Survival Bible Game

Job, "Why God Why?"

Objective Aim: In the midst of difficult times God is working things out for good for those who love Him.

Subjective Aim: Jesus helps me when things get hard.

Scripture: Job, Romans 8:28

Memory Verse: "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly" Genesis 17:1b-2.

MATERIALS
Sponges covered in chalk (or if you play outside and it is warm enough they can be sponges filled with water); 6 items for obstacles - tables, wheelbarrow, hanging sheet, boxes, be creative; blindfolds.

Object
To survive running the obstacle course without being hit by a sponge. On Team level to be the team who has the most players survive. Final object: be the team with the most points at the end.

PREP
Set up the course(s) with the obstacles. Course should be about 50 feet. Obstacles, which are large enough for kids to hide behind, are set about 10 feet apart and are staggered. Crush chalk so it will stick to sponges. You can purchase large sponges and cut them up.

THE GAME

If you are a large church you may want to have more than one course set up.

This is a game of SILENCE and STRATEGY.

One team, the "Bombers," throw the sponges, while the other team, "Hopefuls," attempt to survive.

Bombers are at the far end of the course.
Bombers can also be on the sides of the course.
Bombers who are on the sides are blindfolded.
Bombers decide WHERE they want to place their players - there is a lot of strategy in this game.

Do they want more Bombers on the side - where they have to be silent but bombard Hopefuls with sponges, or do they want most of their players at the end where they are allowed to speak and tell those on the sides when to throw?

Allow the kids to make these decisions; learning through experience. Watch to see if the first team to be Hopefuls will have learned from observing how the other team did when they were Bombers. The only persons allowed to speak are the Bombers who stand at the end of the course. They tell their teammates on the side if a Hopeful is close to them. They don't want to speak too much because they want their fellow blindfolded Bombers to be able to hear the Hopefuls as they maneuver through the course. Each Hopeful gains a point for his/her team per obstacle they get past without being hit. Hopefuls decide if they want to send their whole team at once, or only a few at a time.

Teams switch roles for a second round.

DEBRIEFING

1. What was the most difficult part of this game?
2. Who came up with the best strategy for your team? Did everyone follow the strategy?
3. Did kids play as though they walked with God? Support your answer with examples.
4. If you didn't "survive" how did that feel?
5. Sometimes when we play a game we can feel as if we are suffering because other kids make fun of us, we get impatient, we are losing and we want to win. What are some other times while playing a game that you feel like, "Woe is me?"
6. What do you do during those times? Encourage the kids again to keep their focus on Jesus no matter what they are doing. Only Jesus can give us the strength to press on with the right attitude when we are in the midst of difficulties - regardless of how big or small the difficulties are.

Copyright 2011 Wanda Parker
http://www.kidtrek-sundayplus.org 

Return to the Bible Games page

You can make a difference!
Your purchases and donations to the site help to distribute our children's ministry resources to churches across the world.

Subscribe to our Newsletter - Learn More

Site Map