Game of the Week: Book Ball

Teaching Bible skills can be fun! Kids will learn ten divisions of the Bible and have a great time, too.

GATHER:

• 5 large plastic cups
• 10 File Folder Labels
• 20+ Ping Pong Balls: 10 white, 10 orange (make as many book balls as you\’ll have kids playing the game.)
• Permanent Thin Line Marker

CREATE:

• Cut 5 large plastic cups in half creating 10 half circled “garages”
• On separate labels print the 10 divisions of the Bible: Law, OT History, Poetry & Wisdom, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets, Gospels, NT History, Paul’s Letters, General Letters, NT Prophecy. Place one label on each of the 10 garages.
• On separate ping pong balls carefully print a book from every division of the Bible. Make a set in white and another set in orange (additional book balls can be made but make sure you cover all 10 divisions at least once).
• Using masking tape, secure a starting line across the room from the division garages.

PLAY:

• Arrange the division garages against a wall or secure them to the floor in division order.
• In a container play all the prepared ping pong balls.
• Divide the group in to two teams (white and orange).
• On “go” teams will send a player to the container where the book balls have been placed. The player will select a book ball of his team’s color, determine the division of that book, place the ball on the floor behind the marked starting point, and blow the ball into the correct “division garage.” Once the ball is correctly “parked” the next player selects a book and starts playing. Continue until all team players have had the opportunity to play.
• The first team to correctly park a book ball by each team member wins.
• OPTION: Personal, battery operated, hand-held fans can be a fun way to push the book balls, too.

Let me know how this game works for you.

Find more games on the Kids Ministry 101 blog.

Since 2003 Bill Emeott has served as a Kids Ministry Specialist for Lifeway. His passions include childhood ministry leadership training and development, leading children’s Bible Study, and being an Uncle! Bill has been teaching children at First Baptist Nashville for ten years.