Children's Sunday School Games
- Children can learn about their religion through play.church ice skating image by jeancliclac from Fotolia.com
Children often learn best when they are playing. The Bible is full of wonderful truths that can be applied to various situations. Consider building activities and creating fun challenges around the stories told within its pages. Children retain these truths and historical facts longer if they associate them with fun or discover them through entertaining games. - The shape-building game promotes communication and teamwork.building block image by Vanessa van Rensburg from Fotolia.com
This game goes a long way to teach children how to listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and how to convey the Gospel using different tactics. The interesting fact about this game is that the children probably don't grasp the deeper messages yet but can refer back to them when they are older and dealing with different cultures and belief systems.
Divide the class into two teams. The children sit back to back in chairs at separate tables. (Place two long tables in the room with chairs lined up only on the sides facing the center.) Team Blue creates a shape using colored building blocks. This team's spokesperson then instructs Team Red how to duplicate the shape, one block at a time. The children have to listen closely and work together, since they won't be able to see the shape they are remaking. When they think they have completed it successfully they can compare shapes and discuss what went right and what went wrong during the process. The kids learn how to listen more carefully and how to give direction.
Next, Team Red builds the first shape and guides the other team. The twist here is that they are not allowed to use color words for this round. Instead, they must come up with other words or phrases that indicate the colors used in the original creation. This exercise teaches children how to use different terminology to get their point across. - Teach how proper guidance can lead to an oasis.oasis in the desert image by Galyna Andrushko from Fotolia.com
For this game, you will need to cut circles from blue poster board and cactus shapes from green poster board. You will ask 10 true or false questions from Bible lessons learned throughout the year or month. Children who answer correctly receive blue circles, which represent water. If they answer incorrectly they receive cactus shapes that represent the desert. Those with the most circles win. Many analogies can be used in this game. For instance, you can use Isaiah 58:11 that speaks of a person being like a well-watered garden in a scorched land. When children let God guide them, they find strength. If they don't, they may find themselves dry and parched and wanting. - See who can find a chosen verse the fastest.bible image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
Line the chairs around the room so that children can stand up quickly without bumping into objects or each other. Each child places a closed Bible on their laps with their hands folded on top of it. The teacher calls out a passage of Scripture. The first student to find it stands up and reads it. You can award prizes every time someone stands or keep a running total and reward the person with the most points.
