Recently, I was watching some clips from the movie Matilda.
In one scene, her school headmaster, Agatha Trunchbull, says, "If you are having fun, you are not learning."
Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. One of the best ways to transfer truth to children is through fun play.
Out of your rooms should come the sounds of kids playing games. Kids laughing. Kids talking. Kids participating in fun activities.
Many of us who attended school in the 1980s and 1990s were programmed that learning is best done in a classroom with a teacher who is lecturing us. But actually, the opposite is true. The learning pyramid shows that lecturing is the least effective way to learn.
Now does that mean you should just let the kids randomly play the entire time you are with them in class? No. The key is to blend fun and learning. This means every game and fun activity has a purpose. One way this can be done is by adding discussion questions at the end of every game or activity. Here's an example.
You are teaching the kids a truth found in Romans 3:23, which says, "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
Read the verse and then use this game to explain it.
- Divide the kids into groups of four to five.
- Give each group a Ping-Pong ball and an empty cup.
- Set the empty cup on the ground or on a table.
- Have each group of kids back away four to five feet from their cup.
- Have the kids try to bounce the ball into the cup.
- Give each person two or three turns to get the ball in the cup.
- If a child does make the ball into the cup on the first try, give them some more tries until they miss.
Have each group sit down and discuss these questions:
1. How is this game like our verse today? The verse says, "Everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard" (Rom. 3:23, NLT.
2. Is anyone perfect besides Jesus? What does this mean for us?
Just as we fell short of the ball going into the cup, we have missed the mark of never sinning. Everyone has done wrong. Everyone has messed up.
The only person who has never sinned is Jesus. That's why we need His forgiveness. And we can experience His love and forgiveness when we admit to Him that we have fallen short of being perfect like Him.
No matter what verse or biblical truth you are trying to teach the kids, games are extremely beneficial for this. You can find games related to what you are teaching with a quick Google search, or you can make up your own game.
Here are a few more articles about kids having fun at church.
This weekend, play some games with the kids that emphasize the truth you are teaching. Have fun. Laugh loud and often. And when that happens, you'll begin connecting kids and parents to God's Word in a more effective way.
You can get a year's worth of curriculum that uses lots of fun games, activities, videos and more to connect kids to God's truth. You can check it out and see samples at this link.
For the original article, visit relevantchildrensministry.com.
Dale Hudson has been in Children's Ministry for over 28 years. He has helped build some of the largest and fastest growing children's ministries and churches in the nation. At Christ Fellowship in South Florida, he helped the church grow from 12,000 to over 26,000 people attending each weekend. In eight years there, he built a volunteer team of over 2,600 that ministered to thousands of kids each weekend.
Get Spirit-filled content delivered right to your inbox! Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Dr. Mark Rutland's
National Institute of Christian Leadership (NICL)
The NICL is one of the top leadership training programs in the U.S. taught by Dr. Mark Rutland. If you're the type of leader that likes to have total control over every aspect of your ministry and your future success, the NICL is right for you!
FREE NICL MINI-COURSE - Enroll for 3-hours of training from Dr. Rutland's full leadership course. Experience the NICL and decide if this training is right for you and your team.
Do you feel stuck? Do you feel like you’re not growing? Do you need help from an expert in leadership? There is no other leadership training like the NICL. Gain the leadership skills and confidence you need to lead your church, business or ministry. Get ready to accomplish all of your God-given dreams. CLICK HERE for NICL training dates and details.The NICL Online is an option for any leader with time or schedule constraints. It's also for leaders who want to expedite their training to receive advanced standing for Master Level credit hours. Work through Dr. Rutland's full training from the comfort of your home or ministry at your pace. Learn more about NICL Online. Learn more about NICL Online.
