DLTK's Bible Crafts for Kids
Jesus Walks on Water Paper Craft

Materials:

• printer
• paper
• scissors
• glue
• something to color with (B&W version)
• piece of paper for the background (blue or white construction paper works well)
• Optional:  drinking straw and masking tape

Instructions:

• Print the template of your choice (below).
• Colour pieces as appropriate.
• Cut out the template pieces.  I've added a circle shape (halo) behind Jesus' head and arms to make it easier for the children to cut out.

Instructions - TEMPLATE 2 (the boat):

• Cut out the pieces along the SOLID lines (adult assistance may be required).
• Set the pieces out in front of the child.  Spend a bit of time talking about them (colours, shapes, sizes).
• Ask the child to pick up the circle (don't give it to them, let them have the chance to pick out the correct shape). 
  • Ask the child to fold the circle in HALF (you may want to have your own circle so you can do it at the same time...  Children learn a lot by copying what we do).
  • Once that is done, reiterate that they now have HALF a circle.
  • Glue the half circle together.
  • Do the same thing with both triangles and the rectangle.

Instructions - COMPLETING THE PICTURE:

• Glue the "Keep Your Eyes on Jesus" cloud to the top left corner of the paper
• Glue the larger strip of waves to the bottom of the paper.
• Assemble the boat on the bottom right corner of the paper, so it sits in the waves:
  • The half circle is the body of the boat
  • The rectangle is the mast
  • The two rectangles are the sails
• OPTIONAL:  To make Jesus a puppet that the child can walk on the water:
  • Cut a slit in the paper about 3 inches long, about 1" from the bottom of the page
  • Tape a drinking straw onto the back of the Jesus figure
  • Slip the straw through the slit.  Once we glue the second waves over top, the Jesus figure will be able to walk along the water. 
  • Put a rolled up piece of masking tape on the back of the project, under the drinking straw, to hold it in place when you aren't using it as a puppet.
  • You can trim the straw a bit shorter if you like.

the light blue line shows where you would cut the slit in the paper.

• If you aren't making Jesus a puppet, glue him to the paper on the water
• Glue the second set of waves over top, so it's lined up with the bottom.  Just put the glue in a thin line on the very bottom of this piece so you don't glue over the puppet slit.

the glue would go along the blue line in the image above

Templates:

• Close the template window after printing to return to this screen.
• Set page margins to zero if you have trouble fitting the template on one page (FILE, PAGE SETUP or FILE, PRINTER SETUP in most browsers).

Template 1 - Jesus  (color)   or   (B&W)

Template 2 - Boat    (color)   or   (B&W)

Printable version of these instructions