Activity: Scripture Games

Learn more about the scriptures in a fun way.

Play one or more of the following games (or come up with your own) to help children appreciate the scriptures.

• In the Strength of the Lord: Read Isaiah 40:28–31 or Mosiah 9:17 and discuss what it means to get strength from the Lord. Then play a relay game using adult-size long-sleeve shirts and balloons or balls.
  • Divide the children into two teams and give each team a beginning and an ending point. Place the large shirt and four inflated balloons or balls at the beginning point. Put a label on each balloon or ball that reflects something we can do to invite the Lord to strengthen us, such as prayer, scripture study, or service.
  • When you say “go,” the first child on each team puts on the shirt and stuffs the balloons or balls into the shoulders and sleeves as “muscles”; runs to the ending point; says, “The Lord gives me strength!”; and then returns to the beginning point and takes off the shirt and “muscles.”
  • The next child repeats the activity, and the game continues until all the children have completed the game.
  • After you have finished the game, discuss how the labels on the balloons or balls invite the Lord to strengthen us. Invite the children to also think of other ways that the Lord helps strengthen us.
• Scripture Match Game (like bingo):
  • Give each child a paper with squares containing images, words, and quotes from a particular scripture story, and see if the children can guess which story they come from. Everyone’s paper has the same images, words, and quotes, but in a different order.
  • Each time the leader calls out an image, word, or quote, the children mark the matching square on their paper.
  • The first child to have five words marked in a line yells, “Match!” That child then shares his or her favorite scripture story, and another game begins.
• Story Chain:
  • Review a few of the children’s favorite scripture stories.
  • Ask the children to sit in a circle. Give one child a ball or beanbag, and ask him or her to tell just the first part of one of his or her favorite scripture stories.
  • The child then throws the ball or beanbag to another child in the circle, who then tells the next part of the story.
  • Play continues until the story is complete. Repeat as desired with additional stories.

Please adapt activities as necessary to ensure all individuals are able to participate, belong, and contribute.

• Memorize a scripture verse together. Review the verse or write the words where children can see them. Now sit in a circle.
  • As a group, clap a rhythm to keep a beat. One person begins by saying the first word of the verse in time with the beat. The next person repeats that word and adds the next word, again in time with the beat. This continues around the circle until the entire verse can be repeated with the beat.
  • If someone misses a word or doesn’t say it in time, the verse starts over with that person.
  • The “story chain” activity above can also be used to help children memorize a selected verse, with each child who catches the ball adding a word to the verse.

• Service idea: Invite the children to write letters to or draw pictures for people in your ward who are serving missions or who are in the military and include drawings or quotes from a favorite scripture story or verse.

Encourage children to talk about how what they are learning can help them and others grow closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Discussions can take place before, during, or after the activity and should last just a few minutes. You could ask questions like the following:

• Why do you think the Savior provided a way for us to have the scriptures?
• How does learning from the scriptures help you become more like the Savior?