Every Sunday morning after class, children dash out of the classrooms with a new craft in their precious hands. Some of these crafts make it home to be displayed in a place of honor, while others may never make it out of the car.

Sunday after Sunday, teachers may wonder: Why even spend precious classroom time on something that’s so rarely appreciated? What are crafts good for anyway? And what’s the best way to use crafts at church?

THE PURPOSE OF CRAFTS – More than mere time-fillers, crafts serve an important role in Catholic education. Here’s how crafts can make your lesson better. They:

• allow children to express their God-given creativity.
• give children an opportunity to discover the world God has made.
• enhance children’s ability to think and solve problems.
• build self-esteem.
• help children listen and follow directions.
• give children tools to apply their faith (making gifts for others).
• create relationships as children work together on cooperative projects.
• reinforce a lesson.
• remind children of what they’ve learned in class.
• create fun!