Charades
Charadesrequires players to use their imagination to tell others silently the message they are trying to convey. By using facial and hand gestures as well as other body language, the player who is trying to indicate the secret message needs to help the other players guess what that message is. This is a good game for children as it requires the use of the imagination and maintaining attention. Also, while there can be only one winner per game, the other players have the opportunity to win in subsequent rounds. The game can be used in children's ministry by having the secret message be a Bible verse or story that the students have recently learned.
Word games
Word games are another ministry game for children. The complexity of the words depends on the age of the child. Each child can be given a sheet from a crossword puzzle book. The first child to complete the word puzzles can get a prize. Alternatively, word puzzles that simply require the child to recognize and circle the word may be used as well. The first child to recognize all the words in their puzzle gets a prize. The words in the puzzle relate to Bible verse or other words that the children have learned from a Bible story.
Memory Verse Burst
For children to review a memory verse and better remember it, you may use a game called memory verse burst. On a thin slip of paper write the memory Bible verse that the children have been learning. This verse should not be complete, as one word should be omitted to create a challenge for the kids. Then place that paper in a balloon and blow it up. Tape it to a board. Do this many times, omitting a different word from each verse. Pop the balloon and have one of the kids read it. When they get to the blank where one of the words has been omitted the child should try to remember what that word is.
Fruit Basket Upset
This game is meant to be fun while teaching children the fruit of the Spirit as mention in the book of Galatians in the Bible. The children sit in chairs in a circle. One child stands in the middle of the circle. Each child chooses a fruit of the Spirit such as kindness, patience or love that only they know. While the children think of a fruit of the Spirit, the child in the middle calls out one of those fruits, such as patience. The other children in the circle who had picked patience stand up and move to another seat made empty by one of the other children standing up. There will be one child left standing who does not have a seat. This child will stand in the middle of the circle and call out another fruit of the Spirit. The child in the middle at some point can say "Fruit Basket Upset" at which point all the children get up and run to another seat. This game can go on for a long time but may be stopped when the teacher decides to end it. Variations can be created by having the children hop on one leg or "mosey" like a cowboy to another seat.