Description: This game is very similar to tag, but MUCH better. You give every child a flag (as if you were going to play flag football). It does not matter what color flags everyone has. Then you choose one person to be “IT”. Whoever is “IT” starts the game with NO flags. When you say “START” the child who is “IT” tries to pull the other kid’s flags off. When a child’s flags are pulled off, they also become “IT”. Eventually everyone becomes “IT” except one person. This is a lot of fun to watch.
Supplies: flags of any kind
Extreme Tag
“The Calling”
I am a minister. My mission field is the largest on the earth. I minister to children.
My calling is sure. My challenge is big. My vision is clear. My desire is strong. My influence is eternal. My impact is critical. My values are solid. My faith is tough. My mission is urgent. My purpose is unmistakable. My direction is forward. My heart is genuine. My strength is supernatural. My reward is promised. And my God is real!
In a world of cynicism, I offer hope. In a world of confusion, I offer truth. In a world of immorality, I offer values. In a world of neglect I offer attention. In a world of abuse, I offer safety. In a world of ridicule, I offer affermation. In a world of division, I offer reconciliation. In a world of bitterness, I offer forgiveness. In a world of sin, I offer salvation. In a world of hate, I offer God’s love.
I refuse to be dismayed, disengaged, disgrunteled, discouraged, or distracted. Neither will I look back, stand back fall back, go back, or sit back. I do not need applause, flattery, adoration, prestige, stature, or veneration. I have no time for business as usual, mediocre standards, small thinking, outdated methods, normal expectations, average results, ordinary ideas, petty disputes, or low vision. I will not give up, give in, bail out, lie down, turn over, quit, or surrender.
I will pray when things look bad. I will pray when things look good. I will move forward when others stand still. I will trust God when obstacles arise. I will push when the task is overwhelming. I will get up when I fall down.
My calling is to reach boys and girls for God. It is too serious to be taken lightly, too urgent to be postponed, too vital to be ignored, too relevant to be overlooked, too significant to be trivialized, too eternal to be fleeting, and too passionate to be quenched.
I know my mission. I know my challenge. I also know my limititons, my weaknesses, my fears, and my problems. And I know my God.
Let others get the praise.
Let the church get the blessing.
Let God get the glory.
I am a minister. I minister to children.
This is who I am. This is what I do!
By: Roger Fields
Do the Impossible
This lesson is a great one to teach for New Years.
Making and Reaching Your Goals!
Sword Drill:
Proverbs 13:16
“A wise man thinks ahead; a fool doesn’t and even brags about it!”
Lesson:
We want to be wise…our verse says that a wise person thinks ahead. So what are some of our goals?
There are short term goals and long term goals…
A long term goal would be like saying you want to be a _________ when you grow up.
A short term goal would be like saying… I want to get all A’s this year…or I want to make new friends this year.
We all should make goals
How do we reach a goal???
#1- We have to set one!
#2- Split your goal into little goals
#3- Write down how you will make the little goals and tell someone
#4- Don’t quit
The fact is that we may fall down, stumble and fail along the way…but we must not quit. Here is a video of a guy who has no arms and no legs, and still reaches his goals because he gets back up…even when it’s hard.
TO VIEW THE VIDEO, CLICK HERE
Now give the kids time to write down their goals for life…encourage them to make BIG goals…do the impossible.
There’s NO red light in Prayer
Description: In this lesson, it really adds a lot if you can come up with a traffic light of some kind. Whether you make one or buy a fun light up one, it really adds a visual.
Sword Drill: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-19
“Always be joyful. Pray continually, and give thanks whatever happens. That is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus.”
Lesson: I broke the lesson into 2 parts: Joyfulness, and Continuous Prayer
BE JOYFUL:
If you look in 1 Thessalonians 5:13b-16 it shows us how to be joyful.
1 Thessalonians 5:13b-16:
“Live in peace with each other. We ask you, brothers and sisters, to warn those who do not work. Encourage the people who are afraid. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. Be sure that no one pays wrong for wrong, but always try to do what is good for each other and for all people.”
If you notice, in order to be joyful, it’s all about how we treat others. “Encourage”, “Help”, “Be Patient”, and “do what is good for each other and for all people”. We are to help others. In doing so, we will also be joyful.
PRAY CONTINUALLY, GIVE THANKS:
When we pray, we should give glory to God and thank Him.
Our prayers need to come from our heart.
We need to pray BIG prayers, because God hears all of our prayers.
On top of all of that, we need to pray continuously.
It’s like a traffic light…
What does the red mean? the yellow? the green?
The green light means “GO” and we should constantly be praying. There is no red or yellow light in prayer. We are not supposed to slow down or stop. We are supposed to keep on going and keep on praying.
Discussion Questions:
When do you usually pray?
What distractions get in the way and cause you to slow down or stop?
How can you overcome those distractions and focus on God?
Hand Push
Description: This is a very simple game, but it is still a lot of fun. Have two kids stand facing each other with their toes touching and the palms of their hands together at shoulder height. In this position, each should push the other’s hands until one is forced to step back. The player who forces his opponent backward is the winner.
Fill The Gap
Description: Have the players stand close together in a circle, facing the center. The person who is “it” must run around the outside of the circle and tag any player (kind of like duck, duck, goose). Both then race around the outside of the circle in opposite directions. The winner is the first one to “Fill The Gap” left by the player who was tagged. If the person who is “it” loses the race, he or she continues to be “it” until he beats a player to the vacant place in the circle.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO WARN THE KIDS NOT TO COLLIDE
Wild Bull
Description: Have the kids for a circle by joining hands (they are the fence). One child is chosen as the “Wild Bull” and stands in the center of the circle. He or she tries to break through the “fence” of kids by rushing at a pair of joined hands to pry himself or herself free. When the “Wild Bull” breaks through, all the kids must drop hands and try to tag the bull. The first child to tag the bull is the next “Wild Bull”.
Ankle Walk
Description: This is a very simple game that can be done with about any group in about any location. Have everyone bend until they can hold their ankles. Then, on your count, they must walk in a straight line, keeping their knees stiff, without letting their ankles go. This can also be used in relays.
Chasing Your Tail
Description: Have the kids form a line, single file, holding each other’s waist. The first child is the head and the last child is the tail. On your signal, the head tries to catch the tail, while the tail tries to avoid the head. Everyone must keep hold of the person in front of them. It should look something like a dog chasing his tail.
Noodle Soccer
Description: In this game you will want to break your group into two teams. You will need to give every person a swimming noodle, and set up two goals (one on each side of the field). The rules are similar to soccer…except, you should use a beach ball, and instead of kicking the ball, you will have the kids hit it with their noodle. It is also a legal move to hit your opponents with the noodle as well. I like to do four quarters at 5 minutes a piece, but you can change the times to work with your schedule.
(If you do not have enough noodles for every player, you can cut the noodles in half)
Supplies: Swimming noodles for everyone, beach ball, 2 goals
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