What does having a personal relationship with the Lord look like? Includes a teaching guide and 2 games. Needed: Bibles, random objects, trash bags or strings to tie children’s legs together Intro Game: “What’s Missing?” Place a variety of objects on the table or around the room. Have students close their eyes, and then take one of the objects and put it in your pocket or outside the room. Have students open their eyes and guess what’s
This is a guest post from Zach Fay, the creator of Lightgliders to share a free resource for kids and families. Biblical Breaks are free collections of games, prayers, devotionals, and meaningful conversations for kids and families. To all children’s ministry leaders and educators: Here is a FREE resource for you to give out to the kids and families that you serve. Recognizing that most kids and families are now at home and looking for things to do, the
This is a guest post by David Ray, Founder, Doorpost Songs You never intended to become a worship leader. But somewhere along the way, the role of “worship leader for children” was added to your job description. Now you’ve got to figure out how to do something more than just play a couple YouTube clips while the fifth-grade boys give each other wet willies in the back row. How do we create worship moments for kids that
A drama and questions to read with your class, 2 object lesson activities, and 2 games. Needed: candy or treats; a potato or another object to pass around; a ripped up dollar bill, a crumbled up cookie, or a similar broken prize (Optional: a copy of the script for each of your characters, included after the leader’s guide) Intro Activity Have a bowl of candy or other treats sitting out in plain view. In secret, ask your
My lesson on the “fall out” from the Fall with a story about Adam and Eve’s very different sons, Cain and Abel. The object lesson and story game at the end will help students connect the message to their lives. Needed: A twenty-dollar bill (or something comparable) Intro Activity Pull out a $20 bill and hand it to one of your students. Be as dramatic with this as possible. Watch everyone react for a moment and refuse
What is the Lord like? How does He can we follow His example? Includes a lesson and craft activity. Needed: drawing paper and markers or crayons Intro Craft Activity Give each student a piece of paper and some crayons and instruct them to draw a person as best as they can. When finished, allow students to show their drawings to the class, and compliment them on their work. Lesson Ask, How did you know how to draw
How does God want men and women to help each other? Includes a teaching guide and game. Needed: Bibles Intro Game Activity: Agree or Disagree? (Have students line up in the middle of the room. The leader reads the following statements and the children move to the right side of the room if they agree with the statement, the left if they disagree, or stay in the middle if they’re not sure. If time allows, give students
How can we care for the great gift of the world the Creator has given us? Includes a lesson, 2 games, and an optional service project. Needed: Bibles Tell students to imagine the following scenario: Pretend that you’ve just drawn the best picture you’ve ever done. You’re so proud of it and it’s so good that you know you could never draw something that good again. So you take it to your mom or your dad and
What is God’s plan for marriage? Includes a lesson, 2 games, and a craft. Needed: drawing paper and crayons or colored pencils Intro Game: Act it Out Divide students into teams of two. Give them each a scenario related to dating or marriage to act out. They’ll have a few minutes to plan their scene. Then, each group will show the class what they came up with. Scenario examples include Asking someone out on a date, Asking
Teach students to respect others’ property and to even avoid coveting it. Includes a teaching guide and 2 games. Needed: soft play balls or paper wads, a snack or other prize Intro Game: Snatch Ball Mark a line down the center of your play area. Place soft play balls on the line. If you don’t have play balls, you can wad up waste paper to play with. Form two teams and tell the students to stand a
Jesus tells us to love God and others if we want to follow God’s commandments. Includes a teaching guide, class activity, craft, and optional service project. Needed: white board or large paper to write on, drawing paper and crayons or colored pencils Intro Activity: Top Ten As a class, have students think of their Top Ten favorite things in a particular category. As students call out answers, write them down on the board. Not everyone will agree
How can students spend time with God on this special day? Includes a teaching guide and 3 games. Needed: exercise instruction cards Intro Game: Extreme Exercise Race Have students pair up and complete this race together. All the students will line up by pairs on one side of your play area. Spaced out in a direct line in front of each pair, you’ll place a series of cards. The cards could say things like, “Do 10 Pushups!”
Why does the Lord want us to tell the truth? Includes a lesson and 3 games. Intro Game: Lie Detector This game is similar to Two Truths and a Lie. Tell students that you’re going to tell them a story about what happened to you. Most of it will be true, but someone of it won’t be. It’s their job to call out whenever they think you’re saying something that isn’t true. The story is over when
The Lord gives us the Ten Commandments and other rules because He loves us. Includes a lesson and 3 games. Needed: common items, Bibles, Whiteboard and markers or something else to write on, pieces of paper with phrases from the Ten Commandments written on them Game: Breaking the Rules Play any simple game your kids know. The trick is that you’re going to intentionally break the rules to disrupt the game. You could also have one of
What does it mean to take the Lord’s name in vain? Includes a lesson, 2 games, and a craft. Needed: drawing paper and crayons or colored pencils, optional blindfold Intro Craft: Drawing Out the Hypocrite Give students some drawing supplies and ask them to draw a picture or write a short story about someone who says they’re a Christian, but they’re doing something wrong. When they’re finished, asked students to share what they drew or wrote. Ask,
Why did the Lord give us parents? Why does He want us to listen to them? Includes a lesson, game, and craft. Needed: white board or large piece of paper, drawing paper and crayons or colored pencils Intro Game: Simon Says Students follow your commands and motion when you say, “Simon says” first. If you don’t say, “Simon says” before the command, and they do it anyway, they’re out. If they follow a motion that doesn’t match
How can we live at peace with one another? Includes a teaching guide and 2 games. Needed: soft play balls or paper wads Intro Game: Don’t Hit Dodge Ball Divide students into two teams. They stand at opposite sides of your play area. Their goal is to not hit the other team while making the other team hit them. If someone throws and hits a member of the other team, they’re out. Meanwhile, members of the other
Teach students about the Tabernacle and about Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Includes a teaching guide, 2 games, and a craft. Note: This lesson could be divided into three lessons if you wish: Building the First Church, Bring Our Offerings, and What They Did at the First Church Needed: paper, crayons or markers, offering plate, supply of coins, (optional: soft play balls or paper wads) Intro Activity: What Can You Do to Help? Have the students draw themselves
Our Promised Land is Heaven. Includes a teaching guide and 2 games. Needed: two ropes or jump-ropes, an illustration of the Ark of the Covenant , a world map or globe, a map of the Exodus journey Intro Game: Crossing the Jordan Place two ropes parallel to each other on the floor. Explain to the students that the space between the ropes is a raging river. If they touch it, they’ll be swept away and drowned. Now,
Teach students the importance of the first two of the Ten Commandments. Includes a teaching guide, 2 games, and a craft. Needed: drawing paper and crayons or colored pencils, pictures of various gods, a mask Intro Activity: Drawing God As students come in, give them some drawing supplies and ask them to draw various things. First, they should draw themselves, then their parents, then their best friend. Finally, ask them to draw God. When some try, discuss
What does it mean to follow the Lord? Includes a lesson, 2 games, and a prayer exercise. Needed: newspaper or current events magazine Intro Game: Simon Says Students follow your commands and motion when you say, “Simon says” first. If you don’t say, “Simon says” before the command, and they do it anyway, they’re out. If they follow a motion that doesn’t match the “Simon says” verbal command, they’re out. The winner is the last one in
The Lord calls us all to our talents for Him. Includes a teaching guide and 2 games. Needed: Nothing (you might need some supplies depending on which activities you pick for the Talent Time game) Game: Talent Time Have students perform a mix of activities to show that everyone has different talents. Some examples include running a race, seeing who can kick a ball or paper wad the furthest, seeing who can do math problems the fastest,
Teach students to listen to God before they listen to anyone else. Includes a lesson and 4 games. Needed: soft play balls or paper wads Intro Game: Simon Says Students follow your commands and motion when you say, “Simon says” first. If you don’t say, “Simon says” before the command, and they do it anyway, they’re out. If they follow a motion that doesn’t match the “Simon says” verbal command, they’re out. The winner is the last
The Lord saves us and wants us to be thankful for His blessings. Includes a teaching guide, 2 games, and a craft. Needed: drawing paper, crayons or colored pencils, soft play pall Intro Game: Thanks Toss Students stand in a circle and randomly toss a ball back and forth. Whenever someone catches the ball, they have to name one thing they’re thankful for, but it can’t be anything anyone else has said. Lesson Ask students, Have you
