Use these activities when teaching children about repentance and how Jesus can clean from the Inside Out! These craft ideas are for Psalm 51 but will work on any Bible lesson about repentance. Watch the craft demonstration below, gather your supplies, and share these hands-on learning activities with your Sunday School class or kids church. You can also download a complete 18-page Sunday School lesson from Psalm 51 at the Sunday School Store.
Psalm 51 reminds us that God wants to cleanse our hearts and remove our sins, making us “white as snow.” We are all sinful and cannot clean our souls, no matter how much soap scrubbing we might do. When we come to God repenting of our transgressions, the blood of Jesus blots out the evil we can’t erase. These crafts celebrate that great mercy. A simple soap carving recalls how God makes us clean (and can double as actual soap!). A “transformation heart” is a symbolic representation of how Christ takes our broken dirty hearts, and makes them clean and new.
Craft one: “Transformation Heart”
You will need:
- Crayons or markers
- Scissors
- Glue or tape
- Paper (Construction/cardstock)
- Stickers, glitter, or other decorative items
Procedure:
- Decorate the base of cardstock or paper with verses, captions, or other desired embellishments. Draw or tape a cross to the paper.
- Cut out two hearts, preferably one in white and another in a darker or “dirty” color.
- On the white heart, write encouraging comments about how God cleanses our sin.
- On the darker (“dirty”) paper, write sad or negative words, expressing the sorrow of sin.
- Glue the hearts together. Attach to the base paper, making sure that the hearts can lift up to display the “clean” white underneath. Attach a hanger to display, if desired.
Craft Two: “Soap Cleansing”
You will need:
Procedure:
1. On the plate, write verses or captions expressing gratitude for God’s cleansing work. Use markers or cut and taped paper to write such items.
2. Use the plastic knives to carve into the soap. Ideally each student should have one bar of soap, but two could easily share if needed. Write initials, small pictures, or verse references as desired.
3. Attach additional decorations (stickers, glitter, etc.) if preferred.
4. Display plate in a prominent place to recall God’s washing work, and maybe use the soap, too!
Bible Verses or Craft Captions to Consider… (Psalm 51:1-12)
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin! -Psalm 51:2
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. -Psalm 51:7
White as snow…Jesus takes away sin and transforms lives!
Create in me a clean heart, oh God!
Jesus takes away my sin and cleanses from within!
My heart is unclean…but God’s grace washes me clean!
I make sinful mistakes…Jesus makes me white as snow!
God transforms my heart!