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David and Jonathan Craft for Kids

An easy David and Jonathan craft for kids in three levels, a paper field where David hides by the stone Ezel and slides up. Free printable template and steps.

Preschool–Grade 5

David and Jonathan 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
1 Samuel 18–20
Bible story
David and Jonathan

What you need

  • The printed template (page 2), one per child (cardstock is sturdiest)
  • Crayons or markers in green, blue, brown and gray, plus any colors to draw the people
  • Scissors and a glue stick
  • The printed bow page (page 3), one per child, a 3-inch piece of tan yarn and tape (harder level)

Steps

  1. Color the field green, the sky above the hill blue, the three arrows brown and the stone gray. Draw Jonathan in the big window on the field and the little lad in the small window. Draw David in the window on the slider.Color the field green, the sky above the hill blue, the three arrows brown and the stone gray. Draw Jonathan in the big window on the field and the little lad in the small window. Draw David in the window on the slider.
  2. Cut out the field, the stone, the slider and the verse strip on the dashed lines. Help younger children with the cutting.Cut out the field, the stone, the slider and the verse strip on the dashed lines. Help younger children with the cutting.
  3. Turn the stone over. Put glue only along its left, right and bottom edges. Press it on the dotted stone shape on the field, with its bottom on the bottom edge of the field. Leave the top open, so the stone makes a pocket.
  4. Slide the slider down into the pocket behind the stone, so David is hidden by the stone Ezel (1 Samuel 20:19).
  5. Glue the verse strip on the back of the field.
  6. Tell the story: Jonathan shoots the arrows beyond the lad and calls, Is not the arrow beyond thee? (20:37). When the lad is gone, pull David up out of his hiding place by the tab (20:41). Turn the field over and read the verse together.Tell the story: Jonathan shoots the arrows beyond the lad and calls, Is not the arrow beyond thee? (20:37). When the lad is gone, pull David up out of his hiding place by the tab (20:41). Turn the field over and read the verse together.

This David and Jonathan craft turns one printed page into the field from 1 Samuel 20. Kids draw Jonathan and the little lad in two windows, with three arrows lying in the field beyond the lad (1 Samuel 20:20, 20:36). David hides behind the stone Ezel (20:19) and, when Jonathan calls, "Is not the arrow beyond thee?" (20:37) and the lad is gone, kids pull David up out of his hiding place (20:41). The memory verse is on the back. It costs under 50 cents a child, takes about 20 minutes and comes in three levels, from preschool to 5th grade.

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, crayons, scissors and glue.
  • Kids act out the story: David hides behind the stone, Jonathan's arrow goes beyond the lad, and David comes up to say goodbye to his friend (1 Samuel 20:35–42).
  • It follows the Bible closely: the stone Ezel (20:19), the three arrows (20:20), the little lad (20:35) and the signal "beyond thee" (20:22, 20:37).
  • Kids draw the people: no one is drawn on the template. Kids draw Jonathan, the lad and David.
  • It carries the verse home: Proverbs 17:17 (KJV), "A friend loveth at all times," is glued on the back of the field.

Three ways to make it

  • Easy (preschool, ages 3–5): you cut out the pieces and glue the stone on as a pocket. Kids color, draw the people and hide David behind the stone. No scissors.
  • Medium (grades K–2): the craft in the first photo. Kids color and cut out the pieces, glue the stone to make a pocket and slide David in behind it.
  • Harder (grades 3–5): the craft in the second photo. Kids also make Jonathan's bow from page 3 with a yarn bowstring and glue 1 Samuel 18:3 on the back.

Questions to ask

While kids work, ask who went to the field with Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:35), where David hid (20:19), how many arrows Jonathan said he would shoot (20:20) and what "the arrows are beyond thee" meant (20:22). Then read Proverbs 17:17 together.

Tips for the classroom

For preschoolers, cut out the pieces and glue each stone on ahead of time, so all they do is color, draw and hide David. Cardstock makes the slider slide best.

Teaching the story first? Use the free David and Jonathan Sunday school lesson and the David and Jonathan word search.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a simple David and Jonathan craft for preschoolers?

Cut out each child's pieces ahead of time and glue the stone on the field for them, leaving the top open. Preschoolers color, draw the people in the windows and slide David down behind the stone and back up. It takes about 15 minutes with no cutting by the kids.

How much does this David and Jonathan craft cost?

Under 50 cents a child: one printed page, a little glue and crayons you already have. The template is free to print. The harder level adds a second page, a short piece of yarn and tape.

What Bible verse goes with this David and Jonathan craft?

Proverbs 17:17 (KJV), "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." It is printed on the verse strip glued on the back of the field. The harder level adds 1 Samuel 18:3, "Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul."

How can older kids make this craft harder?

Use the harder level for grades 3–5. Kids also cut out Jonathan's bow from page 3, tape a piece of yarn on it as the bowstring, and glue it on the field beside Jonathan's window (1 Samuel 20:20, 20:36). Then they glue 1 Samuel 18:3 on the back.

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