John the Baptist is one of those Bible figures little ones find fascinating once you start telling his story. He lived out in the wilderness, ate locusts and wild honey, and spent his days pointing everyone toward Jesus.
We’ve been talking about him at the kitchen table lately, and crafts have a gentle way of helping a story settle in. Small hands stay busy while the words sink down deep.
So I gathered twelve simple John the Baptist crafts here, the kind you can pull together with what’s already in your craft basket. They work just as well for a Sunday school room as they do for a quiet homeschool morning at home.
a little about john the baptist
John the Baptist was Jesus’s cousin, born to Elizabeth and Zechariah after many years of waiting. He grew up to be a preacher in the wilderness, wearing clothing made of camel’s hair and living simply on locusts and wild honey.
His whole purpose was to prepare people’s hearts for Jesus and to call them to turn back to God. He baptized many in the Jordan River, and one day he baptized Jesus himself, with the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove. It’s a story that gives little ones a gentle picture of getting ready and pointing to the One who matters most.
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” (Matthew 3:3)
simple supplies you’ll want on hand
Here’s what comes in handy for most of these:
- Construction paper or cardstock
- Paper plates and paper cups
- Cotton balls and brown yarn
- Glue, scissors, and crayons or markers
- Blue tissue paper or cellophane for the river
- A few odds and ends like pipe cleaners, brass fasteners, and burlap scraps
Half the fun is using what you already have. And if you’d rather start with something ready to go, there are a few free printables and crafts you can download and print.
12 john the baptist crafts for church or homeschool
Here are 12 simple John the Baptist crafts for church or homeschool that help kids connect with his story in a hands on and memorable way. Each activity is easy to prepare, fun to make, and perfect for bringing Bible lessons to life.
1. “voice in the wilderness” craft
Children tear strips of brown and green paper for a rugged wilderness scene, then add a paper figure of John with a little rolled scroll or cupped hands as if he’s calling out. It’s a simple way to picture his words echoing through the desert, telling everyone to get ready for the Lord.
2. locust craft
This one leans into the curious little detail that John ate locusts out in the wild. Kids can twist green pipe cleaners into tiny locusts or press fingerprint bugs onto paper, which always earns a giggle and a “he ate those?”
3. honey pot craft
Wild honey was the other half of John’s simple meal, so this craft turns to a little paper honey pot and a sheet of honeycomb. Pressing bubble wrap dipped in yellow paint makes the sweetest honeycomb pattern with almost no effort.
4. john the baptist prepares the way craft
John’s whole message was to prepare the way for Jesus, and this craft makes that picture plain. Children lay out a winding paper path and straighten the bends as they go, showing how he helped ready people’s hearts.
5. jesus is baptized craft
This craft moves to the Jordan River, where John baptized Jesus. Layered blue tissue or cellophane makes the water, with simple paper figures standing in it for a gentle scene little ones can point to and retell.
6. jesus baptism dove craft
When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down like a dove, and this craft holds that quiet moment. A white handprint or a folded paper doily becomes the dove, often with a soft blue sky behind it.
7. john the baptist puppet craft
A paper bag or craft stick puppet gives children a John they can hold and talk with. Add a bit of brown yarn for his hair and beard, and they’ll happily retell the story in their own words.
8. john the baptist paper plate craft
A humble paper plate becomes John’s face, with yarn for his hair and beard and a strip of brown paper for his camel-hair clothing. It’s about as low-prep as a craft can be, and toddlers can manage most of it on their own.
9. paper cup baptism craft
This hands-on craft uses a paper cup to act out the moment of baptism, gently tipping a little water as the story is told. The doing of it helps the meaning settle in for wiggly little ones.
10. john the baptist wheel craft
A spinning paper wheel, held together with a brass fastener, shows the story scene by scene with a turn of the hand. Children love the movement, and it gives them a way to retell the story again and again.
11. john the baptist story sequencing craft
Little picture cards let children put the story in order, from John out in the wilderness to Jesus at the river. Sequencing helps them remember what came first, next, and last.
12. john the baptist camel craft
John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, which makes a friendly little camel a fitting craft. Try a burlap, felt, or cotton-textured camel so children can feel the rough fabric and tie it back to what John wore. It pairs nicely with a whole basket of animal crafts for kids if your little ones love making creatures.
using these crafts in church or homeschool
These crafts stretch easily to fit wherever you are. In a Sunday school room, the puppet and paper plate crafts work well for a group, since they’re simple enough to finish in one sitting and forgiving if little hands rush a bit.
At home, the wheel and sequencing crafts give you a gentle way to revisit the story over a few mornings. Reading the story first and letting the craft follow tends to work better than the other way around, and pairing it with a verse to learn together is a sweet next step.
A few Bible verse crafts can make memorizing feel like play, and these Zacchaeus craft ideas fit right alongside for another Sunday school favorite.
more bible crafts your little ones will love
If this story has your children asking for more, there’s no shortage of them. Since John pointed the way to Jesus, a big collection of easy Jesus crafts is a natural place to wander next.
From there, you might gather the men who followed him with these 12 disciples crafts, or turn to the heart of the gospel with a few simple cross crafts. Each one keeps little hands busy through many a slow Sunday.
pick one craft and make it this week
Don’t feel like you need to do all twelve, friend. Pick the one that catches your eye, read the story together first, and let the craft follow. Even one quiet afternoon with paper and glue can plant a truth that stays with your children for years.
Before you go, I’d love to stay in this with you, friend. If you make one of these crafts with your little ones, I hope you’ll snap a picture and send it my way, or share it down in the comments.
I sometimes feature the crafts readers send in right here on the site, so your family’s handiwork might just encourage another mama who’s gathering her own little ones around the kitchen table. No pressure at all — just a quiet invitation to share.
With love,
Betty
Get the FREE Fruit of the Spirit Basket Craft
If you’re looking for a meaningful way to teach the Fruit of the Spirit at home, you’re going to love how this free Fruit of the Spirit Basket Craft makes all nine fruits come to life—through color, Scripture, and something kids can actually build.
Using an accordion-fold design, this printable comes in two versions: one packed with Bible verses for each fruit from Galatians 5:22-23, and one simplified for younger children.
Both help kids learn love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control through hands-on creativity they can work on at their own pace.
Click below to grab the free tree craft and start creating together.
frequently asked questions
who was john the baptist?
John the Baptist was Jesus’s cousin and a preacher who lived in the wilderness. His purpose was to prepare people’s hearts for Jesus, and he baptized many in the Jordan River, including Jesus himself.
what age are these john the baptist crafts best for?
Most work well for toddlers through early elementary, somewhere around ages two to eight. Younger children may need a hand with cutting and gluing, while older ones can take the lead and add their own details.
what supplies do I need?
Mostly things you likely already have: paper, paper plates and cups, glue, scissors, crayons, cotton balls, and yarn. A few crafts use pipe cleaners, brass fasteners, or a scrap of burlap, but none of them need anything fancy.
are these crafts good for sunday school or homeschool?
Yes, they work beautifully for both. They’re simple enough for a group setting and gentle enough for a quiet morning at home, and they pair naturally with reading the story straight from the Bible.
where can I find the story of john the baptist in the bible?
You’ll find his story in the Gospels, with the account of Jesus’s baptism in Matthew chapter 3. It’s a short passage, which makes it lovely to read aloud before or after crafting.
