Books of the Bible Bingo

One of the games in the “Learn the Books of the Bible” Grab and Go Box is Bingo.

Certainly, neither children nor adults will learn the books of the Bible in order by playing Bingo!  Why include it in the box?  Have you ever tried to memorize a list of 66 titles, many including words which are unfamiliar and difficult to pronounce?  I feel that spending time playing games like Bingo is not only fun, it familiarizes the children with the words we are asking them to commit to memory, thereby setting them up for success!

Start small and play for a 5 across or diagonal BINGO.  Later in the year when the children are well on their way to having memorized all the books of the Bible in order, pull Bingo out again but this time, instead of calling names of the books use clues such as, “This book comes between Philemon and James in the New Testament” or “This book is named for a great King who once played the harp and who defeated a mighty soldier single handedly.”

Bible Bingo Resources

Free Resources

Free resource used above:

http://www.bingocardcreator.com/bingo-cards/religion/old-testament-books

Another free resource:

http://www.livingwaterbiblegames.com/biblebooksbingo.html

Free resource 3:

http://www.instantbingocard.com/page/view-document/books-of-the-bible-bingo-cards

Or purchase sets

$1.99 and up, download, print and play:

http://www.uncommoncourtesy.com/bingo-games/religious/christian-games/bible-games/books-of-the-bible-bingo/

I'm sure that if you wanted to you could purchase a pre-made set of Books of the Bible Bingo somewhere, but I have not found it.  

Grab and Go Boxes

Eleven of the twelve Sunday School grades I work with have a memory goal for the year. As I began my third year here a couple of months ago I realized that the teachers and shepherds are always looking for ideas about how to help their students master the goal(s) for the year.  I realized, I don't have to reinvent this wheel every year!  Since the big goals (Books of the Bible, Psalm 23 etc) are the same for each age level from year-to-year, I could put together a resource to be used over and over!  Yes, it took my 2+ years to come to that realization!  At any rate, the "Grab and Go" box was born.  I am a long way from completing them but I'm excited about the possibilities.  Since I'm taking a lengthy block of time to research activities for each specific memory goal, I'm able to include some creative ideas which will appeal to children with different learning styles.  I'll be sharing more about these boxes and the individual items within each of them over the coming weeks.

Pictured above:  Grab and Go Box: Learn the Books of the Bible

Contents and *Cost

Box $8.00

1 Leaders Guide $1.15

2 Dry Erase sleeves with 5 OT and 5 NT worksheets in each $5.00

2 Dry Erase Pens $1.00

1 Set of Bible Bingo $5.50 

2 Hangers $2.00

1 Set OT Clothespins $4.00

1 Set NT Clothespins $3.00

1 Set OT Craft sticks $3.00

1 Set NT Craft sticks $2.00

2 Sets OT Flashcards $29.60     

2 Sets NT Flashcards $21.40

1 Set Books of the Bible Strips $3.25

1 Set Types of Literature in the Bible Strips $2.25

1 Set Books of the Old Testament Stacking Cups $33.75

1 Set Books of the New Testament Stacking Cups $14.50

1 Booklet of alternative games leaders may choose to use $2.50

1 CD (not shown) Books of the Bible Song $15.99

Total Cost of Supplies approximately $157.89

*Costs include the following arbitrary amounts:

Black and white printing/copying $0.05 per copy

Color copying $0.10 per copy

Roller laminating $0.25 per foot

We, like you, had many of the supplies on hand so I didn't actually SPEND $157.89 but I wanted to show a good accounting in case anyone wanted to make any of the contents-or the whole box.  I showed this to the teacher last night and she was VERY excited!  I can't wait to hear what the children think after they get to use it!

Today's Accomplishment

We have created a "Children's Corner" in the Atrium (gathering space) just outside of the sanctuary.  Adults have a tendency to get into conversations after worship and the table of sweet treats doesn't hurt!  Children were often bored and somewhat left out.  The Children's Corner has a table with the same treats as the adult tables and often a little something extra!  There is information about upcoming events and sign up sheets for various activities.  There are also two tables at child's level for coloring.

Today I organized 52 weeks worth of Children's Corner activity sheets. One side has a scripture reference, memory verse and picture to color (we have Crayons on the tables).  The opposite side of the sheet has instructions for parents to lead a Bible study at home during the week.  There are discussion questions, questions which encourage you to think of how you will incorporate the Bible lesson into your life and a craft.

I'm excited to see how these are received!

Prayer Web

The last meeting of my elementary prayer class is the Wednesday and Halloween is just around the corner so...I thought I'd combine the events the kiddos will surely be thinking about and our topic (prayer) into one fun activity!

Here's how it works:

Ask each child to turn their plate upside down and use the pen to mark the hours of a clock around the edge.  After they marked their plates show them how to use the scissors to cut slits into the edge of the plate (up to the curve at the end of the lip).  Children then weave yarn in a haphazard manner across their plates.  An adult helps glue the plastic spider wherever the child wants it. 

When the web is complete and the spider has found her way home, children write one thing they are praying for on each of several slips of paper (extras go in the zipper bag to be used at home).  When everyone is finished writing their prayers, go around the room and take turns sharing 1-2 prayers out loud.  Once the item has been prayed for, it goes into the web.

Thanks to my friend Courtney B. for serving as my test artist for this project!

Supplies (per child):

1 sturdy paper plate

2 yards black yarn

1 plastic spider

Scissors

10 strips of orange paper (approximately 3/4 inch by 4 inches)

Pen

Snack size Ziploc bag

Per class:

Glue gun

Glue sticks

Make Your Own Worship Bag

We had a one hour workshop for children and parents to come and complete a lap book, choose and fill a bag and talk about using it to prepare for worship during the week and as a tool to help them participate in worship on Sunday morning.

We had a selection tote bags for the children to choose from; red, navy, pink and black canvas, medium blue denim and some sturdy vinyl bags with outside pockets.  There was something for everyone!

This is the outside of a lap book designed to help children participate more fully in worship.

Inside the book are laminated copies of the Lord's Prayer, Doxology, and Gloria Patri.  The cute index cards are children to write down people and things for which they want to pray in the coming week. There are 4 bookmarks, 1 for the scripture reading and 3 for the hymnal.  At the top of the center page is a list of things to do when they first get into the sanctuary, for example mark the scripture reading, look at the prayer list etc.

This is a dry erase sleeve that I put a blank "worship notes" sheet into.  Children can use it to take notes on Sunday morning and then erase it and use it over and over.  I plan to make several different inserts so that they may vary what they are looking for in the service.  I just finished a sheet for pre-readers as well!

Above is a sample of what the children put in their worship bags.  Bible storybooks, Bible puzzle books, Bible flashcards, greeting cards to write to those who led in worship and those we prayed for, and chenille stems for busy hands.  Not shown: Each child got a clip board so that they would always have a hard writing surface.

Each child got a pencil case with crayons, a pencil, a dry erase marker, a small eraser for their dry erase board, offering envelopes, Kleenex, and hand wipes. 

Pappa God's Pizza

The idea for this "pizza" was adapted from an issue of Children's Ministry Magazine.  I am sorry that I did not keep track of which one, I didn't expect to be asked for information. 

I was asked to teach a 5 week class about prayer to a broadly mixed group of elementary school children.  Each week we talked about a different aspect of prayer and made a different piece of the pizza. 

Week 1 We talked about different names for God in the Bible.  Each child wrote names for God on a cake base using a Sharpee marker.

Week 2 We talked about Jesus' death and resurrection and the fact that God is faithful to forgive our sins.

Week 3 We talked about people and things we are thankful for.  We noted that all good things come from God.

Week 4 We talked about times when we ask God to do things for others. 

Week 5 We talked about things we would like God to help us with or to do for us.

On the last night the children took the box and all of the pieces home with these instructions:
Parent Notes:
Names of God Crust; The crust represents the foundation of who God is.  Let your child choose one name of God to praise each day.

I'm Sorry Sauce; Children are encouraged to name (silently or out-loud) those things for which they are sorry.  This is when they ask God's forgiveness for sins of action and inaction.

Thank You Cheese; For each person or thing that your child wishes to thank God for, he or she will put a piece of "cheese" on the pizza.

Asking Toppings; Things that you would like to ask God to intervene for.  There are 2 kinds of toppings, one for those thing you are asking for others and one for those things you are asking for yourself.

We also had pizza themed games and we made 3 other "tools" for prayer.  If anyone would like the lesson plans and parent letters drop me an email at SBMaloney at aol.com


The supplies I used are:
Unused Pizza Box (purchased from a local pizza shop for about 15 cents each)
Cardboard cake base (pizza crust)
Red felt (sauce)
Yellow yarn and white yarn (cheese)
Dark red card stock (on topping)
Brown card stock (a second topping)
1.25" scalloped circle punch (one topping)
1.25" circle punch (the second topping)
Scissors (for felt)
Sharpee Marker (to write names of God on crust and child's name on box)