Games, Games and More Games part 1

As a children's ministry director, I am always looking for great games to play with the kids. So here are a few of my favorites. This blog would be really long if I put all the games into one post. So I will be doing a series of 3 game posts.

Memory Verse:
We call our Action Verse because we want the kids to put the Word in action. Moms you could use these games to help kids with things they need to memorize for school.

Puzzle: Write down your verse on poster board or construction paper and cut out in funky shapes. Then have races to put it back together.

Hide - a - word: Write each word of the verse onto a index card, then hide each card around the room. Time them how long it takes to find the cards and put them in the correct order.

Erase the Verse: Each time the kids say the verse erase one word. Repeat until all the words are gone.

Hangman: Each kid picks a letter one at a time, first kid to get the verse right wins! You can combine this with a review game and each time a kid gets the right answer they get to pick a letter.

Hot Potato: Everyone stands in a circle, pass a ball around as music plays. When the music stops last person to touch the ball gets to say the verse.

Sparkle: Everyone sits in a circle, pass the ball around the circle. When a kid gets the ball they have to say the next word in the verse including the address (where it's found). Once every word is said the next kids says sparkle, then the kids after the one that said sparkle has to sit down. Continue until only one person is left standing.

Echo Mountain: Say the verse then have the kids repeat. To make it exciting put different actions, or ways to say it on index cards, draw a card and say it that way. I.E. shout, whisper, while acting like a chicken, like your underwater, holding your tongue, jumping up and down, plugging your nose etc.

Arrange the team: Write each word of the verse on a plain white t-shirt, or you can write it on construction paper. There are 2 variations to this game:

Variation 1: Have a group of kids put on the shirt, or hold the paper and mix themselves up so they are not in order. Then have another kid put them in the right order

Variation 2: Pile the t-shirts or paper on the floor. Time a group of kids to race, put on the shirt, or grab a sign, and get into the correct order

Bop it: Kids are sitting in a circle on chairs. You give them each a word of the memory verse. You 'bop' them on the head and they have to say their word. You bop the next person, they say their word etc. Once you have gotten through the whole verse, they all move one seat to the left.  They then have to say the word that the previous person sitting in the chair was saying. 

Once they start to get good at it, increase the pace. I got to the point where i was sprinting around the circle. Once you've done a lap, SCREAM 'change!!"...i think the key to this game was being quick and intense. They loved it, were screaming and laughing and what's best, they all knew the verse by the end of the game. 

 

Musical Chairs: Before playing the game cut different shapes in different colors out of construction paper, make sure to have 2 sets. Tape one set under each chair, the other set put in a non see through bowl. Make sure each kid has a chair and place them in a circle. Play music when music ends everyone sits in a chair. Draw a shape out of your bowl and the kid with the matching one, gets to say the verse. This is great because no kid gets out.

I hope this gave you some new game ideas. Have you ever played any of these? Which one do you like the best? Do you have a different game idea to help with memorization?