Good neighbors look after one another's welfare.
The biblical parable of the Good Samaritan follows quickly on the heels of Jesus' reminder of the greatest commandments: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. As an illustration of mercy, kindness and helping others, Good Samaritan Bible crafts for kids answer the lawyer's question, "Who is my neighbor?" and help kids understand what they can do to follow God's law of love to be a good neighbor.
Jesus' Neighbors
Precut some triangle roofs, square houses with cutout windows and rectangle chimneys and doors. Ask the kids to arrange the pieces into the shape of a house and glue them to another sheet of paper. Add grass, flowers, trees and bushes as desired with additional cutouts or coloring. Draw or paste a picture of Jesus in one window and a picture of someone who needs His help in the other. Write the caption, "Jesus showed mercy. Go and do the same." (Luke 10:37).
Love Your Neighbor Magnet
Cut a 4-inch heart out of heavy poster board. Write in permanent marker, "The greatest commandments: Love God and love your neighbor." Let the kids decorate the front with paint, markers, crayons, glitter, lace, buttons or any other craft odds and ends you have on hand. Let it dry, if necessary, and attach a magnet to the back to serve as a daily reminder to look out for the needs of others as an expression of your devotion to God.
Good Samaritan Puppets
Draw an injured man, two important or wealthy men such as the priest and the Levite, the innkeeper and the band of robbers. Alternately, you can use the templates at Bible Kids Fun Zone. Cut out the paper people shapes and tape them on straws or craft sticks to make stick puppets. Use the puppets to act out the story of the Good Samaritan.
Compassion Rolls
Tell the kids that just like we should always be prepared with supplies for any emergency when we go hiking or camping, we need to be ready at a moment's notice to show compassion to anyone and everyone we meet. A compassion roll helps you carry along some basic kindness supplies. Cover one end of a cardboard tube or mailing tube with paper or a plastic cap. Decorate the roll with colored tissue or wrapping paper, or color it with crayons and markers. Fill the tube with chocolate hugs and kisses, band aids or other small first aid items, a small Bible or Bible verse slips, a copy of the Lord's Prayer or other biblical prayers, small snacks, a few dollars and a list of phone numbers where people can get help for different problems. Brainstorm with the kids for other small items that can fit in the tube to help show compassion no matter what situation comes up. Make a small cap for the other end and attach a piece of ribbon or string as a carry handle.
Helping Hands Book
Trace the child's hands on a piece of construction paper and several pieces of white paper. Cut them out and fit them together as a book using the colored paper as the front and back cover. Staple the pages along the left edge and write "(child's name)'s Helping Hands" on the front. Have the child write or draw an example of how he can help others on each page.
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