the loaf for "shall never hunger" and the waterpot for "shall never thirst" (John 6:35).
  • Kids put themselves in it: each child draws themselves coming to Jesus. No other person is printed, and Jesus is never drawn.
  • It carries the verse home: John 6:35 (KJV), the memory verse for the whole Bread of Life set, is glued on the back of the mat.

Three ways to make it

  • Easy (preschool, ages 3–5): you cut out the pieces and glue the flaps on. Kids color and draw themselves in the window. No scissors.
  • Medium (grades K–2): the craft in the first photo. Kids color, draw, cut out the pieces and glue the two flaps by their tabs.
  • Harder (grades 3–5): the craft in the second photo. Kids add a sky banner from page 3 with rays of light coming down from a cloud, because the bread of God "cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world" (John 6:33).

Questions to ask

While kids work, ask how the people got to Capernaum (John 6:24), why they were looking for Jesus (6:26), what food not to labour for (6:27), what the work of God is (6:29), what the fathers ate in the desert (6:31) and what Jesus said He is (6:35). Then read John 6:35 together.

Tips for the classroom

For preschoolers, cut out the pieces and glue the flaps on ahead of time, so all they do is color, draw and lift the flaps. Cardstock makes the flaps last longest.

Teaching the story first? Use the free Bread of Life lesson and the word search.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a simple Bread of Life craft for preschoolers?

Cut out each child's mat, loaf flap, waterpot flap and verse strip ahead of time. Preschoolers color the pieces and draw themselves in the window. Glue the two flaps on for them by their tabs, so they lift up. It takes about 15 minutes with no cutting by the kids.

How much does this Bread of Life craft cost?

Under 50 cents a child: one printed page, a glue stick and crayons you already have. The template is free to print. The harder level adds a second page.

What Bible verse goes with this craft?

John 6:35 (KJV), "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." It is the memory verse for the whole Bread of Life set, and it is printed on the verse strip that kids glue on the back of the mat.

How can older kids make this craft harder?

Use the harder level for grades 3–5. Kids add a sky banner from page 3 that stands up above the mat, with a cloud and rays of light coming down, because Jesus said the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33).

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