3 Active Games for Children’s Church

Let’s face it—the last thing some kids want to do is sit still and listen to a teacher talk for 45 minutes, especially after a long week of school. Keep kids interested in learning about God’s word by using playful games to break up your lesson. These 3 active games for children’s church are time tested choices that are easy to teach and play. Use these 3 active games as icebreakers or mini games for breaking up the lesson or to fill empty time.

Banana Pass
This messy, fast-paced game is ideal for older kids. Kids will need to be barefoot for this game. Divide your kids into two equal groups. The kids should lie on the grass or floor head to toe in two lines. When the whistle blows, the first person in the line puts the banana between his feet. Next, he passes the banana over his head to the next person’s feet. This continues until the first person in the line has the banana. He stands and says “We won!”The first team to get their banana to their leader is the winner. If a team member drops a banana, they have to start over. This game can become messy so have paper towels for clean up. This one of our favorite 3 active games for children’s church.

Blob Tag
This active game for kids’ church is simply group “Tag.” Tell the group where the boundaries will be. There should a safe zone on both ends of the room. In between the two safe zones is the “tag area.” Select a child to begin this game as “It.” When the signal is given, like a whistle or the start of some music, the children run from one safe zone to the other. “It” stands in the middle to tag as many people as possible. If a child is tag, they become part of the “It” making a blob of people. Kids can hold hands or shirttails to make the blob as big as possible. The last person to get tagged becomes the winner.

Cat and Mouse
This fun game is good for outdoors or indoors if you have enough space. Select someone to become the “Mouse” and someone to be the “Cat.” Have the rest of the class form a circle while holding hands. Instruct the kids that no matter what they have to remain holding hands. The “Mouse” goes inside the circle and the “Cat” goes outside the circle. The “Mouse” goes in and out of the circle under the players arms while the “Cat” tries to tag him. The “Cat” cannot go in the circle. When the “Mouse” gets tagged he becomes the new “Cat” and the first “Cat” joins the children. Another child gets to be the Mouse. You could change the names of the two main players to David and Goliath if you like.