Effective Children's Ministry

Archive for the ‘Review Game’ Category

Scripture Lady (aka Kathy Vincent) has a wonderfully vibrant ministry to children.

Her goal is to get kids excited about the Bible – and judging by the videos on her site, God is helping her to do just that, through Bible memory work, song and activities.

Hers is definitely a site worth visiting. And once you are there, why not sign up for Kathy’s free email newsletter. She sends out tips and ideas that don’t appear on the web site, and every one is a tried and tested winner!

With Kathy’s permission we are sharing one of her email goodies with you today. She has entitled this one…

Sail on Sailor – A Fun Scripture Activity for Your Elementary Kids

Scripture Lady writes:

“There is something thrilling about being on a boat.  Whether in a little canoe out on a quiet lake or on a sailboat out in the middle of the ocean, boating is a beautiful way to enjoy God’s creation. 

The Bible has some interesting ship stories.  Here is a list of 9 Bible passages about boats.  You will use them for the following activity:  Genesis 7:1, Exodus 2:3, Jonah 1:3, Luke 5:3, Matthew 13:2, Matthew 8:24, John 6:21, Acts 27:41 and Matthew 4:21-22.

For this idea, I suggest you obtain a kiddie pool filled with water.  Next, if you can, purchase 12 toy plastic boats (your local dollar store will probably have some) and with a permanent marker, number each one with a number from 1 to 12 and set them afloat in the pool.  Now, you will need to create 2 charts – one for your eyes only and the other for all the children to see.  The first chart should be written out as follows: 

1. Genesis 7:1 
2. Exodus 2:3
3. Ship Sunk!
4. Jonah 1:3
5. Ship Sunk!
6. Luke 5:3
7. Matthew 13:2
8. Matthew 8:24
9. John 6:21
10.  Acts 27:41
11.  Ship Sunk!
12.  Matthew 4:21-22

The second chart that the children can see, should contain these 9 different captions:

Noah’s Ark

Moses’ Basket Boat

Jonah’s Ship

James’ and John’s Boat

Peter’s Boat

Parable of the Sower was Told

Jesus calmed the Sea

Jesus Came Here after Walking on Water

Paul’s Shipwreck. 

I actually wrote my on pictures of boats I found on my computer.

To play the game, divide your children into 2 teams.  Have a child from the first team “fish” a boat out of the pool.  He will look at the number on the boat and tell it to you. 

You will look on the first chart and see whether the child will read a verse or whether his ship has sunk. 

If his ship sunk, the play goes to the next team.  If he is to read a verse, he does so from a Bible and then tries to pick the caption that matches the passage he just read.  If successful, he gets 50 points for his team.  The team with the most points wins!  Happy sailing!”

Thanks for that fun activity idea, Kathy!
If you like this idea, why not go on over to ScriptureLady.com, have a look round for more great ideas and then join her email list.

The free downloadable review game in a previous post - Animal Rescue - was a printable PDF.

But Catherine and I realized that there are many of you with large groups who might appreciate the game in a PowerPoint presentation. So here it is!

It is in a zipped file and when you extract it you will find a folder with not one but two PowerPoint files ( as well as full instructions for how to play the game). For the game to work flawlessly you need to keep the two files in the same folder on your computer.

As always, if you hit any snags, or want to ask a question or make a comment on the game, use the comment form below, or email us. Check out our contact page for the address).

Right-click to download and then save the file to your computer.

Download the PowerPoint version of the Animal Rescue review game.

Just like the 8-pin bowling game we featured in an earlier blog post, this game is played with 8 pieces per team and two dice.

If a team answered your review question correctly they throw the two dice. The numbers they throw determine which of their animals are “rescued” and come off the board.

Several of the animals pictured are endangered species. Others are pets which are sometimes mistreated. The game gives opportunity to talk about such issues as pet care and wild life.
If you download this you will find full instructions and printable animal pictures in a PDF. All you need to do is laminate the pieces, add your own review questions and supply two dice.

UPDATE!! We are working on a PowerPoint version which should be ready in a day or two.

To download the printable version and save to your computer, RIGHT-CLICK the link below and save to a folder on your computer

Download the free Animal Rescue Game  Printable PDF

Here is another way of scoring your review quiz. While suiting the Easter theme of new life, this game is enjoyable any time of year. It is very simple , and enjoyed particularly by younger children.

Two hens each stand beside their nest, in which is a clutch of their eggs.  As the teams answer questions correctly, the eggs “hatch” and are replaced by yellow chicks. Which hen can hatch 6 eggs first, to win?

This free downloadable game is in a PDF file, with all the pieces ready for you to print , cut out and laminate. Full instructions are included.

Right-Click on the link below and save the file to your hard drive.

Download the Hens, Eggs and Chick game

I know Easter is a little bit away yet, but Catherine and I are trying to roll out some suitable resources in good time.

This game is a simple PowerPoint “Concentration” game. Matching pairs of decorated eggs are lined up behind numbers. (Thanks PeHaa for the free use of your beautiful designs!)

We have found that children of all ages enjoy this style of game as the bright illustrations make it an attractive way to review your Bible lessons.

At present this is available only in PowerPoint format. But we realize that some of you may not have access to a projector. If you would like the visuals for this game in a printable format, we might be able to arrange that.

Visuals suitable for printing and laminating could be secured upright on a board, or used as a floor game for a small group of younger children.

If this is something you would like, click on the contact tab above for our email address and get in touch. We’d love to help if we can.

Full instructions are included in the file which you can download below.  If you do not have PowerPoint on your computer, this presentation will still run. It’s ideal for playing with a child in your family while at the computer!  Or maybe giving your own little grey cells a work-out!

Right-Click on the link and save to your own computer.

Download the Matching the Eggs PowerPoint review game