Forgiveness Bible Crafts for Sunday School Kids
In this post, you will find:
A simple retelling of Bible stories about forgiveness.
4 printable Forgiveness Bible crafts (Joseph Forgives His Brothers, the Unforgiving Servant, the Prodigal Son, and a Sorry Craft).
Discussion questions and Bible verses for each activity.
A free, printable Bible coloring page featuring Colossians 3:13.
Forgiveness is one of the most important lessons children can learn from the Bible. Scripture teaches that God forgives us, and He calls us to forgive others. These stories help children understand mercy, repentance, reconciliation, and what it means to show grace when someone has done something wrong.
These printable Forgiveness Bible crafts are great for Sunday School, children’s church, homeschool Bible lessons, Christian classrooms, and family Bible time. This collection includes four printable Forgiveness Bible crafts (Joseph Forgives His Brothers, David Took Saul’s Spear and Jug, the Prodigal Son, and a Sorry Craft).
Click below to skip to the resource you’d like:
Bible Stories About Forgiveness
The Bible teaches that forgiveness is part of God’s character and part of the way He wants His people to live.
One of the clearest Old Testament stories about forgiveness is the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph’s brothers were jealous of him and treated him terribly. They sold him into slavery, and Joseph was taken far away to Egypt.
Years later, Joseph became a powerful leader in Egypt. When a famine came, his brothers traveled there to buy food. They did not recognize Joseph at first, but Joseph knew who they were.
Joseph had the power to punish them, but instead he chose forgiveness. He told his brothers that although they had intended harm, God had worked through the situation to save many lives.
Another story about mercy and forgiveness comes from the life of David. King Saul was jealous of David and tried to harm him. David had the opportunity to take revenge, but he chose not to.
One night, David and Abishai entered Saul’s camp while Saul and his soldiers were sleeping. Abishai wanted to strike Saul, but David refused. Instead, David took Saul’s spear and water jug.
Later, David called out from a distance and showed Saul the spear and jug. This proved that David had been close enough to harm Saul, but had chosen mercy instead.
Jesus also told the parable of the prodigal son. A younger son took his inheritance, left home, and wasted everything. When he had nothing left, he decided to return to his father and ask for mercy.
Before the son could even finish his apology, his father ran to him, embraced him, and welcomed him home. This story shows the joy of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.
The Bible says:
“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
— Colossians 3:13
These stories help children see that forgiveness is not always easy, but it is deeply important. God forgives us with mercy, and He teaches us to forgive others.
Joseph Forgives His Brothers Craft
The Joseph Forgives His Brothers Craft helps children remember the powerful moment when Joseph chose forgiveness instead of revenge.
Children can color and assemble the scene showing Joseph embracing his brothers. The craft provides a simple visual for discussing how Joseph responded after years of pain and separation.
Joseph’s brothers had done something very wrong, but Joseph recognized that God had been at work even through difficult circumstances. He did not pretend that what they did was good, but he chose to forgive them and help his family.
This story is useful for teaching children that forgiveness does not mean saying that wrong actions were okay. It means choosing mercy instead of revenge.
Best for: Preschool, kindergarten, and elementary children
Lesson theme: Forgiveness and reconciliation
Bible passage: Genesis 45:1–15; Genesis 50:20–21
Discussion question: Why do you think Joseph chose to forgive his brothers?
David Took Saul’s Spear and Jug Craft
The David Took Saul’s Spear and Jug Craft tells the story of David choosing mercy when he had the opportunity to harm King Saul.
Children can color and assemble the scene showing Saul asleep while David takes Saul’s spear and water jug. This craft helps children remember the moment when David could have taken revenge, but chose not to.
Saul had been chasing David and trying to hurt him, but David refused to kill Saul. Instead, David took the spear and jug as proof that he had been close enough to harm Saul, but had spared his life.
This story is especially useful for teaching children that forgiveness and mercy are not the same as pretending nothing happened. David did not ignore Saul’s actions, but he chose not to repay evil with evil.
Best for: Kindergarten and elementary children
Lesson theme: Choosing mercy instead of revenge
Bible passage: 1 Samuel 26:5–25
Discussion question: Why did David choose not to hurt Saul when he had the chance?
The Prodigal Son Craft
The Prodigal Son Craft tells the story of a son who left home, made poor choices, and returned to his father.
Children can use this printable activity to retell the story step by step. The craft helps them remember the son’s journey away from home, his regret, and the father’s loving welcome.
This parable gives children a picture of God’s mercy. The father did not wait coldly for the son to earn his way back. He ran to him, welcomed him, and celebrated his return.
The story is also helpful for talking about repentance. The son realized he had done wrong and chose to return home.
Best for: Preschool, kindergarten, and elementary children
Lesson theme: God welcomes us when we return to Him
Bible passage: Luke 15:11–32
Discussion question: How did the father show forgiveness when his son came home?
Sorry Craft
The Sorry Craft helps children think about apology, forgiveness, and making things right in everyday life.
Children can color and assemble the craft with the word “Sorry” in large decorative letters. This activity is a simple way to discuss what it means to say sorry sincerely and how we can respond when someone apologizes to us.
This craft works especially well after teaching one of the Bible stories about forgiveness. It gives children a practical bridge from the Bible story to their own relationships with family, friends, classmates, and siblings.
The goal is not just to teach children to say the word “sorry,” but to help them understand that repentance includes recognizing wrong actions, caring about the person who was hurt, and trying to make a better choice next time.
Best for: Preschool, kindergarten, and elementary children
Lesson theme: Apology, repentance, and making peace
Bible passage: Colossians 3:13; Ephesians 4:32
Discussion question: What can we do when we hurt someone and need to make things right?
Free “Forgive as the Lord Forgave You” Coloring Page
The free Forgiveness coloring page features the words:
Forgive as the Lord Forgave You
Colossians 3:13
The large outlined letters give children plenty of room to color. The illustrations around the verse connect with forgiveness themes and may include a coat, a spear, hearts, a bandage, and a pig from the Prodigal Son story.
This verse fits the collection well because it gives the central message of Christian forgiveness: we forgive others because God has forgiven us.
This coloring page works well as:
- An opening activity while children arrive
- A quiet activity during the Bible story
- An option for younger children
- A take-home reminder of the lesson
- A free printable for parents and Sunday School teachers
