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Ten Virgins Craft for Kids

An easy ten virgins craft for kids in three levels, a paper oil lamp with a flame that folds up and down and a vessel of oil. Free printable template and steps.

Preschool–Grade 5

Ten Virgins 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
Matthew 25:1–13
Bible story
The Ten Virgins

What you need

  • The printed template (page 2), one per child (cardstock is sturdiest)
  • Crayons or markers in brown, tan, yellow and orange
  • Scissors and a glue stick
  • The printed ten lamps page (page 3), one per child, plus a pencil (harder level)

Steps

  1. Color the lamp brown and the oil vessel tan. Color the flame yellow with an orange middle.Color the lamp brown and the oil vessel tan. Color the flame yellow with an orange middle.
  2. Cut out the lamp, the flame (with its tab), the oil vessel and the verse strip on the dashed lines.
  3. Turn the lamp over and glue the verse strip in the middle of the back. Read it together.
  4. Glue the flame's tab on the back of the spout, so the flame stands up above the tip of the spout.
  5. Fold the flame down behind the lamp on its dotted line, then fold it back up.
  6. Tell it: the wise "took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (Matthew 25:4). Set the oil vessel by the lamp and fold the flame up: ready! Take the vessel away and fold the flame down: "our lamps are gone out" (25:8). Then say together, "Watch therefore" (25:13).Tell it: the wise "took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (Matthew 25:4). Set the oil vessel by the lamp and fold the flame up: ready! Take the vessel away and fold the flame down: "our lamps are gone out" (25:8). Then say together, "Watch therefore" (25:13).

This ten virgins craft turns one printed page into a paper oil lamp with a flame that folds up and down, and a little vessel of oil. In Jesus' parable, ten "took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom" (Matthew 25:1). The five wise "took oil in their vessels with their lamps," and the five foolish took none (25:3–4). At midnight the foolish said, "our lamps are gone out" (25:8). Kids fold the flame up for ready and down for gone out. The memory verse, Matthew 25:13, is glued on the back. It costs under 50 cents a child, and it uses paper flames only.

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 story: with the oil vessel, the flame folds up, ready; without it, the flame folds down, "gone out" (Matthew 25:8).
  • Older kids count it: ten lamps, five wise with flames and five foolish gone out (25:1–2).
  • Safe: paper flames only, never a real flame. No people drawn, and never Jesus.
  • It carries the verse home: Matthew 25:13 (KJV), the memory verse for the whole set, is glued on the back of the lamp.

Three ways to make it

  • Easy (preschool, ages 3–5): you cut out the pieces and glue the verse and the flame. Kids color and fold the flame up and down. No scissors.
  • Medium (grades K–2): the craft in the first photo. Kids color, cut, glue the verse and the flame, and tell the story with the lamp and the oil vessel.
  • Harder (grades 3–5): the craft in the second photo. Kids also make a card of ten lamps from page 3 and glue flames on the five wise lamps only.

Questions to ask

While kids work, ask how many took their lamps (Matthew 25:1), how many were wise (25:2), what the wise took with their lamps (25:4), when the cry was made (25:6), what the foolish said (25:8) and who went in with the bridegroom (25:10). Then read Matthew 25:13 together.

Tips for the classroom

For preschoolers, cut out the pieces and glue the verse and flame ahead of time, so all they do is color and fold. Keep it warm: Jesus told this story so we would be ready for Him. Cardstock makes the lamp last longest.

Teaching the story first? Use the free ten virgins lesson and the word search.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a simple ten virgins craft for preschoolers?

Cut out each child's pieces ahead of time, glue the verse strip on the back of the lamp and glue the flame's tab behind the spout. Preschoolers color the lamp, the flame and the oil vessel, then fold the flame up for "ready" and down for "gone out." About 15 minutes, no cutting by the kids, and never a real flame.

How much does this ten virgins 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?

Matthew 25:13 (KJV), "Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." It is the memory verse for the whole set, and it is printed on the verse strip that kids glue on the back of the lamp.

How can older kids make this craft harder?

Use the harder level for grades 3–5. Kids also make the ten lamps card from page 3: they color ten lamps in two rows of five, then cut out five little flames and glue them above the lamps in the top row only, for the five wise who took oil (Matthew 25:2–4). The bottom row stays dark, because "our lamps are gone out" (25:8).

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