Article by Magriet Du Plessis

A variation on the “Fruits of the Spirit Collage” Bible Story craft, this is one of our Easy Kids Crafts activity that send children to harvest photos that depict the “Fruits of the Spirit.” This encourages them to pay extra close attention to the meaning of these fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control and how they can be recognized.

This is one of our more adventurous Kids Bible Crafts and a fun and heart-warming one also. Because the activity is so focused, it greatly reinforces Galatians 5:22-23

Photomontage 101

A photomontage is a composite created by cutting and joining a number of other photographs by gluing on to a support. The photomontage may tell a story or may resemble a collage in its variety. For young children, the collage version will be the more likely choice.

Supplies

Disposable camerasIllustration board or other support that won’t warpModge PodgePaintbrush, medium sizedScissorsPaper towels

Directions

Shutterbug Safari

After the “Fruits of the Spirit” Bible lesson, tell the kids that they will be going on a field trip to take pictures of these fruits. Provide each child with a disposable camera and basic picture taking instruction, such as the importance of holding the camera steady when clicking and being sure the subject is in the picture frame before clicking. Take the children to safe and friendly place where they are apt to see many examples of the fruits of the spirit. This could be a park, church activity or anywhere they can find people, young and old, exhibiting acts of kindness, patience and other fruits of the sprit. If you have a class size group, ask your assistants to watch to see if any of the children need assistance. Younger ones may want you to snap the photos for them. Others may need reminding to hold the camera steady. Once the photographs are developed, if any of the children’s rolls didn’t come out ask the others to share. It may be a good idea to have duplicates made just in case they are needed.

Putting it All Together

Set up the table so that each child has a photomontage support, Modge Podge, scissors, paintbrush, paper towels and a small jar of water. Demonstrate how to trim the photos to get just the parts they want in the photomontage. Show the kids how a photo can be trimmed, following the outline of the subject or how the background can be left but cropped. Some of the kids may even want to trim photos into heart shapes, shapes of fruit, etc. Arrange the photos on the support. Experiment with the arrangement. Spread the glue onto the back of a photo with the paintbrush and adhere to the support, gently smoothing out as many air bubbles as possible without tearing the photo. This is a good opportunity for the children to demonstrate patience! Seriously, getting the air bubbles out can be difficult for grown-ups too, so don’t focus on this. The main idea is that the photomontage has special meaning to them and they enjoy the activity. Seal the photomontage with a coat of Modge Podge. Allow to dry overnight. After the photomontages have dried, the children may want to do a show and tell with them and invite their peers to try to identify the fruits of Spirit in them.