As Sunday School teachers, you have the most exciting story to tell! Keep kids from pre-K to high school engaged with these games and activities — and teach them some important biblical themes that they can apply in life.
Pre-K through Early Elementary
- Rock on, David - When teaching the story of 1 Samuel 17, make an outline of a very tall soldier and have students act as David (with a blindfold on) and try to throw their (fake) "stones" at Goliath. After spinning them around, have them throw a soft ball at Goliath, and then mark the spot with a circular sticker. Talk about how much faith David must have had to trust that a small stone would actually knock out a giant!
- Boat Fun - Use painter's tape to outline a boat on the floor of your classroom large enough for all your students to fit in. Try this when teaching about Jesus calming the storm in Matthew 8:23-27. Cut strips from a blue plastic tablecloth to make waves. You can even use a spray water bottle and mist kids lightly with water just for fun!
- Lost and Found - Bring search-and-find books from the library and let students spend some time looking through them in pairs. Talk about the Parable of the Wandering Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14. For a craft, make paper sheep by tracing each student's hand on black paper. Glue the upside-down handprints onto green paper, attach white cotton balls, making the thumb into the sheep's face and the rest of the fingers into the legs.
- Running Away - Set up three stations that represent the different parts of the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32. The first station can include a play cash register and a mini "store" where students will spend all the pretend money you give them. For the next station, set up some stuffed animals and pretend to eat the yucky pig food that the son ate with the pigs. After this station, tell the students to pretend to run home. Finish with a dance party and special treats, and talk about how God will never stop loving us, even when we disobey and run away.
