Christian Games & Activities for Kids

Written by Nicole Dean

When I was a kid, the best part was playing. It could be indoors or outdoors with my friends. No matter where it was, I loved to play. All kids need have the opportunity to play.

I loved to play games. Before the computer and video games became big business, everyone played board games. They kept us occupied and using our brains even though we didn’t know it. The religious industry has taken some of the most common and most popular board games and given them a Christian twist.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Biblical values give children a good foundation for learning right from wrong and how to become self aware. The world can be a harsh place and equipping our kids with the best of values makes parents feel better.

CARD GAMES: Kids also like card games. Remember playing “Go Fish”? How about “Old Maid”? These games are timeless and helped us with matching and memorization. With a Christian twist, kids learn about the Bible and the lessons that it teaches.Instead of pictures of fish and other undersea creatures, there are pictures of disciples, profits, and events in Bible history. Kids may ask about the characters or offer up the stories about what they know of the characters on the cards. Card trivia games test our knowledge of the Bible.

BOARD GAMES: Board games also foster family time and time with friends. Kids spend too much time in front of the television or a video game console. Besides, games are fun and everyone can get involved. Some of the more popular Christian board games are for most ages so kids can play with their parents as well.

Have you ever played Monopoly? Of course you have. Most people have played some version of it. The Christian version is called Biblopoly.In this version, instead of trying to get all the money yourself and building the biggest and best hotels, the object is cooperation. The winner is the person who builds their church first, but the purpose is to help others along the way to also get a leg up in the game. When we help others, we all win.

ALPHABET GAME: How about the alphabet game? For each letter, come up with the name of someone in the Bible whose name also begins with that letter. Try to get all the way to “Z.” You can also do the same with numbers. Think of a solitary person in the Bible. Next go to two who were always together and so on.

ACTING: Skits and plays are fun activities that kids can do and parents can institute to teach Christian values and foster that love of the stage. Skits are shorter than plays and can be used when time is limited or for a Sunday school activity. Plays are longer productions that can be performed on holidays and other special occasions.

You can surf the Internet for Christian plays and skits or make up some of your own. For older kids, they can be given an idea and allowed to run with it so to speak. They can form groups and come up with an impromptu skit to present to the class. For the parent’s part, bring in props and clothing that can be used by the kids to bring their characters to life.

Let kids experiment with modern-day situations to demonstrate Christian values as well. By making it personal to them, they get more out of it.

Acting is a way of expressing ourselves as another character. Children and adults get to walk a mile in the shoes of a Bible character and learn about their life.

OUTDOORS: Scavenger hunts offer great fun and a test of how well the kids know the Bible. For younger kids, you’ll need easy clues like pictures. They hunt for an object that looks just like the picture and that gives them their next clue.

MUSIC: Karaoke is a great way to spend an evening with family. Each person gets a turn to sing their favorite song and be silly. Instead of mainstream music, choose your favorite Christian artist to emulate. You can even dress the part if it makes you feel more comfortable. Even without the fancy dress, kids will jump at the chance to hear their parents sing. This is a fun activity for family reunions, sleepovers, birthday parties, or anytime you feel like having a good time. Everyone gets to participate and it is for fun not competition. However, you can also choose to do a competition such as a “Christian American Idol.” Make sure you have only draft friendly judges. Leave Simon on the original “American Idol.”

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Comments

2 Responses to “Christian Games & Activities for Kids”

Mike Wallbridge says:
February 13th, 2009 7:22 am

You mention Biblopoly in positive terms but I seem to remember looking at it and being disgusted that, instead of ‘Go to Jail,’ the player has to ‘Go and Pray.’ The result is that the child gets a very activistic view of Christianity and forms a negative unproductive view of prayer. That’s just my opinion of course and I could be wrong. I often am!
Lilly says:
March 28th, 2009 6:55 am

I am in charge of games and skits with large groups of kids ages 5-13. Thank you and God bless you.