BALLOON POP - Bible Memorization Idea

Blow up long balloons and write the day’s memory verse on slips of paper.

Insert into the balloons.

Child # 1 pops a balloon and reads the verse.

Child # 2 pops a balloon and reads the verse with Child # 1.

Child # 3 pops a balloon and all three read the verse together.

By the time all balloons have been popped in this manner, the verse for the day will have been memorized!

BIBLE PASS - Memorization Idea

Seat the children in a circle and give one child a Bible.

Start music playing.

Children pass the Bible until the music stops.

Whoever is holding the Bible and the child on his/her right and left say the verse together.

Continue until the verse has been repeated several times.

BIBLE VERSE FUN

Write each word of the Bible verse on a 3” x 5” card.

Put the reference on a separate card.

Make two sets.

Divide the class into two teams.

Place a set of word cards on the floor in front of each team; mix them up.

At a signal, the first child on each team gets the card with the first word on it, runs to the goal line, and puts the card down.

The second team member gets the card with the second word, runs to the goal line, and places it to the right of the first card.

Continue until one team has all of its cards in correct order.

Give time for the other team to complete their verse.

Say the verse in unison.

BIBLE WORM - Scripture Memorization

Make a segmented worm from construction paper, by drawing circles (tracing around the bottom of a glass works great!).

Put eyes and a smile on one for the head.

Write the verse, one word per segment, on the "worm".

Hand out segments of the worm to class members and have them put it in order.

Say the verse together each time.

CALL TWO - Bible Memorization Idea

Have each child write his/name on a 3” x 5” card and put it into a box.

Choose a student to pick out two names from the box.

These two pupils stand and say the verse together.

Pick another child to pull out two more name cards; they read the verse.

Continue until all of the name cards have been used.

Then have all the pupils say the verse in unison several times.

EVERYONE WHO GAME - Bible Verse Review

"Everyone who has a pet at home stand and say the verse."

"Everyone who likes to play soccer, stand and kick your right leg back and forth while saying the verse."

"Everyone who plays a musical instrument, stand and raise both arms toward the ceiling while you say the verse."

"Everyone who loves summer vacation, stand and face the back of the room while waving both arms to the side and quote the verse."

"Everyone who loves pizza pat your tummy while you say the verse."

"Everyone who is wearing shoes walk in place as you repeat the verse."

BALL THROW - Bible Memorization

Have the children stand in a circle.

Choose one to be “It.”

“It” and the pupil on his right and left say the verse together.

“It” throws the ball to a class member.

That person becomes “It” and the verse is quoted in the same manner.

NUMBER CALL - Bible Memorization Idea

Assign each child a number, by writing it on the palm of their hand.

Have children stand in a circle.

Call out 3 numbers.

They go to the center of the circle and quote the Bible verse.

SIGN THE VERSE - Bible Memorization

The American Sign Language web site has a standard dictionary to learn the basic finger shapes.

You can also type in any word, and they will convert it into finger spelling with an actual visuals to help you learn, so you can then teach your children.

TAKE AWAY - Scripture Verse Memorization

Use markers to write a word from the Bible verse on each cup.

Place cups in the correct order and read the verse.

Take away one cup.

Ask children to recite the scripture.

Continue until all cups are gone and the verse is said from memory.

THAT'S NOT RIGHT - Bible Verse Activity

Divide the children into pairs.

Let each pair take turns telling a puppet the Bible verse for the day.

The puppet will repeat the verse back incorrectly.

When this happens, the pair must say, “That’s not right,” and say the verse correctly.

Have another pair go to the puppet stage and continue until all have had a turn.

VERSE TAG - Bible Memorization

The teacher starts by quoting the Bible verse.

He/she then tags a pupil.

The two say the verse together.

They join hand and tag another child.

The three say the verse.

Continue until all of the pupils have been tagged and the entire group is saying the verse.

TENNIS BALL TOSS - Game

Children line up in two straight lines, parallel to one another.

To start, each layer should be able to reach across and touch his/her teammate.

At signal, players toss a tennis ball to their partners.

With each catch, players move back one baby step.

The winners are the team who never drop their ball.

BEHIND THE BACK BALL PASS GAME

Divide the children into two teams, standing facing each other.

All children put their hands behind their backs, palms up.

The leader gives each team a tennis ball, by placing it at the feet of the first team member.

At the signal, the first players pick up the ball and pass it behind their backs, hand to hand.

If a ball drops, it may be retrieved.

After each round, the first child moves to the end position.

FOOT SHUFFLE GAME

Each team has two shoe boxes.

On signal, the first player places both feet in the boxes and shuffles to the goal line and back.

CRAZY SPORTS EVENT - VBS or Camp

Think up as many fun things you can do in your particular location, such as: javelin throw (using straws), discus throw (using paper plates), one-yard dash (taking off shoe and kicking a large marshmallow with the foot); indoor mile (go 50 feet with hands on ankles); shot put (throwing cotton balls); hammer throw (stuff newspaper into the bottom of a small paper sacks; squeeze top of sacks together and tie on long strings; each player throws a sack, holding the string by the end and swinging several times); diving (each player has 5 jellybeans; place a small container half full of water at certain distance from line; see how many beans can get into receptacle); Bicycle Relay (three people for each team; two hold right or left hand facing each other; third person straddles the hands; all three run to goal line); and so forth.

KANGAROO HOP RELAY RACE

Each team is given a balloon.

Players hop to the goal line with the balloon between their knees.

They can then take the balloon from between their knees and run back to the team.

If a child looses the ballon on the way to the goal line, it may be picked up.

Have extra balloons on hand for those which get popped!

PEANUT CARRY

Divide your group into teams.

Give each team a bucket of peanuts with shells.

Place an empty bucket at the goal line.

At the signal, the first person in each team, reaches into the bucket of peanuts and places as many as possible on the back of his/her hand.

The free hand is then put behind the back.

At signal, team members head to the goal line and drop the peanuts into the bucket.

If peanuts are dropped on the way to the goal line, they are not retrieved.

The team who ends up with the most peanuts in their bucket wins!

(If you have checked with parents that no children have peanut allergies, the peanuts could then be divided up and eaten.)

SNAKE CRAWL RELAY RACE

Each child is on their hands and knees.

The second player grabs the ankles of the first player; the third player grabs the ankles of the second players; and so on until a large snake is formed.

On the signal, each snake crawls forward toward the goal line.

If the snake becomes uncoupled, it must stop to get fixed before continuing.

The first group to complete the race wins.

UP, UP AND AWAY GAME

Give each team a durable balloon which has been blown up and tied securely.

(Have extra balloons ready in case some pop!)

Teams stand in parallel lines, about 10-12 feet apart.

At the signal, the first person bats the balloon to the second person, who then bats it up, up and away to the third person until it reaches the last person.

If the balloon touches the ground, it's picked up and the game continues.

WATER BALLOON TOSS

Fill up enough small balloons with water, so every two pupils has a balloon.

The children line up in two parallel lines, facing toe-to-toe with their partner.

Every time the leader says "Back up", both children take one foot step backwards.

Pretty soon the teams will be far apart.

The object is to see which two are the last with a balloon still full of water!