They can also be a wonderful way to take a look at art history! This Tower of Babel Bible craft is modeled after the 1568 painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Tower of Babel in the Bible
The biblical story of the Tower of Babel is found in Genesis 11:1-9. Read the story with your kids in the version of your choice.
Talk about:
- The story takes place some time after the flood of Noah and before God calls Abram / Abraham to follow him. What was the situation at the time? (Verses 1-2)
- What did the people declare was their intention?
- Did they reach the heavens with their building? What does verse 5 tell us about that?
- What did God do to the people? What was the result?
- Were the people glorifying God in what they did, or were they trying to glorify themselves?
- How are we supposed to live as Christians? Read Romans 15:5-6.
The story of the Tower of Babel reminds us that we are to live for God’s glory rather than to make a name for ourselves!
Ok! Let’s make a Tower of Babel craft.
Tower of Babel Bible Craft
Check out this fun video of the Tower of Babel Bible craft!
Tower of Babel Craft Supplies
You’ll need a few supplies to make your Tower of Babel craft:
- Cardstock
- Paper Plate
- Permanent Markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Pencil
- Printable Template with Instructions
Cardstock PaperFiskars Scissors[300 Pack] Bulk Disposable White Uncoated Paper Plates, 9 Inch LargeSharpie 30078 Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Classic Colors, 8 Count (Assorted)Elmers Washable No-Run School Glue, 4 oz, 1 Bottle (E304) – Pack of 2Elmer’s-E5010 Extra Strength Glue Sticks, 0.28 Ounces, 4 CountPentel Twist-Erase Express Mechanical Pencil, 0.5mm, Assorted Barrel Colors (QE415LZBP4), 4 pack
Creating Your Tower of Babel Bible Craft
Your Tower of Babel Bible craft is based on this great painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder from 1568.
Pieter Bruegel the Elder actually painted three versions of “The Tower of Babel.” This one is housed in the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Facts about Pieter Bruegel the Elder:
- Pieter Bruegel the Elder was born in or around Breda in modern-day Netherlands sometime between 1525 and 1530.
- He died in 1569 in Brussels, in what is now Belgium.
- Pieter Brueghel dropped the “h” from his last name and was referred to as “the elder” because his sons Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564-1638) and Jan Brueghel the Elder (1568-1625) were also painters.
- Pieter Bruegel the Elder was born less than ten years after Martin Luther nailed The Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, really kicking off the Protestant Reformation.
- He painted during a time when earnest efforts were made to paint biblical subjects in a more realistic way.
- In a time when painters often depicted royalty and the supernatural, Bruegel painted scenes of peasants. That was unusual, as was the depiction of people who were disabled.
- He liked to incorporate proverbs into his paintings, or to paint scenes from the Bible as they likely looked to the people in the stories.
- When you see peasant scenes in art all the way until 1900, they were most likely influenced by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
- You can take a look at a few of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s paintings here. Talk about what you see.
- What kind of colors does Bruegel use?
- How detailed are his paintings?
- Do you see how he could work proverbs into each painting to teach biblical lessons?
You and your kids can make a representation of the biblical story of the Tower of Babel in the 1568 The Tower of Babel painting by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
1) Print and cut out the template pieces.
Print the template pages from step-by-step instructions and cut out the pieces.
2) Cut out and assemble the pieces for the Tower of Babel.
Trace and cut out the tower, cart, cloud, and landscape using the template pieces. Your child can choose the cardstock colors they prefer.
3) Use permanent markers to draw details on the tower.
Add arches for the tower doors and windows and draw lines along each floor.
4) Assemble your Tower of Babel.
Glue the two pieces of the tower to the top of the tower as shown. Then, glue the wheel to the cart.
5) Create the landscape for your Tower of Babel scene.
Glue your landscape to the plate in layers, as shown.
6) Finish your Tower of Babel art.
Glue your square foundation, Tower of Babel, clouds, and cart onto your paper plate.
Display your Tower of Babel craft somewhere your child will see it as a reminder that we are to glorify God in all we do!
Bible Resources for Your Kids
Learn More HereLearn More HereLearn More HereLearn More HereLearn More HereLearn More Here
Puzzle-Based Independent Bible Study for Kids!
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” – Romans 12:2, ESV
-
- Observe: They pay attention to what they’re reading.
- Interpret: They figure out what the Bible means in that section.
- Apply: They decide how the truth of God’s Word impacts their life today.
There are a great many truths in life to be found—some interesting, some boring, and some that really matter. You can be the kind of investigator who spends time puzzling out important truth so that you can know all the knowable knowledge that God has given us. That’s right. God, the Creator of the Universe, gave you a great big letter from him to explore and study so that you can discover the truths that really matter to your life!”
Bible Investigators: Creation, (The Good Book Company, 2024), page 7
The Bible Investigators: Creation Bible study for kids, written by Danika Cooley and published by The Good Book Company, is 272-pages of learning, puzzles, and fun activities designed to help your kids become amazing independent Bible investigators–observing, interpreting, and applying God’s Word as they learn what the Bible teaches on a particular subject.
Bible Puzzles for Kids
Middle grade kids, aged 8-12, love puzzles. After all, their brains are just built for figuring things out and memorizing facts. Puzzles are a wonderful way to help kids develop logic skills and retain important information. And, the book is written in a fun, conversational tone your children are sure to love!
What types of puzzles and activities will you find in Bible Investigators?
-
- Word Searches
- Crosswords
- Rebus Puzzles
- Dot-to-Dots
- Logic Puzzles
- Missing Letter Puzzles
- Cryptograms
- Word Sudoku
- Mazes
- How-to-Draw Pages
- Matching Pairs
- Word Scrambles
- Journal Pages
Every child is sure to find activities they’ll love!
Elementary-aged kids need hands-on middle grade resources that engage them and equip them to process important truths.