Hey there, KidMin Friends! I hope you have all had a great week...and are planning something fun for the weekend. :D That's one of my mantras...make sure to take some time for yourself...to regroup and rest your mind. Buuuuuuut that's another subject for another time. Today...it's all about GAMES! (clapping!)
As Kid's Ministers, I think we all love games. We love to get the children excited and pumped; we love to have fun with them; we love to build the energy....but sometimes, we run out of ideas! First of all, Mr. Google has a never ending source of ideas. So, don't use that as an excuse. LOL If I don't particularly like a game suggested in a curriculum, or simply don't have the supplies, I just go ask Mr. Google. But today, I want to share some of my favorites. Hopefully, there will be at least one in here that you have never tried before.
>>> And on that note...I'd love to hear from you some of your favorite ministry games. So, please share! :D <<<
LET'S HAVE SOME FUN...
Hula Hoop Games One of our favorites is the Hula Hoop relay called "Thread the Hula" (at least on this site it is LOL.) We usually have teams of boys against girls...even out the teams by adding staff as needed. Instead of simply giving you instructions on this one game, I'm going to add a link here that gives 5 really fun Hula games. :D Enjoy! CLICK HERE.
Scavenger Hunts Another favorite is a scavenger hunt. You can do these in all different ways...and also can be done indoor or outdoor. One simple way we've done it is to print off a list of items that your children can easily find within the room you are holding class/service. Items like: Bible, pen, shoe lace, crayon, piece of tape, marker, eraser, etc. You read off the items, and the first team to present each item will get a point. Of course the team with the most points, or all the items collected is the winner. You could even do a Bible Scavenger Hunt...kinda like a Bible drill, but for a different twist, have them find specific items in Scripture: a donkey, a woman names Esther, Road to Damascus, etc. Lastly, here is a link to see many different Scavenger Hunt ideas: CLICK HERE.
Ping Pong Ball Relays We LOVE using Ping Pong Balls for our Children's Ministry. We bought a couple large boxes of them, and make sure to always have them on hand. If you can't find 2 different colors, then number them in 1's and 2's. That way, if you need to separate them for a team game, you already have them numbered. (Speaking of which, I need to buy some more! They do wear out, after all. LOL) You can have relays where you bounce them into buckets, through hoops, run with them on a spoon (like the old game where you use a spoon to transport cotton balls from one end to the other)...so many different ideas! See 20 Ping Pong Ball Game ideas by CLICKING HERE!
WhiteBoard Games If you are looking for something a little bit more quiet, you can play some of the age-old games we've played since we were children...on the whiteboard. Tic-Tac-Toe Unscramble Words Bible Pictionary Hangman - We use this with memory verses, themes for the day, or even to announce Christmas Play characters in a special way! LOL You'd be surprised how much the kids get into it. :-P
Simon Says If you have someone that can do this very quickly...and keep it going...Simon Says is a great energy outlet.
Balloon Relays One relay the kids enjoy is to have them "blow" a balloon to the finish line. The teams line up at one end, each person has their own "uninflated" balloon. The first person on each team, tries to get their balloon across the finish line, by blowing a small amount of air into it , then letting it go. Wherever the balloon lands, is where they stand to send it off again. Once they get their balloon across the finish line, they run back and tag the next team member. Here 10 more Balloon Relay/Game ideas: CLICK HERE.
Food Relays Food is always fun...right?! Weeeeeelll...not necessarily. LOL But kids always seem to enjoy food...and mess! :-P Make sure to check on food allergies, parental preferences (like No sugar, etc.) before doing these...that is, if they need to eat the food in the relay. Here are a number of food relays we have done, plus some others we have never tried yet: CLICK HERE.
Minute-To-Win-It These are always the best for high energy play. Get your teams cheering the players on. Also, make sure they games with 2 contestants are done on a stage, or in front of the room where all can see. There is a plethora of Minute-To-Win-It games, but here are some to get you started: CLICK HERE.
Well, that's all for today! I hope there is at least ONE game that you haven't tried before in this list. And maybe even something you can try tomorrow in your next class or service.
Don't forget to share YOUR favorite games with the rest of us.
Have a great weekend and God Bless!
Sara Vojtasek & Joel's Vision Ministries