The Value of Art in Sunday School: A Reflection of our Faith Journey

Many traditional Sunday School spaces use crafts as a primary tool for teaching. I define crafts as an activity that has specific steps to follow to create an expected end product. Children cut, paste, or assemble something that looks nearly the same as everyone else's in the room (with slight variations in colour or small modifications). There are countless Sunday School craft ideas available. Crafts can be fun, and many are adorable, clever, or even practical—creating items that kids enjoy.

But relying too heavily on crafts that simply recreate characters or scenes from a Bible story can mean missing out on deeper engagement with both the story and the children learning it. That’s why, while I do use crafts in ministry, I often choose art instead. This is the first in a series of posts on why I believe art is a better choice in Sunday School. The first reason? The art process is a reflection of our faith journey.

Art invites children on a journey of discovery. Unlike crafts, which follow steps to achieve a set outcome, art encourages experimentation, risk-taking, and personal expression—much like faith. In both, the process matters just as much as the destination. By shifting the focus from a fixed final product to an open-ended experience, we show kids an essential truth: faith isn’t about getting everything "right"—it’s about exploring, growing, trusting, and journeying.

One time, while teaching the creation story, we explored God's creativity through birds. We studied their wing structures, feather types, eating habits, songs, migration patterns, and communal living. We held feathers, conducted science experiments about aerodynamics, went on a nature walk, and shared bird sightings. It was a fun and worshipful experience, and many kids walked away with a newfound appreciation for both birds and God's intricate design.

To make the lesson even more personal, we took on an art challenge. I love using plasticine as a medium—the bright colours, the tactile experience, the mess. I sculpt with it, paint with it, and find endless ways to play. For this project kids had to consider: If we’re made in the image of a creative God, what kind of creature could we design? How would it look, move, and communicate? What would it be called? What special abilities might it have? Each child sculpted their own creature on a canvas with plasticine, and as they worked, they marvelled at the details they were inventing—realizing God had done this over and over again for every living thing. Through art, they weren’t just learning about God; they were connecting with Him in a whole new way.

Art doesn’t just help kids learn about God—it invites them to engage with His story on a personal level. Instead of making a paper Moses with glued-on cotton-ball sheep, let kids paint how they imagine the Red Sea parting—the swirling waves, footprints in the sand, the fear and excitement of the people. Rather than handing out pre-cut figures to decorate, have them sculpt clay figures showing a Bible character’s emotions or create abstract art using colours that reflect the mood of a psalm. Art draws children into the story rather than just illustrating it.

I've mentioned making custom illustrated bible story books before, it's a favourite project of mine. I love it because it allows children to express their understanding and connection to a story more than a regurgitation of what I've taught. I keep it simple with marker drawings (art doesn’t have to be complicated), and every time, I’m amazed at what kids notice.

A priest with a name tag that reads "I help people"

Once, while teaching the Good Samaritan, a child added a nametag to the priest’s outfit that said, “I Help People.” No one had prompted this—the child added the nametag all on their own, and I had to laugh because it was such a sharp, simple way to make the irony clear. I never would have thought of something that clever! When we read the finished book as a class, other kids noticed the detail too, sparking more conversation. That moment of insight came straight from a child’s learning—and in turn, deepened the whole class’s understanding. Art gave space for a child to both learn and teach, making the story come alive in a whole new way.

When we move away from formulaic crafts and embrace open-ended art, we give kids the freedom to engage deeply, think critically, and express their faith in ways that matter to them. Art doesn’t just illustrate the story—it invites them into it. Faith isn’t just something to memorize—it’s something to experience, wrestle with, and make their own.

The process of making art mirrors our own faith journeys. Sometimes, what we envision for our masterpiece doesn’t come together as planned. I’ve seen slumped shoulders, ripped papers, and even tears when a child’s perceived mistake sends their fun into a tailspin. Art brings out real emotions—frustration, determination, disappointment, and joy—all with a pencil or paintbrush in motion. Our gentle encouragement to embrace the unexpected, to see mistakes as part of the creative process, becomes a model for how we handle life's bumps and detours. And when a piece turns out even better than imagined, we share in the delight of discovery—much like those moments in life when we gain new insight or recognize something deeply meaningful. How we respond to a child’s art is, in many ways, how we respond to their unfolding story.

I talk often about how I want children to own their faith—to be welcomed as they are, at whatever stage they’re in, and to feel free to explore, question, and grow. I want them to build confidence in who they know God to be and to understand that faith isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about discovering, wondering, and sometimes even changing your mind. Art is personal like that. I love seeing a child hold up their work with pride and say, “Look at what I made! This is mine.” That’s what I want faith to feel like—not just something they’re told or a sequence of steps to follow, but something they experience, wrestle with, and claim as their own.

For teachers wanting to move beyond crafts and looking for ideas, you can start small:

• Swap coloring pages of Bible scenes for “draw what stands out to you in the story”.

• Replace glue-and-go crafts with collaborative murals, sculpting, or free painting inspired by scripture.

• Instead of focusing on how something looks, ask “How does this story feel?” and let them create from that place.

• Use poetry (a literary form of art) to formulate a prayer or response to a story

When teachers and children embrace the freedom art offers over a craft, it fosters deeper self-expression, authentic exploration, and a faith that becomes their own—a faith they can question, grow with, and carry throughout their lives.

In the next article, we'll explore how art also provides a powerful way for children to be known—to have their unique stories and voices seen and valued. We'll then dive into a few more practical reasons teachers should choose art and provide a more detailed list of ways to begin or expand this practice.