My oldest daughter learned this game at Youth Camp. After playing a few times with the family, I thought it would be a helpful game to talk about self-control. Watch the video below for full directions. Be sure to browse all our Fruit of the Spirit lessons and resources.
This is the type of game that would be very popular in Vacation Bible School or AWANA meetings. It does need some adult supervision and careful directions about where kids are allowed to strike.
- Begin with the players standing in a circle facing one another. They should be at least two arm lengths apart.
- They bow to one another and then take a martial arts pose.
- Each player must choose to hop or strike on their move.
- A strike must be aimed at the other player’s hand. The defender is allowed to move that hand. If the attacker hits that hand, it becomes out of play. Once a player loses both hands they are eliminated.
- There can be only one champion, but then you’re free to restart the game.
Talking about Self-Control: This game should be easy to relate to the concept of self-control. The children must hold still and wait their turn throughout. Use the following object lesson talk as an example or browse other Bible verses about self-control.
To win in this game required self-control. The players must wait their turn and be very intentional in their movements. You must also pay attention to the other players to prevent them from attacking. Self-control is a character quality the Bible mentions often. It’s an important part of wise living and even called a Fruit of the Spirit. God created us to be intelligent and gave us the ability to control what we do. Too often we let our emotions or other people influence our behavior. Let’s pray to God and ask for help to be more self-controlled.Proverbs 25:28 “He who has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls.”
We would love to hear your opinion about this game idea. Please share how you will use it in your ministry and any ideas for improvement you’ve discovered. Simply click here to leave a comment. You can also watch this self-control game directly on YouTube.
Gwendolyn Hampton says
Good morning! Our Theme: The Fruit of the Spirit! I had some games for them but felt I didn’t have enough, so these games will give us enough. I will take these games; Ninja and Bingo in our Vacation Bible School this week and I will come back and share with you how well they enjoyed.Children learn when they are able to participate in games or role playing.