Jonah and the whale craft - silhouette whale - inspire the mom
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5 Jonah and the Whale Craft Ideas

Looking for some creative ideas for teaching the story of Jonah? If so, today I’m sharing five Jonah and the whale craft ideas you can do with your kids at home or with a class of kids at church.

I’ve got my own young kids, as well as, a kindergarten Sunday school class at church and I’m constantly looking for new and fun ways to teach the old Bible stories.

With kids, I have found that hands-on activities always seem to be the best way to go. With that being said, let’s go over some easy Jonah and the whale craft ideas you can do with your kids.

But first, let’s review the story…

What is the Story of Jonah and the Whale?

God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people of Nineveh that He was going to judge their wickedness. But Jonah refused this command from God and got on a ship headed in another direction.

As the ship sailed into the blue, a sudden and violent storm came upon it and the people on board became very afraid.

Thinking that one of the passengers had angered a god, the crew drew lots to see who was responsible for this raging storm, and Jonah drew the short stick.

After admitting his folly, Jonah tells the crew to throw him overboard. So they do. Instantly, the turbulent storm stops and the wild waves return to a gentle lap against the side of the ship.

As Jonah begins to sink down into the water, he is swallowed by a huge fish. In the belly of this magnificent beast, he spends the next three nights praying. He is then vomited up onto dry land where he finally chooses obey God, and head in the right direction: Nineveh.

What Can Kids Learn From the Story of Jonah?

Kids are generally very intrigued by the story of Jonah. A man being swallowed by a whale and then being vomited on to dry land? Who wouldn’t be?

Besides the theatrics that this story offers, it also directly addresses obedience which is something kids (and adults) are wrestling with every day. Jonah is relatable. And just as Jonah faced consequences for disobedience so will we if we choose to disobey as well.

But that’s not all, this story also speaks of God’s mercy, compassion, and forgivenes; even after we’ve made some not-so-good choices.

5 Jonah and the Whale Craft Ideas

Now, to bring it home with a fun Jonah and the whale craft, game, or activity. 

With that being said, here are a few craft ideas that are super easy, yet a little more in depth than a coloring sheet. (You can use my Jonah and the Whale Printable templates OR just use the ideas given.)

Note: These Jonah and the whale crafts are designed for preschool through second grade.

1. Mosaic Jonah and the Whale Craft

To begin, print off the whale outline. Next, cut up some construction paper in different shades of blue and this craft is all prepped. (If you aren’t crunched for time, let the kids cut the construction paper.)

Then, have your kids create a mosaic by glueing the blue pieces inside of the whale outline.

This craft reinforces the story and builds fine motor skills.

Note: I used the Winter Wonderland paper pack from Printworks. (Amazon affiliate link)

2. Watercolor Painting Jonah and the Whale Craft

To start, print off the whale template on a nice thick card stock and let your kids use watercolors to paint the whale. Then have them draw Jonah praying inside. (If paint is not an option, you could always use this as a coloring page.)

3. Silhouette Jonah and the Whale Craft

For this next free Jonah and the Whale craft idea, cut out the inside of the whale shape (template pack) and set it aside. Next, cut some strips of colored paper (shades of blue or gray). To put this craft together, layer the pre-cut strips of colored paper onto a piece of card stock until it is covered. (Encourage kids to make a pattern with these strips).

Once the base page is finished, glue the whale template on top, creating a multi-colored whale to remember the story by. (You can check out this Silhouette Flower Craft for more detailed instructions on this type of craft.)

4. Jonah and the Whale Brown Paper Bag Puppet

For this bible story craft you need a brown paper bag, glue, scissors, blue card stock (2 shades), and the free printable Jonah and the whale puppet template (available at the end of this post).

Use the template to cut out the various pieces of the whale puppet. Then have your students glue them all in place. To finish it off, encourage your students to draw Jonah praying to God from the belly of the whale.

5. Create a Jonah and the Whale Puzzle

Another craft idea for the story of Jonah is to have kids made their own Jonah and the whale puzzle. Using the puzzle page from the Jonah and the whale craft printable (free Jonah template pack), have your kids draw the scene then cut the pieces out.

(They can keep the puzzles pieces in a little bag and put their puzzles together whenever they want OR they can glue their puzzle together on a blank verse page, which is available in the Jonah and the whale craft template pack.)

Low Prep Jonah and the Whale Craft Ideas

All of these Jonah and the whale craft ideas are super simple to put together yet fun for kids to do. These ideas can be done as a low-prep Sunday school craft, or a last minute addition to a Bible Study you are doing at home with your kids. 

You could easily draw up your own templates OR you can simply print off the free Jonah and the whale printables I put together. Either way, I hope that these ideas will inspire you to get creative and have fun as you share this wonderful Bible story with your kids.

Free Jonah and the Whale Craft Template Pack

Interested in the free Jonah and the Whale Craft Template Pack? This resource includes templates for each of the craft ideas listed in this post (Perfect if you are looking for some Jonah and the whale activities for Sunday school.) For Access to this freebie, Join the Inspire the Mom Community and sign in with Grow for this exclusive content!

Get it Now!

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3 Comments

  1. I’ve just been blessed to be the childrens ministry Bible study recruit at my local church. I am not the teacher but I have been given the wonderful position of designing, planning and prepping classroom projects (preK-1st grades) relating to their lessons. I am so looking forward to this and need low cost items and ideas to make it work!

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