Top Sunday School games to nurture faith
Sunday School games get kids excited to learn Bible stories and lessons. The best part? There are so many options to choose from—so you can tailor the games you select to match your ministry's needs and focus areas. This roundup of our top Sunday School games has something for everyone, from older students to nursery children. Also, we've included both indoor and outdoor activities. This way, you can find what you need based on the season and your space.
Note: We've included suggested age ranges as a helpful tip. However, these are just guidelines! Feel free to adjust the activities, or try them out with older or younger students based on what works for your church.
Indoor Games
- Bible Bingo (Ages 7+): Create bingo cards with words or phrases related to Bible stories, characters, or verses. Call out items from a list and have students mark them on their cards. The first to get a line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) shouts "Bingo!" and wins, but everyone wins when nurturing their faith.
- Scripture Scavenger Hunt (Ages 7+): Prepare a list of items or clues related to Bible stories or teachings. Hide them around the classroom or church grounds. Divide students into teams and have them find each item or solve each clue based on scriptures.
- Bible Charades (Ages 9+): Write down Bible stories, characters, or events on slips of paper. One student acts out the word or phrase silently while the rest of the class guesses. This game helps reinforce familiarity with Bible stories and characters.
- Memory Verse Relay (Ages 7+): Choose a memory verse for the class. Divide students into teams and have them race to write or recite the verse correctly. This game encourages memorization and teamwork.
- Noah’s Ark Animal Charades (Ages 5+): Write down names of different animals that were on Noah’s Ark. Have students pick a slip of paper and act out the animal without making any noise. The class tries to guess which animal they are portraying.
Outdoor Games
- Fruit of the Spirit Obstacle Course (Ages 9+): Set up an obstacle course with different stations representing each of the "Fruits of the Spirit" (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control). At each station, students perform a task or answer a question related to that fruit before moving to the next station.
- David and Goliath Beanbag Toss (Ages 9+): Create a large target (like Goliath's head) and give students beanbags to toss at it. Label different parts of the target with point values. Before throwing, ask students questions related to the story of David and Goliath (or other Bible trivia) to earn their throws.
- Parable of the Sower Relay (Ages 9+): Set up a relay race where students race to "sow seeds" (small objects like beans or marbles) into different "soil types" (marked areas) representing the path, rocky ground, thorns, and good soil. Each team member takes turns to sow seeds and then race back to tag the next teammate.
- Creation Story Nature Scavenger Hunt (Ages 6+): Create a list of items from nature that correspond to elements from the creation story (e.g., something green for plants, something blue for water). Divide the students into teams and have them search the outdoor area to find and collect these items.
- Jonah and the Whale Relay (Ages 7+): Set up a relay race where students pretend to be Jonah. Then, they race to a designated "boat" (marked spot) and run to a "whale's mouth" (a hoop or circle marked on the ground). Finally, they "escape" by running back to their team. You can add challenges or tasks related to the story at each station.
- Moses and the Red Sea Freeze Tag (Ages 5+): Play a game of freeze tag where one person is Pharaoh (the tagger) and the others are Israelites. The Israelites must avoid being tagged (frozen) by the Pharaoh. If tagged, they freeze with their arms outstretched. They can only be unfrozen if another Israelite tags them while crossing their arms over their chest (parting the "Red Sea").
Choosing the right Sunday School games
With so many faith-building Sunday School games to choose from, it can be tough to narrow down the options. Here's how to select the best games for your unique group of children and your lesson plans.
Match games to your lesson
One of the best ways to reinforce your Bible lessons is to choose games that tie directly into the stories or concepts you're teaching. When kids can connect the game to the lesson, they're more likely to remember and internalize the important spiritual truths. Feel free to take this list and pencil in relevant games based on the story you're teaching that season.
For example, if you're teaching about Moses and the Israelites in the wilderness, you could organize a relay race where kids gather "manna" (ping-pong balls or cotton balls) in baskets, and so forth.
The possibilities are endless—get creative and have fun with it. To keep students engaged, we recommend choosing games that feature active participation. Avoid games with too much downtime or waiting around.
Make games age-appropriate
When selecting Sunday School games, it's crucial to consider the age range of your kids. Younger children tend to need simpler rules and games that are easy to grasp, while older kids can handle more challenging activities that require strategy and/or teamwork.
It's also important to offer a variety of game styles to cater to different interests and skill levels. Having a mix of active games and creative activities will help ensure that every child feels included and engaged. Either way, you know your students best, so don't be afraid to adapt and adjust as you go.
Encourage teamwork
In Sunday School, you're probably focused on learning about and growing closer to God...while also creating a sense of community. Games that encourage teamwork and cooperation are a natural way to foster these connections.
Encourage kids to team up and unite them toward a common goal: whether they're passing the baton in relay races, tackling group tasks together, or testing their memorization skills.
As kids cheer each other on and celebrate victories together, they'll form bonds that extend beyond the classroom. Plus, they'll learn valuable lessons about supporting each other on their faith journeys as they grow.
Now, you have your Sunday School ready to go…
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