Church Games for Kids

Icebreaker Games

• Sometimes, kids need to loosen up and let out some energy before they can really learn. Icebreaker games are intended to do just that. While they have little or no tie to the actual lesson, these games do help lighten the mood and curb potential attitude problems.

  One idea for an icebreaker is a variation of the familiar red light, green light game. In a large room, place several obstacles for the children, including chairs for them to go around, boxes they have to crawl through, or rope they have to climb over. When you say "green light," the children all run toward you; when you say "red light," they have to stop. The first child to reach you wins.

  Another idea utilizes rolls of toilet paper. Choose six students, three boys and three girls. Have one boy and one girl be the "mummy." At your command, the two boys must use a roll of toilet paper to wrap up the boy like a mummy, and the girls must do the same to the girl. The first team to finish the toilet paper roll wins.

Review Games

• After teaching the lesson, it is always important to reinforce the lesson's object or point. While crafts and worksheets have their place, games can be a great method for this reinforcement. In addition, the games build on material covered in the lesson, so the prospect of the game encourages children to listen attentively in the lesson.

  One review game is highly flexible and allows you to create your own review questions. Cut eight red circles and eight black circles out of construction paper. On the floor, make a grid with masking tape, four boxes wide by four boxes long. In each box, tape a review question. Divide the children into two groups, and give each group beanbags. Each team takes a turn throwing its beanbag into one of the squares. When the beanbag lands in a square, the team has to answer that square's question; if it misses it, the other team gets a chance to answer. When a team answers correctly, it gets to place a circle in the square. The first team to get four in a row wins.

  Use your own questions to play Bible Jeopardy: divide the children into teams, and ask about certain topics worth certain point values. The team with the most points wins.