Jesus Calms the Storm

VBS- "By the Sea" lesson- Jesus Calms the Storm

2 year old center- sorting boats by color

Jesus calms the storm craft. Use a piece of construction paper and fold the top down a few iches. Under the flap glue storm cloud and lightening.  Glue water and boat along bottom of construction paper. 

Lower flap and glue sun and white cloud. When you raise flap..you have a stormy sea. When you lower the flap you have a calm sea. 

Tune: "If You're Happy and You Know It"

Je-sus calmed the stormy sea.

Je-sus calmed the stormy sea.

Jesus spoke to the wind and said, "Peace be Still'

Je-sus calmed the stormy sea.

Our snacks to go along with the lesson were edible boats! We had apple boats with cheese sails and we also had banana boats with strawberry sails. These could be used with many lessons involving boats including Jonah, Paul being shipwrecked, Noah, apostles fishing, etc. 

Jonah and the big fish

Here is a super easy craft that I did with my preschool age kids. Cut a simple "big fish" shape out of construction paper. I would have used foam had I had any but I didn't so construction paper worked just fine. Print off a "Jonah" from the internet and stick Jonah on a craft stick. I glued a strip of construction paper to the back of the fish for the craft stick to slide behind but you wouldn't have to do that! Put a wiggle eye on and you're done!





Here is a cute song to use when teaching about Jonah (www.perpetualpreschool.com)
Tune: Are you sleeping?

Where is Jonah? Where is Jonah?
In a boat. In a boat.
What is Jonah doing? What is Jonah Doing?
Running from God. Running from God.

Where is Jonah? Where is Jonah?
In a fish. In a fish.
What is Jonah doing? What is Jonah doing?
Praying to God. Praying to God.

Where is Jonah? Where is Jonah?
On a hill. On a hill.
What is Jonah doing? What is Jonah doing?
Learning to love. Learning to love.

Where is Jonah? Where is Jonah?
Nineveh. Nineveh.
What is Jonah doing? What is Jonah doing?
Sharing God's love. Sharing God's love.

Your Own Giant Fish

My friend, Kim, and I made this GIANT fish when teaching the Kindergarten class about Jonah being swallowed by the great fish.  We made it out of a lot of bulletin board paper and just free handed it (a gift I am NOT blessed with!).  The kids loved being in the fish.  We would pretend that they were Jonah in the fish.  Then when the fish would "spit" them out, they would go to Ninevah and tell them God's news!

Jesus Calms the Storm

Crafts

Here are a few craft we used when teaching a lesson on "Jesus Calms the Storm" during VBS. These could be used with several other lessons like Noah, Jesus walks on Water, Paul's Shipwreck, etc!

Ocean Bags
Snack size ziplocks work great for this craft. Place a small amount of blue toothpaste in the bag, seal it, and let the child spread the toothpaste out by rubbing over the bag. You can use stickers to stick on the outside or even place something small on the inside.


Wave Streamers
Use blue and white or dark blue and light blue streamers to make this craft. Cut pieces of streamers and either tape or glue them to the end of a jumbo popsicle stick. The kids like to help make a storm by waving the streamers (waves) in the air and then stopping when you get to the part of the lesson where Jesus calms the storm.


Ocean in a Bottle
This is a fun take home idea. I made a big one with a large bottle to use during my lesson with the 2 year olds. I found small water bottles for the kids to have. For older kids you might could let them help make the oceans but for our younger kids we made them ahead of time and sent them home after the lesson so they could have their own ocean at home to review the lesson with. They are a lot of fun. It is important to make sure you glue the lid on so it WON'T come off. I used hot glue on mine.


When rocked (not shaken) from side to side it makes neat waves!
This "ocean in a bottle" craft was made using the following recipe...very simple! This recipe works very well!!

Fill bottle about 1/2 full of water, add blue (just a few drops) of food coloring, shake to turn water blue, fill the rest of the way with cooking oil. Seal and glue lid! You may also want to add shells, fish, glitter, etc before sealing! For a different ocean in a bottle recipe click here