Best ever board game (for sunday school kids)

SO,   Two weeks ago I had to leave class early to help my youth group with some ministry opportunities.  When I left, all the kids were playing a giant board game.  they all grew very upset that they couldn't finish, and being the crazy person I am, told them that we would do it again in two weeks.  The problem was that my class has been rapidly growing.  The board game is great for a class of 3 or 4 kids, but 10 or 12 kids?  yeah...  so this is what I put together.

Theme: Overall
Supplies: 

Large piece of foam board
Oil crayons or markers
velcro
Cardstock paper
questions

Ahead of time
Cut two small pieces of foam board about 2X2 inches.
Make a curved path on the foam board for the game route.  Use the crayons to draw bible scenes or just simple scenery.  Draws lines on the path to make about 20 squares.  Place a small strip of velcro on each square and two small pieces of the back of the squares you cut out earlier.

Print out your questions on the cardstock and cut them out like playing cards.  Its best if you have each card move them 1,2, or 3.

When the kids arrive
Divide the kids up into 2 teams.  Ask them a question from the top card, and have them agree one one of your three answers.

And thats it.  Kids get sooo excited about this,  its crazy!

Pretty cake, nasty cake

This lesson was actually used as a object lesson-illustration-horrifying piece!  It takes awhile to do, but overall, the work is sooo worth the effort.  Plus,  it's fun for me!

Theme
It's what's on the inside that counts

Supplies

• 2 cakes that taste or look gross
• pretty colored icing
• spinach, greens, or some other not-so-appetizing food
• a nice cake tray
• tools to decorate the cake with

Ahead of time

Bake the cake and let it cool completely while you make the icing.  I had a little leftover icing from a group of cupcakes, so I just used that.  

Smooth a thin layer of icing on the tops of one of the cakes.  Using a very thick consistency of icing, build an icing dam around the edge of the cake.  Open the can of greens and drain them until you can't get any more juice out.  Put the greens in the center of the cake with the icing dam.   (Never mind that banana peel)

Place the second cake on top. Be sure that the layers are aligned and fit snugly together. 

Ice the cake with a thin layer of icing on the outside to seal in any juices or crumbs that might give away the cake's real heart!

Ice the cake in whatever decoration you had planned.  I used a ruffle technique, and yes, there are tutorials all over the internet for these!

Once you have your cake finished, put it in the fridge until you are ready to take it to church.  

The lesson

Show the kids the cake.  Ask them if they think it looks good and what flavor they think it might be.  Tell them you are going to cut it open and see what amazing flavors it beholds.  When you slice into the cake to see what amazing flavor it is, the kids will see how gross it looks and ask if those are really greens!

Ask those kids if they would like to eat the cake now...hopefully they say no.  Ask why they changed their minds so quickly.  

Explain that we can look good on the outside, and everyone thinks we are so cute or pretty or handsome, but on the inside, if we don't have Jesus in our hearts, we are just as nasty as the cake.  

Explain that I can't take all that nasty stuff out of the cake now, it's ruined, but if Jesus comes into our hearts, no matter how bad we are or how nasty our heart looks, he can still save us and make us new again.  

Ps.  Here is a picture of the cake once I cut it!  Gross :)
PPs.  if the kids say that they want to eat the cake, tell them a few ingredients and,if your cake has a lot of salt like mine did, inform them that they might even throw up if they tried to eat it.  

Jesus feeds 5000 interactive story

Theme 

Jesus feeds 5000 from John chapter 6 1-14 

Ahead of time 

Get a script to read for the story of Jesus feeding 5000.   

Lesson Plan 

When the children arrive tell them that you are going to read a story.  when you get to each word they should add something to it.    For my class I used this plan.   

In the story, each time I (the teacher) say the word "fish" you say "yummy".  Each time I say the word "bread" you say "yummy so fresh" each time I say the word "hungry", you say "I'm starving!" 

The story 

Jesus had healed a lame man and just finished teaching the people when he decided to take a boat, with his disciples, across the sea.  When Jesus got to the other side he saw a huge crowd of people wanting to hear him speak.   Many had brought lame and blind people for Jesus to heal.  They had heard that Jesus could heal anyone any they wanted to see it happen.  Some people came because they wanted to come and hear Jesus teach.  He was a great story teller and everyone (or almost everyone) loved to hear him.   

Jesus saw that it was getting late in the day and none of the people had had anything to eat because they had followed him and left all the food behind in the rush to see the great teacher.  Everyone was very hungry.  -----   

Jesus looked at the massive crowd of over 5000 people!  "Where will we buy bread--- so that they can eat?" Jesus asked Philip, one of his disciples.  Jesus already knew what Philip was going to say though.   

"These people are hungry---- it will take more than 200 pennyworth, (or about $15,000) to feed everyone just bread-----!" 

The other disciples thought they should look around for some possible food source to feed everyone.  Maybe they could find a huge blueberry patch or possibly a gigantic apple farm.  But even if they did, they wouldn't have the money to pay the owner for it all.   

Then one of the disciples named Andrew found a little boy with 5 loaves of bread----and 2 fishes-----.    Jesus said "make everyone sit down."   There was a lot of grass in the place that all the people were standing, so they all sat down in the nice green grass.   

Jesus took the bread---- said grace, and gave it to his disciples.    He did the same with the fish---.  Then something amazing happened, the bread --- never ran out, more just kept coming!  The disciples kept handing out more and more bread---and fish--- until it was all gone.  They had fed over 5000 people and they still had plenty left over!   

When everyone was full, Jesus told the disciples to gather up the leftovers.  Can you guess how much was left?  ---- 12 basketfuls!   

This was truly a miracle.  

Jesus gave these people a bread that would soon leave there tummies and make them hungry again.  Did you know that Jesus is the bread of life!  It's a different kind of bread.  If we have this bread we will never be hungry again.   

 Q and A time 

Q. The boy could have kept his fish.  Do you think the people were glad he shared?

A. Yep! 

Q. When was another time in the bible that God fed thousands?  

A. When God gave manna in the wilderness  

The straws upon the gravel and the house upon the sand

Theme: Teaching the bible story of the wise man who built his house on the rock and the foolish man who built his house on the sand.

Supplies: 

1.        glue 

2.        straws 

3.        sand 

4.        rocks 

5.        water 

6.        2 containers with tall sides (I used two 9x13 baking pans)

7.        2 large towels 

8.        kids aprons 

Ahead of time:

Collect about 8 cups of gravel and 8 cups of sand into two separate containers.  Pour several cups of water in a third container.   Find plenty of straws, one box of 100 straws from a dollar store will work just fine. 

Before the children arrive, lay the towels out on the table.  Empty the rocks and sand into the two separate containers.   

Lesson Plan

Divide the kids into two groups.  Assign one group to the pan with the rocks and one group to the pan with the sand.  Give the kids aprons.  

Ask each of the groups to build a house on the surface with the straws and, if needed, the glue.  When the kids are finished ask them to step away.  Pour water all over the foundation of the houses. The house on the sand should fall while the house on the rocks stays firm.  If it does not fall, you might need to implement and earthquake.   Show them that the sand didn't hold up well. The rocks did.   

Ask the following questions: 1. Why is it important to put God's Word into practice? 2. How can God's Word make us stronger? 3. What kind of storms in our lives can God help us withstand? 4. Can anyone give any examples on how some people may be building their lives on a foundation of sand? 5. What are some ways we can build our lives on the rock?    

Cake and cat food

Theme:

Just a bit of sin can ruin it all

Supplies

A cake mix, several things to put in like sprinkles, colored water, milk, etc.  , cat or dog food, a big bowl, a towel, a big mixing spoon.

Ahead of time

Get all of the supplies pre-scooped and ready to pour together.  Put in separate containers.

Place the towel on the table and put the bowl and spoon over top.  Make a "recipe".  Hide the cat food close by

Lesson plan

Let the kids have fun mixing in all the yummy things to make a cake, try to build excitement for the finished cake.     Once everything is in pull out the cat food.  The kids will shriek!

Tell them you are going to add just a little bit.

Add a little cat food and mix it up so that it ruins the cake.

Explain to the kids how just a little bit of sin can ruin your relationship with God.  However we can be buried deep in sin and God will get us out.  All we have to do is ask.

Real life (or kind of) Board game

This lesson will give children of all ages a chance at participating.  Be sure not to make the board game to long.  It can take a while.

If you have more than 5 kids you should pair them up or set them in teams so that the board doesn't get to cluttered.

Theme:   

Everything , Just an overview of the Bible. 

Supplies:   

A big roll of blank paper or several pieces taped together, Marker, a list of bible trivia that goes good with the kids ages and a 1,2, or 3 marked on each one.  (note:  an option of answers helps) 

Ahead of time

Print out your questions and prepare the board if possible.  

Lesson Plan.  

Roll out the paper around the classroom .  Use a marker to draw a line every foot or so.  Each cube made is one move.  Make twist and turns to make it a bit "cooler".  On every 3 or 4 blocks make some extra things like "go back 3" or "take another turn" to make it harder.   

When the kids come explain the rules.  Be sure to tell them this is not a win or die game. 

 RULES OF THE GAME: 

1. Stand at the start location.  the teacher will draw a card.   

2. The teacher will ask a question and give 3 options.  answer one.   

3. If You have the question right, the teacher will tell you a number.  Move that many spaces. 

4. If you do not have the question correct, stay in your location until all the other student have taken their turns.  Return the card to the bottom of the pile.     

Note: 

If you have a large attendance it is quite likely that you may not finish the lesson In time.  Be sure to remind the kids of this before you start.   

Questions for my class: 

What is the first book of the bible? 

1. supercalifragilisticexpialidocious 
2. Genesis 
3. John 

Move 1 

Who came from heaven to save us from our sin? 

1. Jesus 
2. Moses 
3. Barack Obama 

Move 2 

What was the place called that God gave adam and eve to live in? 

1. the taj mahal 
2. Bethlehem 
3. The garden of eden 

Move 3 

Why did Jesus have to come down to earth? 

1. because he thought it might be cool 
2. to save people from sin 
3. he didn't 

Move 1 

Who led the Israelites out of Egypt? 

1. Moses 
2. Jesus 
3. George Washington 

move 2 

Who was David in the bible? 

1. A really bad guy 
2. king of Israel 
3. Umm, he wasn't in the bible 

move 3 

What did the wise man build his house on? 

1. the rock 
2. the sand 
3. a tree 

move 1 

Who was the dude that built the ark? 

1. Jesus 
2. Martin Luther King junior 
3. Noah 

Move 2 

What was the name of the boy who killed the giant named goliath? 

1. David 
2. Caleb Grubbs 
3. goliath 

Move 3 

Who was the Strongest man ever? 

1. Cain 
2. Able 
3. Samson 

Move 1 

Where was Jesus born 

1. in the white house 

2. Bethlehem 

3. Jerusalem 

move 2 

Who was the first murderer in the bible? 

1. cain 

2. Jesus 

3. Pastor Archibald 

Move 3 

On what day did God rest? 

1. day 1 

2. Day 2 

3. Day 7 

Move 1 

Who was Jesus's mother? 

1. Mary 

2. He didn't have one 

3. eve 

Move 2 

Who was Adam's wife? 

1. eve 

2. Mary 

3. Jail 

Move 3 

What was the name of the baby that was found in a basket on the Nile river? 

1. Jesus 

2. Moses 

3. Jon 

Move 1 

What animal swallowed Jonah and kept him in it's belly for 3 days? 

1. A gigantic Bear 

2. no animal swallowed anybody 

3. A big fish or whale 

Move 2 

What was Noah's boat called 

1. the ark 

2. the ss minnow 

3. the old rickety thing 

move 3 

How many commandments did God give Moses? 

1. 10 

2. none 

3. a quadrillion 

Move 1 

Which one is NOT one of the 10 commandments? 

1. Obey your mom and dad 

2. feed your cat everyday 

3. Do not lie 

Move 2 

What did Joseph's dad give him? 

1. a coat of many colors 

2. a boat 

3. a big fish tank 

Move 3 

Who is the son of God? 

1. Super Why 

2. Jesus 

3. Moses 

Move 1 

What did Jesus feed to 5,000 people? 

1. bread and fish 

2. duh, nothing! 

3. spaghetti 

Move 2 

Who did Jesus meet at the well 

1. a woman 

2. a cat 

3. a talking donkey 

Move 3 

How long was jonah inside of the whale? 

1. a year 

2. he never got out 

3. 3 days 

move 1