Crafting for VBS with Pipe Cleaners
Are you familiar with VBS? Most likely you are but just in case, VBS stands for Vacation Bible School. My children have attended each summer and they always have a blast. They get to meet great people, learn more about God and his word and just have a fabulous, fun time. My older children have attended several different themed VBS's including High Seas Expedition, Pandamania, Sky, Agency D3 and this year their theme will be Journey Off the Map. D is excited because it will be her first year to attend!
And did you know that Family Christian is a great resource for VBS supplies? It is! You can check out all of their Journey Off the Map VBS resources here. And they also have quite a few craft items that can be used no matter your VBS theme of choice.
D with our deluxe pipe cleaner set!
Our pipe Cleaners
I ordered this Giant Pipe Cleaner Party Kit to make some fun VBS pipe cleaner crafts to share with you today! I also picked out this craft themed book the last time I was in my local Family Christian store, Easy to Make Bible Crafts for Kids. It has a great outline image of Joseph and his coat of many colors that we used! It is also full of great ideas that can be incorporated into VBS, Sunday School or just everyday fun. 1. Joseph's Coat of Many Colors (any VBS)
Line print of Joseph
Have the kids color their Joseph picture however they want. My children chose to color the vertical stripes different colors. Then help them cut their chosen pipe cleaners and glue/tape over the coat where they desire. I love this because kids can use a ton of pipe cleaners or just a few, it is really up to them. If you have a large group of kids I would recommend precutting the pipe cleaners into long strip for the longer portion of the coat and smaller strips for the sleeves. It turns out that we were out of glue (yes, we like to craft!) when we did this project so we improvised with tape and it worked just fine. I love projects that work with improvisation. The message that God is with you even during the hard times is one that can be incorporated into any VBS.
E finished her coloring and now she is choosing where her pipe cleaners should go.
with pipe cleaners attached
D's finished picture
C's finished picture
A's colored Joseph
B's colored Joseph
2. Pipe Cleaner Spy Glasses (Agency D3)
Spy Glasses with optional mustache!
These spy glasses are not hard to make, they just take a bit of time bending and adjusting them exactly how you want them to be. We made ours with two dark pipe cleaners. The kids thought it would be fun to make a mustache to go along with them so we did.
Agent B
Agent D
Agent E
And the youngest, Agent F!
Finished Pipe Cleaner Spy Glasses
My silly glasses
3. Pipe Cleaner Airplanes (Sky)
Up, up and away
Our basic pipe cleaner airplanes are made with three pipe cleaners. You have one for the basic body, one for the wings, and one for the back end. These are fairly easy to make and younger kids love to fly them around once they are complete. These could even be used during some of the VBS songs.
Bend and twist your pipe cleaner to form the basic body.
Next, figure out the sizing for three loops - two sideways and one vertical and attach them together. Then attach them to the body of the plane.
Loop a pipe cleaner around and attach it to itself to form the wings and attach to the body - done!
Our airplanes
top view
D flying a plane.
4. Chameleons/Lizards (Journey Off The Map)
Directions to make chameleons from Martha Stewart's Craft Book for kids.
These little chameleons were not that hard to make and they look really cute! Just follow the directions above and you will have a chameleon in no time.
Bend pipe cleaner in half to begin forming the head.
Wrap around to complete head, remaining piece with be part of the body.
I used my finger to create a coil.
I attached the coil and make the legs and also added eyes.
Finished chameleon complete with tongue!
Finished
These are just a few ideas to get your creativity flowing. Do you have a great VBS craft idea using pipe cleaners? I would love to hear about it.
10 comments:
Pipe cleaner crafts are classic VBS! Love those spy glasses.
These are fantastic!! I'll have to do a few of these with my kids. We don't have a VBS at our church but we homeschool and these would be great!
This is a great project for my toddlers at church. They would have fun with the pipe cleaners.
There are so many different ideas you can use with pipe cleaners. I love the Joseph and the technicolor dream coat! Too cute.
Oh yeah pipe cleaners are the bomb. I love creating with them. Loving the whole glue to picture idea.
I have a gang of pipe cleaners because we are always making something. They are so useful. And VBS is right around the corner.
This would keep the kids busy for awhile! I'd love to join right in because it looks like so much fun!
I remember playing with pipe cleaners when I was younger! We had so much fun creating. Easy activity for the little ones at church too.
Super cute ideas! it is so fun getting ready for VBS and I love playing with pip cleaners. The kids look like thy had a ball!
Hi, can I please use your 4th photo (the one of all the pipe cleaners) for the background of a mug that I'm creating for a friend of mine?
thank you
Amanda
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