It’s a great craft project for the Lenten season and a great way to teach of Jesus passion before Lent is over and Easter’s here!

Because it uses hot glue younger children will need adult help, but older kids may be fine on their own. It uses a tissue box, rocks, moss, garden image, and Jesus image, to create a wonderful scene of Jesus passion – The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

 
Supplies:
  • Rectangle Tissue box (empty)
  • Rocks (at least one that’s about ½ to 1 inch high, for the Jesus cutout)
  • Moss (Spanish moss, floral moss or other moss)
  • 1 sheet of black construction paper (or black paint)
  • Garden picture printout –This PDF is available HERE
  • Jesus picture printout~ Printout on stock paper or glue to thin cardboard
  • Scissors
  • White Glue or Glue stick
  • Hot Glue
  • Tape
  • Black Marker
  • Other small outdoor items like twigs, evergreen branches, etc. (optional)

Instructions:
Cut the top off the tissue box. You may need to tape the corners if this makes the box weak.

 

Cut the construction paper in half longways and cut one of those halves into two halves.

Use the construction paper to cover the inside sides of the tissue box. The long one is for the top of the box and the others go on the sides. (The bottom and back will be covered later.)

Bend the ends to help make the black paper fit. Cut the corner a little and bend the paper down so it covers about an inch of the outside of the box. Glue all the pieces in place with the white glue or glue stick.
Or if you prefer, you may also just cover the inside-sides with black paint.
 
Cut out the garden picture to fit inside on the box’s back. Glue it down. You may wish to use a black marker to cover any cardboard that shows between the picture and the black paper.
The picture of Jesus has the extra black under him to help make him work with your individual rock. Try to decide which way the rock and Jesus look best. Cut Jesus leaving extra black under him where it is needed, so you do not have gaps between Jesus and the rock.
 
 
I hot glued the cut out of Jesus to the rock from the back so the glue will not be seen. 
Be sure the rock is room temperature and dry or the hot glue will not work well on the rock.
Hot glue the Jesus-rock and any other rocks to the bottom of your tissue box.

Now cover a small area of the bottom of the box with hot glue and have the child drop the moss onto the hot glue. They can then use a stick or clothespin to press it down.
(Do not use fingers or you will get burnt by the hot glue!)

 

Continue doing more small areas until the bottom is covered with moss.
If you wish you may add twigs, small evergreen branches or other garden/outdoor items to your scene to make it look even more interesting.

May you have a blessed Lent and Easter!
~Jen-Marie
 

6 Comments

  1. I was looking for a project relating to the Garden of Gethsemane in my Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium and discovered your diorama through a Google search. Love it! You are so kind to share a .pdf on how to make it, plus the printables, too! I'll post information about it on my blog, too. Thank you again for a great idea!Cheryl Schroeder Basilehttp://www.diary-of-a-sower.blogspot.com

  4. Thank you so much! I love the project. The tutorial is very helpful, and easy for the children to follow.

  6. Thank you SOOO much!!! It worked

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