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Joseph in Prison Craft for Kids

An easy Joseph in prison craft for kids in three levels: a vine with three branches and grapes to press into Pharaoh's cup (Genesis 40:11). Free template.

Preschool–Grade 5

Joseph in Prison 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 40:1–23
Bible story
Joseph in Prison

What you need

  • The printed template (page 2), one per child (cardstock is sturdiest)
  • Crayons or markers in brown, green, yellow and purple
  • Scissors and a glue stick
  • The printed leaf tags page (page 3), one per child, plus a pencil (harder level)

Steps

  1. Color the vine and its three branches brown and the leaves green. Color the cup yellow. Color the grapes purple and their stems and little leaves green.Color the vine and its three branches brown and the leaves green. Color the cup yellow. Color the grapes purple and their stems and little leaves green.
  2. Cut out the vine card, the cup, the three grape clusters and the verse strip on the dashed lines.
  3. Make the cup pocket: on the vine card, put glue only on the dotted line inside the cup outline. Press the cup on top so it lines up with the outline. Leave the top of the cup open.
  4. Turn the vine card over and glue the verse strip on the back. Read it together.
  5. Tell it: the butler dreamed of a vine with three branches, and it brought forth ripe grapes (Genesis 40:10). Hold a grape cluster at the end of each branch.
  6. "I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup" (40:11). Tuck each cluster into the cup pocket so the top of the grapes shows above the rim."I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup" (40:11). Tuck each cluster into the cup pocket so the top of the grapes shows above the rim.

This Joseph in prison craft turns one printed page into the butler's dream: a vine with three branches, ripe grapes and Pharaoh's cup. In prison, the butler told Joseph, "I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup" (Genesis 40:11), and Joseph said, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (40:8). Kids hold the grapes up to the branches and tuck them into the cup pocket as they tell the story. The memory verse, Genesis 40:8, is glued on the back. It costs under 50 cents a child.

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, four crayon colors, scissors and a glue stick.
  • Kids act out the dream: three branches, three clusters of grapes, pressed into Pharaoh's cup (Genesis 40:10–11).
  • It teaches giving God the credit: older kids add leaf tags for the three days (40:12) and write on the back a good thing God did for them, like Joseph gave God the credit (40:8).
  • No people drawn: the craft shows only the vine, the cup and the grapes.
  • It carries the verse home: Genesis 40:8 (KJV), the memory verse for the whole set, is glued on the back of the vine card.

Three ways to make it

  • Easy (preschool, ages 3–5): you cut out the pieces and glue the cup pocket. Kids color and tuck the grapes into the cup. No scissors.
  • Medium (grades K–2): the craft in the first photo. Kids color, cut out the pieces, glue the cup pocket and tell the butler's dream.
  • Harder (grades 3–5): the craft in the second photo. Kids also make three leaf tags from page 3, with one, two and three suns for the three days, and write a good thing God did on the back of each.

Questions to ask

While kids work, ask who was in prison with Joseph (Genesis 40:1–3), how the men looked in the morning (40:6), who Joseph said interpretations belong to (40:8), how many branches were on the vine (40:10), what the branches meant (40:12) and whether the butler remembered Joseph (40:23). Then read Genesis 40:8 together.

Tips for the classroom

For preschoolers, cut out the pieces and glue the cup pockets ahead of time, so all they do is color and tuck in the grapes. Cardstock makes the cup pocket last longest.

Teaching the story first? Use the free Joseph in prison lesson and the word search.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a simple Joseph in prison craft for preschoolers?

Cut out each child's pieces ahead of time, glue the cup pocket on the vine card and the verse strip on the back. Preschoolers color the vine, the cup and the grapes, then tuck the grapes into the cup like the butler's dream. About 15 minutes, no cutting by the kids.

How much does this Joseph in prison 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.

What Bible verse goes with this craft?

Genesis 40:8 (KJV), "And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you." It is the memory verse for the whole set, and it is printed on the verse strip glued on the back of the vine card.

How can older kids make this craft harder?

Use the harder level for grades 3–5. Kids add three leaf tags from page 3, with one, two and three suns for the three days (Genesis 40:12), and glue one on each grape cluster. On the back of each leaf they write a good thing God helped them do, to give God the credit like Joseph (40:8).

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