Craft

Josiah Craft for Kids

An easy Josiah craft for kids in three levels, a paper house of the LORD where the book of the law hides in a pile of stones. Free printable template and steps.

Preschool–Grade 5

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⬇ Craft template + instructions (PDF) · 5 pages

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: 2 Kings 22–23
Bible story: Josiah, the Boy King

What you need

The printed template (page 2), one per child (cardstock is sturdiest)
Crayons or markers in blue, tan, brown, yellow and gray, plus any colors to draw the people
Scissors and a glue stick
The printed people strip page (page 3), one per child (harder level)

Steps

Color the sky blue, the house of the LORD tan, its door brown and the pillars yellow. Draw King Josiah in the window beside the tall pillar.
Color the stones gray. Color the scroll's two rollers brown and its paper light yellow.
Cut out the card, the stones, the scroll and the verse strip on the dashed lines. Help younger children with the cutting.
Turn the stones over. Put glue only along their left, right and bottom edges. Press them on the dotted stone shape at the bottom right of the card, with their bottom on the bottom edge of the card. Leave the top open, so the stones make a pocket.
Slide the scroll down into the pocket behind the stones, so the book of the law is hidden in the house of the LORD.
Glue the verse strip on the back of the card.
Tell the story: the workers repair the house, and Hilkiah the high priest finds the book of the law (2 Kings 22:8). Pull the scroll up out of the stones. King Josiah hears it and reads it to all the people (22:11, 23:2). Turn the card over and read the verse together.

This Josiah craft turns one printed page into the house of the LORD from 2 Kings 22. While the workers repair the house with timber and hewn stone (2 Kings 22:5–6), the book of the law lies hidden in a pile of stones, and kids pull it up the way Hilkiah the high priest found it (22:8). King Josiah, drawn by the kids in a window beside the pillar, hears God's Word and reads it to all the people (22:11, 23:2–3). 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: the scroll hides in the stones of the house being repaired, and kids find it, just as Hilkiah found the book of the law (2 Kings 22:8).
It follows the Bible closely: the repairs with hewn stone (22:6), the book found in the house of the LORD (22:8), and the king who "stood by a pillar, and made a covenant" (23:3).
Kids draw the people: no one is drawn on the template. Kids draw King Josiah, and older kids draw the people, both small and great (23:2).
It carries the verse home: 1 Timothy 4:12 (KJV), "Let no man despise thy youth," is glued on the back of the card.

Three ways to make it

Easy (preschool, ages 3–5): you cut out the pieces and glue the stones on as a pocket. Kids color, draw King Josiah and hide and find the scroll. No scissors.
Medium (grades K–2): the craft in the first photo. Kids color and cut out the pieces, glue the stones to make a pocket and hide the scroll in it.
Harder (grades 3–5): the craft in the second photo. Kids also draw the people in a five-window strip from page 3, glue it below the card and glue 2 Kings 23:2 on the back.

Questions to ask

While kids work, ask how old Josiah was when he became king (2 Kings 22:1), who found the book of the law (22:8), what Josiah did when he heard it (22:11) and what God said about his heart (22:19). Then read 1 Timothy 4:12 together.

Tips for the classroom

For preschoolers, cut out the pieces and glue the stones on ahead of time, so all they do is color, draw and find the scroll. Cardstock makes the scroll slide in and out best.

Teaching the story first? Use the free King Josiah Bible lesson and the Josiah word search.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a simple Josiah craft for preschoolers?

Cut out each child's pieces ahead of time and glue the stones on the card for them, leaving the top open. Preschoolers color, draw King Josiah in the window, and hide the scroll in the stones and pull it out again. It takes about 15 minutes with no cutting by the kids.

How much does this Josiah 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 Josiah craft?

1 Timothy 4:12 (KJV), "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." It is printed on the verse strip glued on the back of the card. The harder level adds 2 Kings 23:2.

How can older kids make this craft harder?

Use the harder level for grades 3–5. Kids also cut out the people strip from page 3, draw the people "both small and great" in its five windows, and glue it behind the bottom edge of the card, so the people stand in front of the house to hear Josiah read God's book (2 Kings 23:2).