GLOW-IN-THE-DARK PICTURES
You will need: glow-in-the-dark tape (readily available online); dark-coloured marker pens; scissors; paper
In Genesis 1, God creates light and there is a separation of light and darkness. This craft is a hugely visual reminder of the contrast.
Give each child a piece of paper and get them to decorate it with strips of glow-in-the-dark tape using any design they like. To take it a step further, children can decorate the tape with designs drawn in a dark marker pen. When the lights are switched off the tape design will be visible while the paper and marker pen will stay part of the darkness. This is a great craft for children to keep in their bedrooms as a reminder of the story when the lights are turned out at night. It also opens up all sorts of conversations about light and darkness in nature and in the world.
NATURE SUN CATCHERS
You will need: clear sticky-backed plastic; paper; scissors; leaves; petals; thin sticks and pieces of bark (the fl atter the better)
You can’t have a garden without plants, and in Genesis 1 God creates all kinds of trees and vegetation. This craft helps children explore the textures and colours of creation while creating a piece of art.
Cut out two identical squares of sticky-backed plastic for each child. Take the backing off one square and decorate the sticky side with a design made of petals, leaves and other natural elements. Take the backing off the other square and cover the design so the natural pieces are sandwiched between the two sticky sides. Trim any edges that have not quite matched up and stick on a paper frame if they would like one. This can be stuck to a window so that the light shines through the design.
WATER PAINTING
You will need: chalkboards; paintbrushes; cups; water
Water features prominently in each narrative. In Genesis 1, God separates the waters above from the waters below to create the skies and the seas and, in Genesis 2, he sets a river running through the Garden of Eden that splits into four and waters the whole of the garden. This craft uses water as a way of communicating ideas about moments from the story.
After telling one of the versions of the story, ask children to use the water to paint on the chalkboards, showing their responses to what they have heard. They might want to paint their favourite part of the story or do something entirely more creative! Leave time so that they can share what they have done if they would like to.
TREE SCULPTURE
You will need: pipe cleaners; straws; buttons; wool; foil; playdough; sequins; sticks; paper clips
The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are placed in the centre of the Garden of Eden by God, and one of them will become central to the next part of the story. It’s always fascinating to explore how children imagine these trees to have looked!
Ask them to create one of the two special trees from the garden using any mixture of the materials they like. Use the creation time to talk about what they have chosen to do and why. How has the name of the tree infl uenced their choices? Again, leave time so they can share their creations with others if they’d like to.
