We’re on letter “N” for our ABCs of the Bible crafts, a great series of Bible School Craft Ideas.
For this Noah’s Ark Shoebox craft, I wanted to present a simple way to re-create the ark using materials found around your home. This ark craft is created from recycled materials using a shoe box, cardboard box, a little duct tape and brown non-toxic paint.
Materials Needed
- Shoebox
- Plain Cardboard Box
- Duct Tape
- Scissors or X-Acto Knife
- Brown Finger Paint (optional)
- Two Safari TOOBs of Zoo Babies (optional)
- Blue construction paper for water (optional)
- Wooden Peg People (optional)
- Felt Rainbow (optional)
Assembling the Shoebox Ark
- The first thing that I did was cut a square hole into the side of the shoebox for a door to the ark.
- Next I taped the cover of the shoebox onto the bottom part of the box as pictured above.
- This gave the “ark” a higher base and will allow for space for a ramp for the animals to walk on while going up to the ark.
- I selected a plain cardboard box and cut off a large flap. I selected a cardboard piece that was wide and tall enough to cover the front and back of the shoebox.
- Then I cut the cardboard flap with curved sides as pictured above. I also cut three sides of a square into the middle of the cardboard piece to create a door with a ramp.
- Last of all, I taped the cardboard piece onto the front of the shoebox. Then I painted it a nice dark brown color.
This simple little shoebox ark will be enjoyed by children for hours of play, especially if you purchase a set of matching sweet zoo baby animals and a set of wooden peg people. Read or recite the story of the ark with your children and point out that the animals came marching onto the ark two-by-two. The wooden peg couple represent Noah and Mrs. Noah. Feel free to also add wooden peg people to represent Noah’s three sons and their wives. If you would like to craft an angel like the one pictured below, please visit – 7 Christmas Angel Crafts. Also, for an economical version of crafting animals, visit – Cardboard Animals for Kids.
The Story of the Ark – Genesis 7
11 “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. 13 And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 “Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 “And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16“You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks. 17 “And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 “But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark – you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.19 “And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 “Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 “And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.”
The Story of the Flood
I showed my little boy how the animals marched inside the ark and then the Lord shut the door to the ark. I cut several pieces of blue construction paper to represent water placed inside a wooden tray. I told my little boy how the rain came and the ark began to float on the water. We placed the ark with all the animals on top of the blue “water” paper.
17 Now the flood was on the earth forty days. The waters increased and lifted up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters prevailed and greatly increased on the earth, and the ark moved about on the surface of the waters. 24 And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.
The Story of the Rainbow – Genesis 8
An easy way to create a beautiful Montessori inspired rainbow is to cut out several layers of rainbow colored felt. The largest dome is red and then all the other domes of rainbow colors are cut smaller, sequencing down through the colors.
1 Then God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters subsided. 15 Then God spoke to Noah, saying, 16 “Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. 17 “Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you: birds and cattle and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.” 18 So Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. 19Every animal, every creeping thing, every bird, and whatever creeps on the earth, according to their families, went out of the ark. 11 “Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12And God said:”This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 “I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.
Montessori Shelves
I displayed our whole ark scene and rainbow activities for a few weeks on our Montessori shelves. This allowed my little boy to play with the materials on his own while using his imagination. If you would like to learn more about our rainbow activities, please visit – Montessori Inspired Toddler Rainbow Unit.
If you liked this ABCs of the Bible craft idea – P is for Peace Dove – be sure to pin it for later, or share it with your friends if you think they’d enjoy doing it with their children.
Our previous Bible School Craft Ideas for this series have included:
- A is for Angel (coffee filter craft)
- B is for Basket (weaving craft)
- C is for Cross (paper scrolling craft)
- D is for David’s Harp (representational craft)
- E is for Elijah’s Fiery Chariot (card board craft)
- F is for Fisher of Men
- G is for God’s Eye
- H is for Heaven Art Collage (fine motor craft)
- K is for King of Kings (crown craft)
- R is for Rebekah at the Well (milk carton craft)
- S is for Sheep (toddler/preschooler craft)
- V is for the Vine Craft
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