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Some Bible stories are easy to teach. And then there’s Lazarus and the room goes completely quiet.
Kids get it instantly. A man dies. His sisters are devastated. Jesus shows up four days late.
And then He calls a dead man by name and walks him right out of the grave. That’s not just a miracle.
That’s the kind of story that makes a seven-year-old grab your arm and say “wait, He actually did that?”
These Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids are designed to hold onto that moment. To let kids do something with their hands while the story settles into their hearts.
Whether you’re teaching Sunday school, running VBS, doing home Bible study, or just looking for a meaningful way to spend an afternoon these crafts make John 11 something kids will remember long after the supplies are packed away.
Why the Story of Lazarus Is So Powerful for Kids
It’s Personal
Lazarus wasn’t a stranger. He was Jesus’ friend. Mary and Martha were Jesus’ friends. Jesus wept at the tomb genuinely, openly, in front of everyone.
Kids understand grief. They understand losing someone you love. And they understand what it means when someone who loves you shows up.
It Points Straight to the Resurrection
Lazarus walking out of that tomb wrapped in grave clothes is one of the most vivid foreshadowings of Easter in the entire Bible.
Teaching this story well means kids who later hear about the resurrection of Jesus already have a picture in their minds.
They’ve already felt the shock of alive again. That matters more than most Sunday school teachers realize.
John 11:35 Is the Shortest Verse in the Bible
“Jesus wept.”
Two words. Every kid in the room can memorize that. And what it teaches that Jesus is not a distant God who watches from a distance, but one who feels what we feel is one of the deepest truths of the faith.
These Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids work best when they’re paired with that kind of teaching. Not just a fun activity. A way in.
15 Jesus Raises Lazarus Crafts for Kids
1. Toilet Roll Lazarus Puppet
This one is beloved in Sunday school classrooms for a reason. It works for almost every age, costs nothing, and the kids can act out the story themselves the moment they finish making it.
Take a toilet paper roll and draw or paint a simple face near the top. Wrap white strips of tissue paper or gauze around the whole tube leaving just the face visible like burial wrappings.
Then decorate a small paper cup with grey or brown “stone” colors to serve as the tomb. Lazarus lives inside the cup.
When the teacher says “Lazarus, come forth!” — the kids pull their puppet up out of the cup.
Every single time, they laugh. And every single time, they remember it.
Supplies: Toilet paper rolls, tissue paper or gauze strips, small paper cups, markers, grey paint, glue
2. Lazarus Comes Out Craft Stick Puppet
Similar concept to the toilet roll version, but flatter and easier for younger children to handle. A craft stick with a small paper figure attached Lazarus wrapped in white strips on one side, alive and smiling on the other.
Kids flip the stick to reveal the alive Lazarus when Jesus calls him out. The two-sided nature of the puppet carries the whole theology of the story: death on one side, life on the other.
Supplies: Craft sticks, white cardstock, markers or crayons, scissors, glue
Ages: 3 and up — genuinely one of the simplest Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids on this list
3. Torn Paper Tomb Scene Collage
This one leans more art-project, and it’s stunning when it’s done.
Kids tear brown and grey paper into rough pieces and layer them onto a piece of cardstock to create a rocky tomb background.
Then they add a white oval or arch shape for the tomb opening and a small Lazarus figure emerging from it — either drawn, printed, or made from a simple folded paper doll.
The tearing process is satisfying and sensory. The finished piece looks like a real piece of art. And because every child tears differently, no two collages are the same.
Supplies: Brown, grey, and black cardstock scraps, white paper, glue sticks, markers
Ages: 4 and up — great for kids who struggle with scissors
4. “Come Forth” Watercolor Scene
Give each child a sheet of watercolor paper. Using a white crayon, they write “Come Forth!” or “John 11:43” on the paper first pressing firmly. Then they paint a wash of grey, purple, or brown watercolor over the whole page.
The white crayon resists the paint. The words appear like they were hidden there all along.
Kids are amazed every single time. And the metaphor practically teaches itself — what was hidden in death, Jesus brings to light.
Supplies: Watercolor paper, white crayons, watercolor paints, brushes
5. Clay Tomb and Stone Scene
Air-dry clay or Model Magic. Kids shape a simple cave/tomb from a lump of grey or brown clay, add a round stone beside the opening, and place a small Lazarus figure emerging from the entrance.
This is one of the best Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids for hands-on learners who need to touch and build to really understand.
Shaping the tomb, rolling the stone, placing the figure every step retells the story with their hands.
Let them dry and take them home. They’ll set it on their dresser and look at it for weeks.
Supplies: Air-dry clay or Model Magic in grey/brown and white, toothpicks or craft sticks for detail work
Ages: 6 and up for independent work; younger kids with adult help
6. Mummy Wrap Relay (Craft + Game)
Split kids into pairs. One child holds their arms at their sides they’re Lazarus. The other wraps them loosely in a roll of toilet paper from shoulders to ankles, as quickly as possible.
When the teacher calls “Lazarus, come forth!” the wrapped child has to try to walk forward. The laughter that follows is the whole point.
After the game, sit down together and talk about what it must have felt like to walk out of that tomb still wrapped. What did people around him feel? What did he feel?
Then send each pair home with a simple craft version — their toilet roll Lazarus puppet — so the lesson goes home with them.
This one is listed as a craft because it produces something. The game is just the warm-up. The puppet is what they keep.
7. Watercolor Resist “Jesus Wept” Bookmark
Cut cardstock into bookmark-sized strips. Kids write “Jesus wept. John 11:35” in white crayon on the strip, then paint over it with a dark watercolor wash deep purple, navy, or grey.
The verse appears. The bookmark dries flat. They use it in their Bible.
This is one of the quietest and most meaningful Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids on the list. It’s simple enough for any age.
And every time they open their Bible to that bookmark, they remember what it means that Jesus weeps with us.
Supplies: White cardstock cut into strips, white crayons, watercolor paints, hole punch, ribbon
8. Lazarus Paper Bag Puppet
A brown paper lunch bag becomes Lazarus white tissue paper strips wrapped around the bag for the burial cloth, a drawn face on the bottom flap, and a simple background scene drawn on cardstock behind it.
Kids put their hand inside the bag to animate Lazarus. When the teacher calls his name, their hand pushes the flap open and Lazarus “comes out.”
This version works especially well for younger kids ages 3–5 because the paper bag is large, easy to handle, and the whole thing comes together in under fifteen minutes.
Supplies: Brown paper lunch bags, white tissue paper strips, markers, glue
9. Story Sequencing Cards
This one sits between craft and activity, but it belongs on this list because kids make it with their hands and use it to retell the story themselves.
Print or draw four to six simple scene cards: Lazarus sick, Jesus hearing the news, Jesus arriving at the tomb, the stone rolled away, Lazarus coming out, Mary and Martha rejoicing.
Kids color each card, cut them apart, and arrange them in order.
Then they tell the story back to a partner, to their parent, to the whole class.
This is one of the best Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids who are verbal and narrative learners. The sequencing is the comprehension check. The coloring is the craft. The retelling is the theology.
10. “He Is the Resurrection” Ribbon Craft
Cut two lengths of ribbon one dark (representing death and burial) and one white or gold (representing life and resurrection). Kids braid or twist them together around a craft stick, tying them off at both ends.
At the center, they attach a small card that reads “I am the resurrection and the life. — John 11:25.”
It’s a tactile, beautiful reminder of what the Lazarus story is really about. Simple enough for any age. Meaningful enough to keep.
Supplies: Dark and white or gold ribbon, craft sticks, small printed verse cards, scissors
11. Rock Painting — “Roll Away the Stone”
Every child gets a smooth rock. They paint it grey or brown, let it dry, and then paint a simple message on the front “Roll Away the Stone,” “Come Forth,” or “John 11:43.”
The rock becomes a paperweight, a shelf decoration, a reminder.
Rocks are also wonderfully symbolic in this story the stone rolled away from the tomb is one of the most dramatic moments in John 11. Holding a rock while you talk about it makes the story physical in a way that sitting still never does.
Supplies: Smooth rocks (craft stores or dollar stores), acrylic paint, fine-tip paint markers, sealant spray
Ages: 5 and up — one of the most Pinterest-friendly Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids on this whole list
12. Mini Accordion Book — The Lazarus Story
A strip of paper folded accordion-style into six or eight panels. Each panel is one moment from the story — kids draw or paste a simple image and write one sentence.
Panel one: Lazarus is sick.
Panel two: Mary and Martha send for Jesus.
Panel three: Jesus hears the news.
Panel four: Jesus arrives at the tomb.
Panel five: The stone is rolled away.
Panel six: Lazarus, come forth!
When the book is folded up, it looks like nothing. When it’s opened panel by panel, the whole story unfolds. Kids love the reveal.
13. Gauze Wrapping Sensory Craft
Buy a roll of medical gauze or cut white fabric into strips. Give each child a simple wooden clothespin figure or a small toilet roll figure.
They wrap their Lazarus in the gauze strips as tightly or loosely as they want then place him in a small box or paper cup tomb.
The sensory element is the whole point here. The texture of wrapping. The way the figure disappears inside the wrappings. The moment they unwrap him when the story reaches its climax.
This works especially well with preschool and kindergarten-aged children who learn best with their hands and bodies. It’s tactile, calm, and genuinely engaging for the youngest Sunday school kids.
Supplies: Gauze roll or white fabric strips, wooden clothespin figures or toilet rolls, small boxes or cups
14. Lazarus Flip Book
A small booklet five to seven pages stapled together where each page shows Lazarus in a slightly different position as he walks out of the tomb. When kids flip the pages quickly, Lazarus appears to move.
This is a slightly more advanced craft for older elementary kids who have the patience for it. But the payoff is real.
They flip it over and over. They show it to their parents. They take it home and flip it for their siblings.
The motion feels like a miracle in miniature.
Freebie potential: A pre-drawn flip book template kids color and cut apart — this one has serious Pinterest save potential as a printable. ✅
15. “Jesus Wept” Tear Art
This is the one that gets quiet.
Give kids a piece of blue or grey tissue paper. Talk about grief for a moment. Talk about what it means that Jesus, standing at the tomb of His friend, cried.
Then ask kids to tear the tissue paper slowly one tear for every sad thing they’re holding right now. Every person they miss. Every fear.
When they’re done, they glue the pieces onto white cardstock in the shape of a teardrop. At the center, they write or stamp “Jesus wept. John 11:35.”
It doesn’t look like a typical craft. It looks like something true.
This is the one for older kids — ages 8 and up who can sit with a feeling long enough to make something from it. And it’s the one they’ll carry home in their hands the most carefully.
Tips for Teaching Jesus Raises Lazarus to Different Age Groups
Preschool (Ages 2–4)
Keep it simple and physical. The mummy wrap game, the paper bag puppet, and the gauze wrapping craft all work beautifully for this age.
Focus on one big idea: Jesus loves us and He has power over everything — even death. Don’t overthink the theology. Let them wrap and unwrap and giggle and that’s enough.
Early Elementary (Ages 5–7)
This is the sweet spot for most of these Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids. They can follow the story, they ask real questions, and they make things with pride.
The toilet roll puppet, the torn paper collage, and the story sequencing cards are all strong choices.
Older Elementary (Ages 8–11)
Go deeper. The flip book, the accordion story book, the watercolor resist, and the tear art all have layers that older kids can sit with.
Ask harder questions — why did Jesus wait? What does resurrection mean for us? What does it mean that Jesus wept? Let the craft be a conversation, not just a product.
What You Need to Know Before You Teach This Story
The Key Verse
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.’” — John 11:25
This is the verse the whole story is building toward. Every craft on this list is in service of helping that verse land in a child’s heart.
The Story Reference
The full account of Jesus raising Lazarus is found in John 11:1–44. It’s worth reading the full passage yourself before you teach it the detail is rich, the emotion is real, and there are nuances in the text that children respond to when they’re pointed out.
Jesus deliberate waiting. His deep sighing. The crowd’s divided reaction. All of it matters.
The Bible Gateway has multiple translations available so you can find the version that reads most naturally for your age group.
The Connection to Easter
Lazarus walking out of the tomb is intentionally written by John as a preview of what Jesus Himself will do. If you’re teaching this story near Easter, say that out loud.
Tell the kids: “What happened to Lazarus points to what will happen to Jesus — and to us.” That connection is one of the most powerful things you can give them.
The Bible Project has excellent video resources on the Gospel of John that explore this connection in a way older kids and adults find genuinely compelling.
FAQ: Jesus Raises Lazarus Crafts for Kids
What age are these Jesus raises Lazarus crafts suitable for?
Most of them work for ages 3 and up with adult guidance. The toilet roll puppet, paper bag puppet, and gauze wrapping craft are ideal for preschool.
Story sequencing cards, rock painting, and watercolor resists work well for early elementary. The flip book, accordion book, and tear art are best for ages 8 and up.
How long do these crafts take?
Most take between 10 and 25 minutes — designed to fit inside a standard Sunday school lesson. The clay tomb scene and accordion book take closer to 30 minutes if kids are working carefully.
Can these be done at home as well as church?
Absolutely. Every craft on this list uses supplies that are easy to find or already in most homes. They work just as well for homeschool families doing Bible study as they do for Sunday school classrooms and VBS groups.
What is the main lesson kids should take from the Lazarus story?
That Jesus has power over death — and that He uses that power out of love, not performance. He didn’t raise Lazarus to impress a crowd.
He raised him because he loved him. That’s the heart of the story, and it’s the heart of the gospel.
Is this story appropriate for young children?
Yes, with gentle framing. Focus on the miracle, the friendship, and the love of Jesus rather than the details of death and burial.
Younger children naturally engage with the wonder of it “He was dead and then he wasn’t!” without needing to wrestle with the harder theological weight. Save the deeper questions for older kids.
Let the Story Do What It Always Does
The story of Lazarus has been making people stop and pay attention for two thousand years. It doesn’t need to be dressed up.
It doesn’t need tricks or gimmicks. It just needs space and hands that are busy enough to let hearts go still.
These Jesus raises Lazarus crafts for kids give you that space. Pick one that fits your group. Gather the supplies. Read John 11 together.
And then watch what happens when a child hears “Lazarus, come forth” — and realizes that Jesus says it like He means it.
Because He does.
Pin this for your next Sunday school lesson — and pass it along to any teacher, homeschool parent, or VBS director who’s teaching this story.
