1. ECHO GAME
a. Teacher says verse - class echoes
b. All odd #'s say - Even's echo
c. All blue eyes say - others echo
2. BALL PASS
The children pass the ball around a circle until the teacher says "Stop." Whoever is holding the ball - and the persons to the right and left say verse.
3. HIDE and SEEK
On Styrofoam cups, write one word of the Bible verse on each cup. Select half of the class to hide the cups. The other class members find the cups and place them in the correct order.
4. TAKE AWAY
The same Styrofoam cups used in "Hide and Seek" may be used. Choose a child to come and take away one cup. The class says the verse. Choose another child to take away another cup, until all the words are gone and the verse has been memorized.
5. IS THAT RIGHT?
Use a puppet who says the verse incorrectly and then asks the class, "Is that right?" They tell the puppet the correct way to say the verse. He tries a second time, but says something wrong again. The children repeat it back to him correctly. Continue several times.
6. CAKEWALK
Use paper plates. Write one or more words of the verse on each plate. Write the beginning reference in RED - everything else in black. Arrange the plates in a circle - like a "cakewalk" at a fair - with the words in order. When the music plays, each child walks around the circle. When music stops, whoever is standing behind the red circle starts. Each child reads the word he is standing behind, thus reading the verse around the circle.
7. VERSE - ER - CISE
Do exercises while saying verse.
8. NUMBER HOP
Scatters number sheets on the floor. Play music (or simply say "walk, walk, walk") as children step from one number to another, trying not to touch the floor. When music stops, each child freezes on a number. Teacher draws a number from a bag and reads it. The child standing on that number, and the child standing on preceding two numbers say the verse together.
12. WHENEVER POSSIBLE, SET YOUR VERSE TO MUSIC
This can often be done by using simple nursery rhyme tunes and piggy-backing the new words to the familiar music.
"Love One Another" (Tune: Three Blind Mice)
"Honor your father and mother: (Tune: Happy Birthday)
Honor your father
Honor your mother
Honor your father and mother
Exodus 20:12
Colossians 3:23 (Tune: Happy Birthday)
Whatever you do,
Work at it with all your heart
As working for the Lord,
And not for men.
Psalm 136:1 (Tune: God Is So Good)
Give thanks to the Lord
Give thanks to the Lord
Give thanks to the Lord
For He is good.