Hello my Omschooligans! With the official school year nearing a close and summer vacation nearly upon us, it's time for Omschool to begin thinking Vacation Bible School! Teacher Omi and Opi are Catholic Christians but you don't have to be Catholic to use these Bible lesson plans. We are an open-arms teaching community and offer these activities for anyone who wants to use them!
Here are free printable Bible coloring pages and VBS lesson plans, craft projects and object lesson science experiments to use them in.. And the owners of these sites ask as I do, that you only use our work in approved ways for personal or homeschool use or in non-profit classrooms.
Free Printable Bible Coloring Pages
These sites offer high-quality, free PDF printables covering a wide range of Bible stories and themes:
Ministry-To-Children Sunday School Store Kids Bible Lessons Recommended Sites for Catholic Coloring Pages
CatholicMom.com The Catholic Kid Catholic Playground The Little Rose Shop Sock Religious
Quick Tips for Catholic Liturgical Living
Feast Day Calendars: Check
CatholicMom.com Create a Binder: As suggested by many catechists, you can have children color one page a week and keep them in a binder to create their own personalized "Book of Saints" throughout the year.
Free VBS Lesson Plans
If you need structured curriculum for Vacation Bible School or teaching series, these organizations provide comprehensive, downloadable resources at no cost:
Ministry-To-Children Stuff You Can Use MinistryArk DLTK's Bible Trueway Kids
♻️ Omschool Bible Craft Projects
Turn recycled "trash" into treasures while learning God's Word! Perfect for VBS and Sunday school!
1. Cardboard Tube "Armor of God"
Ingredients: Toilet paper rolls, cardboard pieces, recycled milk jugs, aluminum foil, glue dots or stapler, markers.
Method: Wrap tubes in foil to create "silver" cuffs or shields. Cut breastplate from flat cardboard. Cut helmet from milk jug, leaving a chin strap. Cover in foil. Use markers to write "Faith" or "Truth" on them as you discuss Ephesians 6.
2. Egg Carton "Fruit of the Spirit" Garden
Ingredients: Recycled egg cartons, potting soil or coconut coir peat pellets (very reasonable priced and and easy to use from Amazon) paints/crayons, paper scraps.
Method: Cut egg cups into individual "bowls." Paint each one a different color and write a fruit (Love, Joy, Peace, etc.) on each cup. Add one peat pellet to each and plant a different herb, vegetable or fruit seed in each. Keep them in your Tree Fort as a reminder to "grow" these fruits in our lives each day. Then transplant them when they have sprouted.
Object lesson: read Bible passage about the different types of soil and how each helps or hinders the seed (the fruit of the spirit) growth.
3. Cereal Box "Bible Story Diorama
Ingredients: Empty cereal box, tape, construction paper.
Method: Cut the box open to make a flat landscape. Draw a scene from a Bible story (like Noah’s Ark) across the cardboard canvas! Add recycled materials to give scenery and animals "texture" such as fabric for fur, cotton for lamb's wool and clouds, tin foil for stars, and green cardboard scraps for plants and trees.
Object lesson science Experiments to pair with VBS craft projects
Armor of God object lesson
🛡️ The "Protective Gear" Science Lab
Goal: Test how different materials handle environmental "attacks."
Instructions:
- Step 1: Wrap your "Body" (sponge) in one of the materials (Fabric, Plastic, Cardboard, or Foil).
- Step 2: Apply the "Attack" (Water for rain, Marble for impact, Fork for armor testing).
- Step 3: Observe! Did the material keep the "Body" underneath dry, smooth, or dent-free?
Bible Connection: Just as we need specific gear to survive a storm or a fall, God gives us the "Armor of God" to stand firm against whatever comes our way!
🧪 Science Experiment: The "Protective Gear" Challenge
In this experiment, students will test different materials to see how they stand up to various "environmental attacks" (simulating real-world protection).
The Setup:
The "Body": Use a sponge or a small cardboard cutout to represent the person being protected.
The "Attacks":
Hard Hat (Impact): A small marble dropped from a height of 6 inches.
Suit of Armor (Abrasion/Sharp Objects): A plastic fork or sandpaper to scratch the surface.
Safety or sunglasses (Eye protection from bright lights)
Precipitation: A spray bottle filled with water.
The Materials to Test:
Fabric (Cotton): Represents everyday clothing (minimal protection).
Plastic Bag/Cling Film: Represents waterproof gear (rain protection).
Thick plastic cut from laundry soap bottle: Represents a "hard hat" (impact protection).
Metal can: Represents "armor" (sturdy, hard surface).
Tinted clear plastic: sunglasses
📝 Experiment Worksheet: Protective Gear Analysis
The Sower, seed and soil experiment
In this parable, Jesus describes a sower scattering seeds that land on four different types of soil, representing how people receive the "word of the kingdom" (the Word of God):
The Path: The seed is snatched away by the birds (representing the evil one/Satan).
Rocky Ground: The seed springs up quickly but withers because it has no deep root (representing those who hear the word with joy but fall away when trouble or persecution arises).
Among Thorns: The seed is choked by thorns (representing those who hear the word but are distracted by the "cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches").
Good Soil: The seed produces a crop, multiplying many times over (representing those who hear, understand, and bear fruit). 
;🌱 The Parable of the Soil Experiment
Which "heart" will the seed grow in?
Ingredients:
- 4 Small containers (recycled yogurt cups work great)
- Soil types: 1. Gravel/Rocks, 2. Sand (the path), 3. Hard-packed dirt mixed with weeds (thorns), 4. Potting soil (good soil)
- Fast-growing seeds (like radish or bean)
- Water & sunlight
Method:
- Fill each container with one of your four soil types.
- Label them based on the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13).
- Plant 2 seeds in each.
- Place them in a sunny spot in the Tree Fort and water them equally.
- Observe for 7–10 days. Document which seeds sprout and which struggle!
Discussion Question: How does our "heart" (our attention, our priorities) act like the soil in these cups? Which cup represents a heart that is ready for God's Word?
Animal Body Coverings Object Lesson
- safety from predators (camouflage)
- temperature control (warmth or cool)
- protection from elements
- mode of movement
| Animal | Habitat | Body Covering | God's Design Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polar Bear | Arctic Tundra | Thick fur & blubber | Keeps warm in extreme cold; helps with buoyancy. |
| Duck | Lakes & Ponds | Waterproof oily feathers | Keeps the duck dry and insulated while swimming. |
| Desert Lizard | Hot Desert | Thick, dry scales | Prevents water loss and protects from the hot sun. |
| Arctic Hare | Snowy Plains | White fur coat | Provides camouflage against snow to hide from predators. |
| Fish | Oceans & Rivers | Overlapping scales & slime | Reduces friction for speed; protects against parasites. |
⚖️ Usage Terms
All Omschool lesson plans are created with love for our fellow homeschooling families and teachers!
These resources are provided free of charge for personal use and non-profit classroom settings. Please do not sell or redistribute these materials for profit. If you'd like to share, please link back to this blog!
