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Joseph Forgives His Brothers Craft for Kids

An easy Joseph forgives his brothers craft for kids in three levels: a room in Egypt where Joseph weeps on Benjamin's neck (Genesis 45:14). Free template.

Preschool–Grade 5

Joseph Forgives His Brothers 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
Genesis 45:1–15
Bible story
Joseph Forgives His Brothers

What you need

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

Steps

  1. Color the card: the wall light yellow, the two pillars light brown, the doorway gray and the floor orange. Leave the dotted arch white.Color the card: the wall light yellow, the two pillars light brown, the doorway gray and the floor orange. Leave the dotted arch white.
  2. In the window of the Joseph and Benjamin piece, draw Joseph and his brother Benjamin weeping on each other's neck (Genesis 45:14). Color the frame blue.
  3. Color the door brown.
  4. Cut out the card, the Joseph and Benjamin piece, the door with its tab and the verse strip on the dashed lines.
  5. Glue the Joseph and Benjamin piece on the dotted arch, so its bottom edge sits on the floor line.
  6. Fold the door's tab back on the dotted line. Glue only the tab on the wall just to the right of the doorway, so the door swings open and shut over the doorway.
  7. Glue the verse strip on the back of the card. Read it together.
  8. Tell it: shut the door. Joseph cried, "Cause every man to go out from me" (Genesis 45:1). He said, "I am Joseph… Come near to me, I pray you" (45:3–4). Point to the window: he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept (45:14).Tell it: shut the door. Joseph cried, "Cause every man to go out from me" (Genesis 45:1). He said, "I am Joseph… Come near to me, I pray you" (45:3–4). Point to the window: he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept (45:14).

This Joseph forgives his brothers craft turns one printed page into the room where Joseph made himself known. Joseph cried, "Cause every man to go out from me," and said to his brothers, "I am Joseph… Come near to me, I pray you" (Genesis 45:1–4). Kids shut the door, draw Joseph and Benjamin in their window and glue them in the middle of the room, because Joseph "fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept" (45:14).

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.
  • Kids act out the story: they shut the door when Joseph sends every man out (Genesis 45:1), then open it and say, "Come near to me" (45:4).
  • It shows forgiveness: Joseph's brothers had sold him into Egypt, but he told them, "be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves" (45:5), and wept with them.
  • It carries the verse home: Genesis 45:5 (KJV), the memory verse for the whole Joseph forgives his brothers set, is glued on the back of the card.

Three ways to make it

  • Easy (preschool, ages 3–5): you cut out the pieces. Kids color, draw Joseph and Benjamin, and glue the pieces on. No scissors.
  • Medium (grades K–2): the craft in the first photo. Kids color, draw, cut out the pieces and glue them.
  • Harder (grades 3–5): the craft in the second photo. Kids add the fold-down land of Goshen from page 3, with sheep and cattle, where Joseph's family would dwell near him (Genesis 45:10).

Questions to ask

While kids work, ask who Joseph sent out of the room (Genesis 45:1), what he said first (45:3), what he asked his brothers to do (45:4), who sent him to Egypt (45:5, 45:8) and which brother he wept with (45:14). Then read Genesis 45:5 together.

Tips for the classroom

For preschoolers, cut out the pieces and fold the door's tab ahead of time, so all they do is color, draw and glue. Joseph had eleven brothers that day (Genesis 42:3, 43:15); the craft shows the moment with Benjamin.

Teaching the story first? Use the free Joseph forgives his brothers lesson and the word search.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a simple Joseph forgives his brothers craft for preschoolers?

Cut out each child's card, Joseph and Benjamin piece, door and verse strip ahead of time, and fold the door's tab. Preschoolers color the room and the door, draw Joseph and Benjamin, and glue the pieces on with your help. It takes about 15 minutes with no cutting by the kids.

How much does this Joseph forgives his brothers 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?

Genesis 45:5 (KJV), "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." It is the memory verse for the whole Joseph forgives his brothers set, printed on the verse strip that kids glue on the back.

How can older kids make this craft harder?

Use the harder level for grades 3–5. Kids add a fold-down picture of the land of Goshen from page 3 under the card, with sheep and cattle. Joseph said, "come down unto me, tarry not: And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me" (Genesis 45:9–10).

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