Supplies: a large playsilk or a parachute; drawings or cutouts of prayer focus (optional)
Gather children around playsilk so that everyone is holding a section. Start with a simple opening prayer or allow the kids to start. If you use drawings, have the children toss the paper into the middle of the silk when they pray. After each prayer request, all say or sing, "Lord, hear our prayer." When all have had a turn, all say the Lord's prayer together. As the prayer requests build up, let the children bounce the silk/parachute up and down by wiggling their sections. The motion symbolizes prayers rising to God and helps active children focus by giving them an energetic way to pray.
I use this way of praying with the children's choir at the end of each rehearsal. We have enough children so that I use two canopy size playsilks. You can modify this prayer method for toddlers and/or a single child by holding one side of a regular size silk or blanket (but silks move easier) and having the child hold the other side. Then you both wiggle the silk/blanket while you say a simple prayer.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Bible Story Game - Anointing Saul
Story basis: Anointing Saul
Materials: “Saul” drawings on sticks, bubbles, boundary paint
Teams/roles:
Sort kids by colors (red/blue/purple), with only the oldest group divided into three teams, the younger two groups divided into two teams.
Set-up:
Before the kids arrive, set up the appropriate number of fresh “Saul” posters. Have bubbles ready to distribute. It would be easiest to sort the teams as you pass out the bubbles.
Strategy:
Without crossing the boundaries (or even leaning over them), teams of kids blow bubbles at their Saul. At the end of the games session, the team with the most runny Saul wins.
Frequency:
This game is only played once through, but kids shouldn’t get bored since bubbles are hard to aim. They will also be excited that they get to keep the bubbles.
Notes:
Each child gets his/her own container of bubbles. Ask them to seal the bubbles before they leave, especially if they are on their way to the nave next. If one of the younger groups is larger than projected, there will be one extra “Saul” to anoint, just in case. But he’s the only spare, so only use him if the 2nd/3rd grade group goes over 21 children. [K&1st should be two color-sorted teams for this game; 4th/5th/6th should be three color-sorted teams]
Extra Note on Sorting:
We sort into “color” teams instead of by age to prevent the older kids from having an unfair advantage.
Materials: “Saul” drawings on sticks, bubbles, boundary paint
Teams/roles:
Sort kids by colors (red/blue/purple), with only the oldest group divided into three teams, the younger two groups divided into two teams.
Set-up:
Before the kids arrive, set up the appropriate number of fresh “Saul” posters. Have bubbles ready to distribute. It would be easiest to sort the teams as you pass out the bubbles.
Strategy:
Without crossing the boundaries (or even leaning over them), teams of kids blow bubbles at their Saul. At the end of the games session, the team with the most runny Saul wins.
Frequency:
This game is only played once through, but kids shouldn’t get bored since bubbles are hard to aim. They will also be excited that they get to keep the bubbles.
Notes:
Each child gets his/her own container of bubbles. Ask them to seal the bubbles before they leave, especially if they are on their way to the nave next. If one of the younger groups is larger than projected, there will be one extra “Saul” to anoint, just in case. But he’s the only spare, so only use him if the 2nd/3rd grade group goes over 21 children. [K&1st should be two color-sorted teams for this game; 4th/5th/6th should be three color-sorted teams]
Extra Note on Sorting:
We sort into “color” teams instead of by age to prevent the older kids from having an unfair advantage.
Bible Story Game - Ruth Gleaning
Story basis: Ruth gleaning
Materials: thousands of cotton balls, buckets
Teams/roles: Sort kids by colors (red/blue/purple)
Set-up:
Scatter cotton balls generously, evenly, and widely over the front yard grass, avoiding the area nearest the street or any other places you deem off-limits for safety purposes. Each team gathers around its bucket. Games leaders draw a line at the same level in each bucket, up to 2/3rds the volume.
Strategy:
When the leader says, “Go”, each team scrambles to glean a bucket full of cotton balls before the others. The catch? Each child may pick up only one cotton ball at a time, returning the single cotton ball to the bucket before picking up the next cotton ball. Youngest kids should only be asked to fill the bucket to a line that games leaders draw that evening.
Frequency:
If by chance the older kids manage to fill their buckets to the line and there’s time, they may go again, this trying to fill their buckets all the way in the remaining time.
Notes:
Make sure to re-scatter the cotton balls between groups so that there is plenty of material to glean. A silly skit by the teen helpers explaining gleaning may be particularly helpful this night. This game may be performed indoors if needed.
Materials: thousands of cotton balls, buckets
Teams/roles: Sort kids by colors (red/blue/purple)
Set-up:
Scatter cotton balls generously, evenly, and widely over the front yard grass, avoiding the area nearest the street or any other places you deem off-limits for safety purposes. Each team gathers around its bucket. Games leaders draw a line at the same level in each bucket, up to 2/3rds the volume.
Strategy:
When the leader says, “Go”, each team scrambles to glean a bucket full of cotton balls before the others. The catch? Each child may pick up only one cotton ball at a time, returning the single cotton ball to the bucket before picking up the next cotton ball. Youngest kids should only be asked to fill the bucket to a line that games leaders draw that evening.
Frequency:
If by chance the older kids manage to fill their buckets to the line and there’s time, they may go again, this trying to fill their buckets all the way in the remaining time.
Notes:
Make sure to re-scatter the cotton balls between groups so that there is plenty of material to glean. A silly skit by the teen helpers explaining gleaning may be particularly helpful this night. This game may be performed indoors if needed.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Bible Story Games - Crossing the Desert into the Promised Land
Here is a series of VBS games from a couple of years ago, when the kids learned stories of traveling through the desert into the promised land. These descriptions are not quite as thorough because I led the games myself, but I can answer any questions you may have in the comments. Note that when you are delegating to others, it's best to be as specific and thorough as possible. Many people have great gifts of execution but extreme nervousness when it comes to architecting/theory of games/teaching. If you equip people with the details and reasoning, you give them what they need to grow into further fullness of teaching and leading abilities.
Each game is meant to fill a twenty-minute time slot, with about 20-30 participants.
Sunday: Making the Bitter Waters Sweet
-Groups are divided into three teams (except Kindergarten, which works together)
-Each child gets a piece of cardboard tubing.
-Each team gets a pellet of tub dye. They are lined up about 30 feet
from a wading pool. The teams have a minute to strategize.
-Rules: the teams have to pass the pellet through their tubes,
eventually putting the pellet in the pool. The child with the pellet
in her/his tube may not lift his/her feet from the ground till the
pellet is passed to the next person. First team to change the water
wins.
-Repeats once or twice, depending on how quickly the kids figure out
the "caterpillar" method of winning.
Monday: Gathering Quail
-This is an elaborated version of a water balloon fight.
-Ground is strewn with 100 water balloon "quails."
-Each team gathers as many as possible without breaking them.
-We declare that the sun is coming up, and the quails will go bad if not used.
-Mayhem ensues.
-Children pick up as many quail remnants as possible to deposit in a
trash bag before they leave.
Tuesday: 10 Commandments Relay
-Kids divided into three teams, red, blue, and purple.
-In a "cloud" made of pillow filling, there are ten commandments for
each team color, plus lightning bolts for teams with more than ten
children.
-Children must put on Moses' "beard" and run to get a commandment from
the cloud. They pass the commandment down the line, and the next kid
wears the beard and runs for another commandment.
-At the back of the lines are tablets with velcro spots for each
commandment. The team to get their commandments (and lightning bolts)
in order first wins. (The commandments are numbered on the back, so
that's not a mean requirement).
Wednesday: Chicken Spies Relay
-This one is basically just to make us all look hilarious. Lots of fun.
-Three teams in lines.
-Kids take turns "running" around a Promised Land sign and back to
their lines, with an 18" purple ball (grape) between their knees and
fake pomegranates and figs under their elbows.
-This teaches them about how the spies were chickens.
Each game is meant to fill a twenty-minute time slot, with about 20-30 participants.
Sunday: Making the Bitter Waters Sweet-Groups are divided into three teams (except Kindergarten, which works together)
-Each child gets a piece of cardboard tubing.
-Each team gets a pellet of tub dye. They are lined up about 30 feet
from a wading pool. The teams have a minute to strategize.
-Rules: the teams have to pass the pellet through their tubes,
eventually putting the pellet in the pool. The child with the pellet
in her/his tube may not lift his/her feet from the ground till the
pellet is passed to the next person. First team to change the water
wins.
-Repeats once or twice, depending on how quickly the kids figure out
the "caterpillar" method of winning.
Monday: Gathering Quail
-This is an elaborated version of a water balloon fight.
-Ground is strewn with 100 water balloon "quails."
-Each team gathers as many as possible without breaking them.
-We declare that the sun is coming up, and the quails will go bad if not used.
-Mayhem ensues.
-Children pick up as many quail remnants as possible to deposit in a
trash bag before they leave.
Tuesday: 10 Commandments Relay
-Kids divided into three teams, red, blue, and purple.
-In a "cloud" made of pillow filling, there are ten commandments for
each team color, plus lightning bolts for teams with more than ten
children.
-Children must put on Moses' "beard" and run to get a commandment from
the cloud. They pass the commandment down the line, and the next kid
wears the beard and runs for another commandment.
-At the back of the lines are tablets with velcro spots for each
commandment. The team to get their commandments (and lightning bolts)
in order first wins. (The commandments are numbered on the back, so
that's not a mean requirement).
Wednesday: Chicken Spies Relay-This one is basically just to make us all look hilarious. Lots of fun.
-Three teams in lines.
-Kids take turns "running" around a Promised Land sign and back to
their lines, with an 18" purple ball (grape) between their knees and
fake pomegranates and figs under their elbows.
-This teaches them about how the spies were chickens.
Bible Story Game - Gideon Chooses an Army
Story basis: Gideon recruiting an army
Materials: small cups, swimming pool filled with water (hose is at back of house, but reaches to the front), three buckets, three pinwheels
Teams/roles: Sort kids by colors (red/blue/purple)
Set-up:
Each child gets his/her own small cup. Teams line up behind pinwheels. Pool is filled with water, which games leaders should take care to keep free of grass or bugs.
Strategy:
For round 1, children compete relay-style to fill up the buckets at the back of their lines from water in their cups. The obstacle is that the children must hold the cups in their mouths and fill them from the pool (placed on the other side of the driveway) without using their hands. When the child returning with water passes his/her team’s pinwheel, the next child in line may go to the pool. The buckets are placed at the back of the lines. If desired, the rule can be that each child goes once, then whichever team’s bucket is fullest wins the round. Round 2: Same strategy except this time children may carry the cups in their hands.
Frequency:
This game should only go through 2 rounds. If the older kids manage to go really fast, they can do a third round where they aim to fill the bucket rather than just go through one turn/child.
Notes:
Do not reuse cups between children. Throw them away at the end of each group’s time.
Materials: small cups, swimming pool filled with water (hose is at back of house, but reaches to the front), three buckets, three pinwheels
Teams/roles: Sort kids by colors (red/blue/purple)
Set-up:
Each child gets his/her own small cup. Teams line up behind pinwheels. Pool is filled with water, which games leaders should take care to keep free of grass or bugs.
Strategy:
For round 1, children compete relay-style to fill up the buckets at the back of their lines from water in their cups. The obstacle is that the children must hold the cups in their mouths and fill them from the pool (placed on the other side of the driveway) without using their hands. When the child returning with water passes his/her team’s pinwheel, the next child in line may go to the pool. The buckets are placed at the back of the lines. If desired, the rule can be that each child goes once, then whichever team’s bucket is fullest wins the round. Round 2: Same strategy except this time children may carry the cups in their hands.
Frequency:
This game should only go through 2 rounds. If the older kids manage to go really fast, they can do a third round where they aim to fill the bucket rather than just go through one turn/child.
Notes:
Do not reuse cups between children. Throw them away at the end of each group’s time.
Bible Story Game - Battle of Jericho
Story basis: Battle of Jericho
Materials: Hula-hoop(s), “trumpet” noise makers, red cloth(s)
Teams/Roles: Jericho, Rahab, Israelites
Set-up:
7 kids are chosen to be inside the/each hula-hoop. They must turn around while noise makers and the red cloth(s) are distributed. If the group is small enough, only one hula-hoop and one red cloth is used; otherwise, divide the group into two and have 7 kids from each half go into the hula-hoop to represent Jericho. In each group of kids, one child is “Rahab.” Rahab is given a red cloth to hide behind his/her back. All other children not in “Jericho” hide a “trumpet” behind their backs.
Strategy:
The kids in the Hula-hoop – Jericho – approach children outside the hoop one at a time and ask to see what they have behind their backs. If the child has a trumpet, the child blows it, and one of the Jerichoites must leave the hula-hoop. The Jericho-ites’ goal is to find Rahab before all seven of them are kicked out of the hoop. If they find Rahab first, they win that round; if not, the Israelites win (notice that the odds are stacked heavily in Israel’s favor). After each round, the children rotate through the hula-hoop. Make sure each trumpeter keeps his/her own trumpet to avoid germ spreading.
Frequency:
This game should be able to go through at least two rounds with the youngest children, and probably 3 or 4 with the older groups.
Notes:
There will be enough “trumpets” for all the children to take one with them; trumpets will not be reused between kids or groups. Do not let them leave with the red cloths, though.
Materials: Hula-hoop(s), “trumpet” noise makers, red cloth(s)
Teams/Roles: Jericho, Rahab, Israelites
Set-up:
7 kids are chosen to be inside the/each hula-hoop. They must turn around while noise makers and the red cloth(s) are distributed. If the group is small enough, only one hula-hoop and one red cloth is used; otherwise, divide the group into two and have 7 kids from each half go into the hula-hoop to represent Jericho. In each group of kids, one child is “Rahab.” Rahab is given a red cloth to hide behind his/her back. All other children not in “Jericho” hide a “trumpet” behind their backs.
Strategy:
The kids in the Hula-hoop – Jericho – approach children outside the hoop one at a time and ask to see what they have behind their backs. If the child has a trumpet, the child blows it, and one of the Jerichoites must leave the hula-hoop. The Jericho-ites’ goal is to find Rahab before all seven of them are kicked out of the hoop. If they find Rahab first, they win that round; if not, the Israelites win (notice that the odds are stacked heavily in Israel’s favor). After each round, the children rotate through the hula-hoop. Make sure each trumpeter keeps his/her own trumpet to avoid germ spreading.
Frequency:
This game should be able to go through at least two rounds with the youngest children, and probably 3 or 4 with the older groups.
Notes:
There will be enough “trumpets” for all the children to take one with them; trumpets will not be reused between kids or groups. Do not let them leave with the red cloths, though.
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