Game On! Gearing Up For Life's Big Game VBS Craft Ideas!
Ready to hit this year’s VBS crafts out of the park? Then you will love these neat craft ideas designed to get your kids in the team spirit! All crafts can be used for Lifeway’s 2018 VBS theme: Game On! Gearing Up For Life’s Big Game
Decorative Sport Mason Jars
What You Need:
Mason Jars
Small Detail Paintbrush or Paint Pen
Medium Paintbrush
Acrylic Paint (Check the label to make sure your brand of
paint will work on glass!)
Jute Twine (optional)
Rubbing Alcohol
Sandpaper (80 or 100-grit preferred ; also optional)
1.Wash your mason jars with warm, soapy water. Dry
thoroughly. Wipe down the jars with rubbing alcohol to remove any excess dirt,
etc.
2.Use your medium paintbrush to paint the entire outside of the
jar. This full-coverage coat will be orange for basketballs, brown for
footballs, and white for baseballs.
Starting at the mouth of the jar, paint the top half of the
jar. Then flip the jar over onto a piece of newspaper or a paper towel, and
paint the bottom half. Make sure to coat the jar completely, though your first
coat of paint can be light.
3.Allow this first coat of paint to dry overnight before
attempting to paint the second coat. You will need to paint at least two coats,
three preferred, allowing the paint to dry overnight before applying the next
coat. (If you do not let the paint dry overnight, it may begin peeling when you try
to apply another coat.)
4.Optional Step: Distress the threads of the jar,
the measurement lines, and the “Ball” signature using your sandpaper to make them
stand out more.
5.Add the stitching detail using both your medium paintbrush and your small detail
paintbrush or paint pen.
-For
Baseballs: You will only use your small detail brush/pen. Using red
paint, draw a slightly curved line
down each side of the mason jar so that the line stretches from the
bottom to
the top of the jar and so that the line is roughly halfway between the
edge and the center of the jar. Draw arrow-like hash marks down each
line to create “stitches.”
-For Basketballs: You will only use your medium brush. Using black paint, draw a horizontal line
across the front of your mason jar. Then make a circle around that line so that
the line splits the circle down the middle.
-For Footballs: Using your medium paintbrush, make one thick
white vertical line down the center of the front of your jar. Switching back to
your small detail brush/pen, make small, horizontal hash marks across
that thick vertical line from top to bottom, reflecting the hash marks on a
football field.
Let jars dry.
6.Add some twine or ribbon around the lip of each jar, and
use these cute accent pieces to hold art supplies/pens/pencils, utensils, candies, or other
VBS goodies!
Personalized Baseball Necklaces
What You Need:
Washers
Permanent Markers (Fine Tip)
1.Using a red fine tip permanent marker (such as a fine tip
Sharpie pen), draw a slightly curved line down each side of the washer so that
the line stretches from one end of the washer to the other end and so that the
line is roughly halfway between the edge of the washer and the cut-out center.
Draw arrow-like hash marks down each line to create “stitches.”
2.Using a black fine tip permanent marker, write your name
at the bottom of the washer (and/or any other personalization you so choose).
3.Take your jewelry cord, and cut it at your preferred length
(16”, 18”, 20”, etc.). Keep in mind that the necklace will be a bit
shorter than the length you cut it because it loops around the washer.
4.Knot the ends of the cord together to close up the
necklace.
5.Hook the bottom of the cord through the center of the
washer. Then pass the rest of the cord through the opening in the bottom of the
cord to create a slip knot. Now you have completed a crafty piece of your game
gear!
*Tip: You can use these as name tags or as a cool craft
project for your students. Use different marker and cord colors, and personalize
them any way you wish!
Paper Footballs
Newspaper (shredded)
Scissors
White Yarn
Hole Puncher
1.Fold a piece of brown construction paper in half hamburger-style. Draw a large
oval on one side of the paper or trace a football template. Cut out two ovals going along the lines
you just drew. Make sure these ovals are the exact same size because you will have to
match them up when you put them together.
2.Keeping the two ovals together, punch holes along the edge of the football, spacing the
holes about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart. Do not punch holes too close to the edge.
3.Tie one end of the white yarn off around one of the holes.
Then thread the yarn through the holes until you have just a few holes left.
Stop before completely threading the football.
4.Stuff shredded newspaper into the opening in the football.
6.Once the football has been filled with newspaper, finish
threading the football, and tie the yarn off at the last hole.
7.On one side of the football, make a 3” line of glue down
the middle. Then make three 1.5” intersecting lines of glue across the central
3” line.
8.Cut four pieces of yarn: one 3” and three 1.5” pieces.
9.Place your pieces of yarn on the corresponding lines of
glue. Let your football dry, and you will be ready to play some football!
