Shavuot Kids Crafts

Here are kids crafts and activities for the Biblical holiday of Shavuot or Pentecost. As a believer in Messiah, Shavuot is a time to remember and celebrate the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2. Crafts related to the Holy Spirit or fruit of the Spirit are appropriate for Shavuot, as well as things like the ten commandments, story of Ruth, loaves of bread, or even the number 50! Making crafts like these can be fun and memorable ways for kids to learn about what the Bible says and celebrate this Biblical holiday!

Please note that I am recommending the craft, and not necessarily every detail of the lesson that goes with it. The crafts are great starting points, and I'm sure we can come up with appropriate Biblical lessons to go with them if needed. If you're not sure what that lesson could be - please reach out!

Shavuot kids crafts:

Fire Headbands for Pentecost from Crafting the Word of God

Fruit of the Spirit Necklace from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station

Ruth Barley Harvest Bookmark from Jesus Without Language 

White Dove from Crafting the Word of God

Parable of the Banquet Guests from Jesus Without Language

Pentecost Coloring Page from Crafting the Word of God

Ten Commandments Gummies from Land of Honey

Acts 2 Fire Sun Catchers from Crafting the Word of God

Bread of Life Pinwheel from Jesus Without Language

Acts 2 Flame Spinners from Jesus Without Language

Ten Commandments craft from Mrs. Jones' Creation Station

Ruth Harvest Basket from Jesus Without Language

If you're struggling to come up with a lesson regarding a certain craft, please comment below and we can all share ideas to encourage each other!

More Shavuot fun:
DIY Shavuot Basket
Celebrating the Fruit of the Spirit at Shavuot
Shavuot Surprise Gift Exchange Game

Shavuot Surprise Gift Exchange Game

At Shavuot we celebrate the giving of both the Torah and instructions for living, and the giving of the Holy Spirit. Giving our own gift to someone else can be a fun way for believers to commemorate these significant gifts from the Creator. Note that giving gifts at any of the holidays is not a commandment; this is strictly optional and meant to be an enjoyable activity to make Shavuot special or memorable. It always brings out the laughs at our congregation!

Shavuot Surprise Gift Exchange Game

This is played similarly to white elephant or Yankee Swap gift exchanges. You can play this with your congregation, Bible study, family, or even coworkers if you'd like! Often gag gifts are given during white elephants. You could go that route if you wanted, but our congregation likes to give inexpensive gifts that are still nice. Set a dollar limit per gift and make sure everyone playing is aware of that. Setting the limit at $5 or $10 has worked well for us - no one expects the gifts to be amazing, and it takes the pressure off having to find something that a specific person will definitely like. The expense is low enough that it's not a financial stress for most people to participate.

Gift ideas:
Chocolate bar
Small plant
Refrigerator magnet with Bible verse
Handmade soap bar
Mug
Ingredients for a recipe
Handmade greeting cards
Framed Bible verse
Dried herbs
Homemade cookies, etc.
Bible book tabs
Kitchen towel
Stickers

To play the game:

Have each person bring their gift wrapped up. Place the wrapped items in the center of your group - on the floor or a table.

Assign numbers to each participant - we opt to draw them out of a hat. There should be the same number of gifts and participants. (If you're hosting, think about having an extra gift or two in case someone forgets or you have an unexpected visitor.)

The person with number one gets to choose one gift to open. The next person can opt to 'steal' that gift from them, or choose a new one to open. If a gift is stolen from player one, then they get to choose another gift to open. Once that round is settled, it's on to player three, and so on. A gift can only be stolen once per round. Once a gift is stolen three times it cannot be stolen again - so strategy is part of the fun!

Once everyone has a gift, player one can opt to steal from someone else or to keep the gift they have. Player one's decision is the final round.

This game would work well at any of the Biblical holidays, and can be easily modified as you see fit!

More on the Shavuot:
Reasons Why Believers Should Keep the Biblical Holidays
Shavuot Provision: Celebrating Enough
DIY Shavuot Basket

Seven Ways to Celebrate Shavuot

When the omer count finally makes it to fifty it's Shavuot! Then what? Here are a few ways you can celebrate this year.

-Watch the wheat harvest. Shavuot is about the wheat harvest and celebrating the bread of life. Get in touch with a local farm or farmer to see when they will be harvesting their wheat, and if you can visit. Seeing cows and beehives would also be fitting. If nothing else, go for a drive or bike ride to see if you can find a farmer gathering their wheat. Usually the timing is just about right here in the Midwest and farmers harvest the wheat around Shavuot. Or think about taking family pictures in front of a wheat field.

-Give the word to someone. On Shavuot we celebrate the giving of the Torah, why not keep that gift going? Purchase a Bible for someone who doesn't have one or would benefit from a different translation. Or gather Bibles to give to a nonprofit like a soup kitchen or homeless shelter so they can share them with their clients. Children (or adults) could memorize a verse to recite to grandparents or the congregation as a way to share the word with others.

-Have two loaves of bread. Leviticus 23:17 says to bring two loaves of bread as a wave offering to YHWH. Why not try your hand at baking bread or purchase a couple of delicious loafs from a bakery? Maybe a new recipe or trying an unusual kind would make it even more wonderful. Serve them with different spreads and toppings to make a bruschetta bar or do-it-yourself grilled cheese. Seeing not one, but two loafs of bread is a reminder that YHWH takes care of our needs. Thank him for the provision before digging in.

-Get immersed. In Acts 2 believers were baptized in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Shavuot. Spend your Shavuot at the lake or on the beach and get immersed. This would be a great opportunity for meditation on that passage of Scripture or a group discussion about it.

-Throw a painting party! Get together a group of friends and render Bible verses to canvas. Paint or handwrite the words to a favorite verse or the fruit of the Spirit or the ten commandments. Even if it doesn't turn out a masterpiece it's still a fun way to focus on Scripture and spend time with others. Provide canvases, brushes, paint, and lots of newspaper to keep things clean. A painted or printed out Scripture would also make a great Shavuot gift for a friend. Another way to give the word.

-Study Scripture. Aren't we celebrating that we received YHWH's word? That could look like having friends over for a late night Bible study, having a picnic near a wheat field to read the book of Ruth, kids acting out a Bible story, or a dramatic reading. Delving into Scripture is a foundational part any feast and it should be a joy!

-Provide for the poor. At the end of the instructions for Shavuot in Leviticus 23:22, we are reminded to not use all of our resources on ourselves but leave some for those in need. Could you donate clothing to a women's shelter at this time of year or non perishables to a food pantry? How about volunteering as a family at a local nonprofit? Putting together action packs for Voice of the Martyrs was a memorable Shavuot activity for our congregation. Donate financially to a missions cause you believe in.

Have a very happy Shavuot!