This crazy game will help kids discover everyone is important in God's family. Bible Connect: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 Stuff: You'll need an apple and an orange. Play: Form a circle....
A new twist on this favorite game shows kids that God's blessings are everywhere-all they need to do is look. Bible Connect: Matthew 7:7; Romans 2:7 Stuff: You'll need paper, pens,...
Use this game to teach kids how important it is to support each other as Christians trying to spread the good news about Jesus. Bible Connect: Mark 16:15; Romans 1:16 Stuff: You'll...
This game teaches kids that it's important to surround themselves with good influences for protection from temptation. Bible Connect: 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 6:14 Play:...
Hands-on activities effectively convey Bible stories and concepts, so try these fun, safe ideas to enhance your lessons. Building-For Bible stories that involve building, such as...
Try this fun camp game to teach children important rules and locations. Form teams of six. Give each team a photocopy of the 10 things to find listed below. On "go," have teams race...
BEST FOR: ALL AGES Whenever our kids are preparing to sing for our congregation, this is an enjoyable rehearsal game. Form two teams. Send one person from each team out of your...
Cynthia Crane and Sharon Stratmoen
When your class time is over and the sermon isn't, whaddaya do? Try a Plan in a Can! It's Sunday morning and you've just finished your entire lesson. You check the clock, and while...
Use this fun Easter game to help kids better understand the true meaning of the "Treasure" God has given each of us. For Easter we have an Easter treasure hunt. We have groups of...
10 active indoor games to help kids workout the squirm and grow in their faith. The cold winter months can make kids stircrazy. Stuck inside, they dream of a warmer season when they...
BEST FOR: GRADES 1-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH This is guaranteed to be a splash with the kids! Form teams and have each team line up. Give each team a paper cup. Have team members each...
BEST FOR: GRADES 3-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: MODERATE Beforehand, get two tongue depressors and two small plastic cups (plastic communion cups or Dixie paper cups work best). Glue one cup...
BEST FOR: K-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH This is a great group builder. Place five to six soft playground balls in a burlap sack-the more balls the better. Tie the bag tightly. Have...
Lead kids in this fun game to learn more about God. *Say: The Bible says that God is light. And God wants us to follow him. Form pairs. Have partners tie together one of their legs...
BEST FOR: GRADES K-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH Kids will enjoy playing this fun hunting game. Form pairs. Have pairs play this game one at a time. Blindfold the first pair and have the...
BEST FOR: GRADES 3-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH Form pairs. If you don't have an even number of children, have someone act as a partner to two people. Have pairs line up in three lines....
BEST FOR: GRADES 5 AND 6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: LOW Have children sit in a circle of chairs. In the middle of the circle, set items such as a pencil, sheet of paper, string, roll of tape,...
A fun children's ministry game that will help kids get into the spirit of Christmas. For every four children, you'll need one box, one roll of gift wrap, one pair of child-safe...
Form four teams and designate one child in each team as the "Seeker." Give each team a candy cane, and have each team use a nonverbal signal to communicate with their teammates,...
Kids will enjoy this fun relay during the Christmas season. For each team, you'll need a large jingle bell; a stick horse or broom; a cleaning tool other than a broom, such as a...
RAIN GAME BEST FOR: GRADES K-3 ACTIVITY LEVEL: MEDIUM Form two lines facing each other. Have children in each line stand at arm's length. Tell children they'll make rain in this...
THE LOST COINS BEST FOR: GRADES K-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH Beforehand, spread out one or two bales of hay on the grass. If you'll play this game inside, place the hay on a large sheet...
Get Ready! Kids will enjoy this challenging game to prepare them for the fun and joy of the holiday season. Get Set! You'll need green pool noodles or a large artificial wreath, a...
Form two teams and have kids line up single file, facing forward with about 3 feet between each person. The two lines should be directly across from each other. Then have kids each...
Choose five "wise maidens" and a "bridegroom." Have the bridegroom crouch on the floor with his or her eyes closed. The wise maidens form the wedding circle around the bridegroom,...
Form four teams. Have each team stand in a circle and pick one person to be Lazarus. Have Lazarus stand in the middle of the circle. On "go," have each team use one roll of toilet...
An energetic game that teaches kids to share one another's burdens. Construct simple dog sleds from long pieces of cardboard. The side-piece of a refrigerator box will work well....
To play this game form two teams. Have teams form two lines facing each other in the center of the room. Designate one team as the shepherds and one team as the sheep. When the...
HALLOWEEN TUNNEL BLUEPRINT Each year, we make a 50-foot winding tunnel for kids to crawl through at our Halloween Bash. Our kids love it, and so will yours! Here's how to build it....
Here's a fun kid's ministry game you can use any time, but it's perfect for Group's Slime Time Halloween alternative (since it came from there!). Get ready to enclose kids in a...
Who's Who? Use this game as an icebreaker that'll get kids talking and laughing as they learn about various people from the Bible. Write the names of people from the Bible on 3x5...
High-energy fun you can create almost anywhere. All you need are pool noodles and a bit of tape. Here's how you can make it happen. You'll need half of a foam pool noodle per...
Taken straight from the pages of Jackie Silberg's book Games to Play With Babies, these age appropriate nursery games are a great way to entertain and educate infants in your...
What is "Bible depth"? It's bandied around in children's ministry circles, but what is it really? Bible depth to one person likely means something very different to someone else. Is...
Meeting new people and making friends can be can be difficult--even in a church environment. This simple ice breaker game is a great way to help break down barriers and build new...
A great activity to help toddlers recognize and attach names to the other children in the nursery. All you need is a full-length mirror and a little imagination. This activity will...
Learning and remembering the names of every child who is active in your children's ministry can be a daunting task. This fun ice breaker is a great way to help everyone get to know...
Use this devotion to help kids appreciate each person's God-given uniqueness. You'll need crayons, scissors, clear adhesive tape, a Bible, and copies of the unique person template (...
Sondra Sanders
Teaching toddlers to appreciate all that God has given us is no easy task. This simple song is a great way to help your nursery students learn the meaning of being thankful....
Children's Ministry Magazine
Musical chairs is a great game to use when teaching children's ministry kids the importance of sharing with one another. So, start the music and watch as your students learn the...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Form groups of four. Give each group a bag of Hershey's Kisses. Say: Your group can eat as many Hershey's Kisses as you want -- as long as you don't use your hands to unwrap them....
Children's Ministry Magazine
Use these icebreaker games with kids to help them get to know each other. Who Am I? Have kids sit in a circle. Tell kids you're going to play "Who Am I?" where kids walk around the...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A fun kid's ministry game that will help children have a heart for your community while showing the importance of investing time and prayer in community outreach programs. All Ages...
Studies show that kids' lives are filled with an increasing amount of stress. This game teaches children that God wants their life to be stress free and can help them release the...
Children's Ministry Magazine
You'll need two large bowls filled with water, dishwashing liquid, and a straw for each person... Form two groups. Designate one group as Group 1 and the other group as Group 2....
Children's Ministry Magazine
Preschoolers love to be the center of attention. Here's a game that allows them to be just that while you reinforce the concept that God made God made all of us... Have the children...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Using a mirror in the nursery is a great way for infants and toddlers to develop an awareness of themselves and others. Try these entertaining ideas to help little ones discover...
Gordon West
If the Holy Spirit is unseen, how can we know when he is present in our lives? Mark a line on the floor at opposite ends of the room. Tell kids that they'll have a race to see who...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Here's a fun crowdbreaker to help children get to know each other at the beginning of a school year... Before class, fill one box with enough candy treats for each child. Then wrap...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Lead children in singing this song to the tune of "Jesus Loves Me."... Trees and bees both big and small (stand up high, then bend low) God's the one who makes them all. (Spread...
Children's Ministry Magazine
This Bible game is best played outside, but it can be done inside against a wall... To play this Bible class game you'll need a large tree and some colored chalk. Play in teams or...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Place five water balloons on a towel in the center of each team's circle. One person in each team must scoot to the center of the circle, pick up the water balloon with his or her...
Children's Ministry Magazine
It's sometimes difficult to tell when the service will end and when parents will pick up their children, so we play a game at the end of each class that the kids know and love....
Children's Ministry Magazine
Kids will have a ball playing this fun game that demonstrates how important it is to help our friends. Tie a rope to two chairs and stretch it across your room. Form two teams and...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Form groups of three. Have one person in each group close his or her eyes. Have the other two take the person at least 20 feet away from their group. Say: You have one minute to get...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Lead preschoolers in this fun action play right before snack time... For eyes that see (point to eyes) And hands that touch, (rub hands together) Lord, I thank you very much. (fold...
Children's Ministry Magazine
What to do: Create two home bases on either end of a large play area. Choose someone to be the Octopus. Have all the other children start on one home base. Once kids leave home...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Form groups of four. For each group of four, create a different animal family with these four family members: Dad Chicken, Mom Chicken, Sister Chicken, and Baby Chicken (use a...
Form two groups, the "grasshoppers" and the "giants." The grasshoppers must squat low and hop around the room. Their job is to tag the giants. The giants must walk around the room...
Children's Ministry Magazine
FREE GAME FOR GRADES 2 - 6 Tie a handkerchief in the middle of a Tug-of-War rope. Form evenly matched teams for pulling. Mark off two lines about 3 feet apart in the middle of your...
Sondra Saunders
This fun Bible activity and song are a great way to show infants how much God loves every baby. Cut out pictures that represent baby Jesus, baby Moses, baby John the Baptist, baby...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Have kids stand in a circle with their arms stretched out in front of them. With all of the hands in the middle, have kids move toward the center of the circle and grab two other...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Play this Thanksgiving game with your family to help them focus on all they're thankful for. You can even do one per day as you count down the days during the week before...
Sondra Saunders
Make these Thankful Wheels for the toddlers in your class to take home to share with their families For each toddler, you'll need a sturdy orange or yellow paper plate, and a...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Use this game to illustrate how Jesus wants us to take care of each other. Form teams of four. Choose one person from each team to be the hurt man who was robbed and beaten on his...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Cultivate Fun! Stuff: Yarn, scissors, a stopwatch, and purple balloons. Kids will love playing this game that simulates the common practice of crushing grapes to make juice at...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A lively, song-filled activity for preschoolers that will teach preschoolers about Joshua and the battle of Jericho. Encourage them to do the motions in parentheses. March around...
Children's Ministry Magazine
At one end of the room, fill a large tub with cold water, cranberries, and a few apples. At the other end of the room, form teams of four or five. Give each child a plastic spoon...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Lead kids in the following story based on 1 Samuel 17 . Have kids do the actions in parentheses. (Begin with hands behind back.) Where is Goliath? Here is Goliath (bring left index...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Try this creative activity to illustrate listening to God. Blindfold one person and have him or her face the group while standing about 20 feet away. Have a leader point to one of...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Blowing bubbles is a great way to distract unhappy children and get them involved and interested. It's also a fun way to wind down the hour, distract an anxious child, or defuse...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Children can learn through their sight and sense of touch. Before class, collect many different-textured items, such as corduroy, burlap, wool, silk, fake fur, sandpaper, waxed...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A personalized lullaby for your nursery-aged children. The baby's name should be inserted where each blank line occurs. Rock-a-bye___________ God loves you so. Rock-a-bye___________...
Children's Ministry Magazine
The beginning of a new school year can be exciting and a little scary for kids, especially if they don't know the other children in their class. Send "new kid" jitters packing with...
Jolene L. Roehlkpartain
4 quick attention-getters... It seems children never stop wiggling, giggling, whispering or looking around. So be prepared. Before a lesson, have a fidget buster ready to go. When...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Have the children say the phrases and do the corresponding actions with you in this fun finger play based on Matthew 4:18-22. Jesus walked along the shore ( walk two fingers of...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Begin your event with a potluck barbecue. Have someone run in with a torch to light the grill! After eating, let the games begin. Then, with great pomp and circumstance, give...
Margaret Hinchey
Creative and entertaining ways to actively engage children in praise and worship through fun Bible activities and games. Ages 2 And 3 1. Sing Song -- Form a circle. March around the...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A fun and active way to teach your children's ministry kids about the Fruit of the Spirit . Best For: Grades K-3 Activity Level: High Write the nine fruits of the spirit on separate...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A fun and musical activity that will teach your preschoolers to love their neighbors. Sing this song to the tune of "London Bridge." Love your neighbor as your friend, as your...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Form a circle. Number the four corners of your room. Tell children that this moving cheer will help them pray. Stand in the center of the circle. Ask the children to think about...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Lead preschoolers in the following words (do the actions in parentheses). Follow the footpath where Jesus walked (step in place). Sit by the seaside where Jesus talked (sit down)....
Jolene L. Roehlkpartain
The next time children start wiggling, roaming, wandering, whispering, and dallying during your lesson, don't groan. The fun is about to begin! Just announce one of these fun games...
Heather Ward
No matter how small or large, young or old, in shape or out of shape familes are, these games are for everyone. This Family Olympics event is specially designed so everyone can be a...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Lead children in singing the following words to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Lift, lift, lift your hands, Lift your hands in praise. Singing, dancing, praising Jesus, Do...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A fun and creative way to keep Mom close to your heart on Mother's Day. Form pairs. Give each pair a paper cup full of M and M's candy and O-shaped cereal (such as Cheerios)....
Children's Ministry Magazine
Tape a drawing of a woman's head and shoulders to the wall. Draw a heart on the left shoulder where a corsage would go. Give mothers and children tissue paper and pipe cleaners to...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Form two teams and designate a goal line. Give each team a photocopy of the following instructions. Tell teams they're to race to complete the seven steps. A different person in...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Compost Relay Have equal piles of organic waste such as grass clippings and leaves at one end of an open field. Place a pile of soil half the size of the organic pile at the other...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Lead children in singing this song to the tune of "The Ants Go Marching." Continue singing this song, each time changing the names of the animals and the sounds they make. The sheep...
Children's Ministry Magazine
This Canadian version of America's national pastime will get your kids giggling. Begin play with a seal bladder and caribou bones. If you can't find either of these, use a rubber...
Group Books
This game gets a group together. Lay one red, one yellow and one green blanket side by side on the ground, with the yellow blanket in the middle. If you don't have blankets these...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Form teams of four. Have each team line up, then give the first person in each line a roll of crepe paper. On "go," each person with the crepe paper threads the paper around his...
Reader Submitted
Hide hollow chocolate eggs instead of plastic or real eggs. Make sure there are enough eggs for each child to have one, and limit the hunt to one egg each. Gather the children and...
This silly game reminds kids that God loves a joyful heart. Bible Connect: Psalm 9:2 ; Psalm 28:7 Play: Have one child lie on his or her back. Then have another child lie with his...
10 active indoor games to help kids workout the squirm and grow in their faith. The cold winter months can make kids stircrazy. Stuck inside, they dream of a warmer season when they...
An engaging Bible activity that will teach children the importance of friendship. Topic: Friendship Scripture: Luke 10:25-37 Game Overview: Kids will build multistoried buildings...
Carmen Kamrath
5 fabulous ways to shower your kids and community with laughter and love this summer! Certain things are synonymous with summer, and one that's a sure hit with kids is water!...
Gordon and Becki West
Trying to break in a new preteen leader? Here's a way to "bless" the leader with popularity! Create an opening segment called Weird Moments that your new leader hosts. Each week,...
Gordon and Becki West
Phone Home This is a great weekly segment for any preteen group meeting. Have one of your kids phone his or her parent at home and get the parent to say the "word of the day" within...
Terry Vermillion
PRESCHOOL-KINDERGARTEN 1. Welcome-As children enter the room, tape an "I am special" construction paper ribbon to each of them. [point] Say: You are special to God! 2. Jesus Loves...
Use this game with a lesson on Daniel, or any time you want to emphasize the rewards of trusting God. Have the children stand in a circle. Choose one child to be Daniel and stand in...
Children's Ministry Magazine
A death-defying activity that will challenge kids to find balance in their lives--and their spiritual walk. Object of the Game: Walk the "tightrope" while tossing and catching...
This game will demonstrate to kids that how they look has little to do with who they really are. Supply List paper plates, one per child; markers, crayons, pens; craft sticks, one...
Use this Bible activity to help your Sunday school students learn how to handle conflict. Topic: Conflict Scripture: Titus 3:1 Game Overview: Kids will bounce a ball off their...
You can use this game to teach kids about resourcefulness or making the most of a situation. You can also talk about how God can do a lot with the little we have. Game Overview:...
We can give God our worries. "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" ( 1 Peter 5:7 ). Sometimes kids have grown-up-sized problems: where to get their next meal,...
Children's Ministry Magazine
Don't fight it...A Bible activity that will show children Jesus' perspective on fighting. Jesus once prayed to his father that his followers would all be one. That meant Jesus...
This object lesson shows children that discovering God's plan for our lives takes persistence and dedication to His teachings. Theme: New Year's Text: Philippians 3:12-14...
Check out these 12 games that teach, challenge, inspire, and lead kids into deeper faith. Together Again Form groups of four, and have kids take off their shoes. Have groups each...
Heed the wisdom found in the Bible and throw away discouragment and your concerns with this fun game and help kids understand God's wisdom by having a fun-filled paper fight. Help...
What does Easter sound like? This candy-packed Easter game is a great way for your children's ministry students to make a joyful noise just in time for Easter. In this children's...
A fun game designed to spread a little Christmas cheer to kids who are not yet ready to read. For this fun Christmas bingo game, create nine 1-inch squares on a single page and...
Children's Ministry Magazine
This family-oriented game is a great way to teach kids that God's forgiveness is bigger than anything that we can imagine. If you don't believe us, just ask Jonah! For this game,...
This fun variation of the game "tag" is a great way to energize your children's ministry kids and help them learn the importance of good sportsmanship. Form two equal teams for this...
A fun and active game that is designed to help kids release energy and get to know their brothers and sisters in Christ even better. Give children five clothespins each. Then have...
Hugs are a great way to show each other how much we care. Throw in an encouraging cheer and soon the whole church will know what a loving and thankful group of kids they have been...
Time: (10 minutes) Children will pass a banana along a line to learn about patience. Have kids stand in a straight line. Say: Let's see how fast we can pass a banana up and back...
Throw one of these fun-filled parties to fire up your children's ministry this winter Wintertime is here again, bringing those familiar and comforting seasonal changes. And though...
Mary J. Davis
Use these "everyone-wins" games and activities at any event you plan this fall. As children play together, they'll discover new things about one another -- and they'll have a blast!...
Michael Capps
Fun games that will help get kids' attention as you prepare to start the lesson. STICK SHIFT Form two teams. Give a bag of stick bubble gum to a team leader on each team. On "go,"...
Delia Halverson
PLANTING PARTY Serve raw vegetables with dip and peanut butter as refreshments, and give each child a small flower to take home. Ask each child to bring a parent to the party. This...
BEST FOR: GRADES K-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: MODERATE Form a circle with kids holding their hands behind their backs. Choose someone to be "It." Have It stand in the center of the circle....
BEST FOR: GRADES 3-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH You'll need a large gymnasium or outdoor area for this game. Form teams of no more than eight. For each team, place a masking-tape line the...
BEST FOR: GRADES 3-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH Form pairs. Have partners remove their shoes. Have partners trade shoes, then stand against a wall. On "go," have children each put on...
BEST FOR: GRADES K-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: MODERATE Here's a great game for a hot day. It'll cool off your kids and get a lot of laughs. You'll need a radio, a large container of water, a...
BEST FOR: GRADES 3-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH Form two teams. Have teams line up across from each other. Give the person in the front of each line a white paper wad. Give the person in...
BEST FOR: GRADES K-6 ACTIVITY LEVEL: HIGH If you have a big class, form teams of 12 or more. If you have a smaller class, everyone is on the same team. Give each group a car tire....
This game will build children's self-esteem. You'll need one Hula Hoop and two large jars. For each child, you'll need a Ping-Pong ball with his or her name written on it with a...
NON-MUSICAL CHAIRS ACTIVITY LEVEL : HIGH This game is designed to encourage kids to put others ahead of themselves. You'll need one die per six children and one chair for each...
Get your kids to "go for the gold" with this event. ACTIVITY LEVEL : HIGH Set up these nine stations: 1. Race to Jerusalem -kids race barefoot around a course on a stick horse with...
Glue a picture that'll appeal to children to a sheet of paper. Print a Bible verse on the back of the paper. Then cut the picture into large, puzzle-piece shapes. Place the puzzle...
BEST FOR: GRADES K-2 ACTIVITY LEVEL: MODERATE Have children form a circle. Sing one verse of " The Farmer in the Dell ." Then tell kids they're going to sing a song using that tune....
