Hobbies And Interests
Noah Says
Divide the children into three groups, calling one group the ̶0;dogs," another group the ̶0;cats̶1; and a third group the ̶0;ducks.̶1; Assign one player to serve as Noah. Explain the motions required for the game: ̶0;dogs̶1; bark and beg (hold arms up with the hands slanted down), ̶0;ducks̶1; quack and waddle, while ̶0;cats̶1; meow and pretend to lick their paws (hands).
Noah can command the creatures to ̶0;waddle," ̶0;bark," ̶0;meow," ̶0;quack," ̶0;beg," ̶0;lick̶1; or ̶0;be still.̶1; If the command is preceded by ̶0;Noah Says,̶1; then all of the children must perform the desired sound or action̵2;regardless of their animal group. If he fails to say ̶0;Noah Says," only the creatures in that animal group can perform the desired action. Children who accidentally perform an incorrect action must sit out for the rest of the game. The winner is the team with the last remaining player.
Bible Bumpers
Play this fun game with a variety of different Bible stories. Arrange chairs into a large circle and give each player a card inscribed with a word related to the Bible story you want to tell. For example, if telling the story of Adam and Eve, you might use "apple," "garden," "serpent" and so on. One player does not get a chair, and he needs to start the game in the middle of the circle. Make sure at least two cards have the same words written on them.
Players sit in the chair while the teacher reads the Bible story. When they hear her say their word, they race to exchange places while the player in the middle tries to "bump" them by sitting down in an empty chair before the other players reach it. The player who is "bumped" takes the center spot in the next round of the game.
Lost Sheep
This easy variation on hide and seek can be played to reinforce Jesus' story of the joy found in recovering a "lost sheep," as well as Bible lessons that teach about good shepherds.
Assign a group of players to act as the shepherds and one (or two) player(s) to serve as the lost sheep. The sheep runs away to hide, but uses a piece of chalk to leave clues for the shepherds so that they can find his location. The shepherds must then use the clues to find the lost sheep and return him to the flock.
Follow the Shepherd
Sort the children into several groups of sheep led by one shepherd. Instruct them to line up behind their shepherd. Let them follow the shepherd across the field by leaping over "fences" (the backs of the other players). They jump over the "fences" in a manner similar to the classic game of Leapfrog, in which children place their hands on the back of the other child and jump over them, spreading their legs wide like a frog. Children proceed all the way across the field, jumping across the backs of the other players. Let them switch places when they reach the end of the field so that every child gets a chance to play the shepherd.