Use this Bible craft in your Sunday School class when teaching about the Jesus walking on the water in Matthew 14:22-33. Download the directions below, gather your craft supplies, and watch our demonstration video as you prepare.
“Keep Your Eyes on Jesus” Craft Ideas for Jesus and Peter Walking on the Water
The story of Jesus walking on water is amazing, and can also provide an intriguing challenge for children longing to “test the waters” for themselves, just to see if they can walk atop a swimming pool (not recommended unless the water is frozen solid). It is a fun and remarkable tale, but it is important to remember which elements are key to emphasize. This lesson is not just an impossible physics phenomenon, but a reminder of what we put our trust into. When we look to ourselves, we “sink”, but with Christ, anything is possible! These crafts aim to reiterate those principles, while creating a fun nautical theme as well.
Bible Verses or Craft Captions to Consider…
Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” -Matthew 14:33
Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” -Matthew 14:31
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
-Matthew 14:27
Faith in Jesus will keep you afloat!
Keep your eyes on Christ…He won’t let you sink!
Jesus Saves out of the waves!
More Teaching Activities for Sunday School
- See the demonstration video of this craft and our YouTube playlist for this passage
- Print out our free Jesus walks on water coloring page
- See all the free resources on Ministry-To-Children related to Jesus walking on water
- Don’t miss our new children’s sermon and video example for this Bible story
- Compare the full Sunday school lesson and preschool lesson for this passage
Craft one: “Jesus & Peter on the Water”
You will need:
- Construction paper (varied colors)
- Markers, stickers, or other decorating materials
- Scissors
- Glue, tape or staples
- Popsicle sticks
Procedure:
Decorate a base paper for a background, adding verses or captions and pictures as desired.
- Cut paper into waves and boat shapes, gluing onto the main background.
- Glue the components onto the paper.
- Cut a slit in the bottom of the paper, for the characters to fit into.
- Decorate popsicle stick people for Jesus and Peter.
- Slide the sticks into the paper, and reenact the story!
Craft Two: “DiscipleSHIP Sailboat”
You will need:
- Paper bag
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Extra decorations (stickers, etc.)
- Caption or verse
- Markers or crayons
- Popsicle sticks
Glue or tape
- Pipe Cleaner or straws
Procedure:
- Cut the bag in half, either width-wise or length-wise.
- Cut construction paper into “waves” and “sail” for the boat.
- Add a verse or caption outside of the bag.
- Add a “sail” inside the bag with a paper attached to a straw or stick.
- Decorate popsicle stick “disciples” and add them inside the boat.
Extra Crafts & Activities for Sunday School
- Use squirt guns with colored water to make special sidewalk art.
- Decorate your own floating water rings.
- Use recycled items (shoeboxes, foil, rubber bands, paper, etc.) to create your own mini sailboats, and see if you can make them float!
- Make traced footprints to remember the walking element, and staying “in Christ’s footprints”.
- Have a water balloon fight!
- Test objects (crafty or otherwise) to see what might sink or float.