Quality Bible Story Games Are Good Supplements to Scriptural Training
It can at times be daunting for Christian parents to train up their children in the faith, as time constraints, attentions spans, and at times parents being overwhelmed and bewildered on how to proceed in a methodical way that covers the foundation and application of faith in the world we live in.
One of the things that can be done to inspire children to learn their faith in Jesus Christ and the Bible is to use games as a way to supplement their training, offering opportunities for commentary and input from the parents in a natural way in response to various aspects of the games.
In this article we’ll look at some interesting games that provide fun and spiritual value at the same time.
Links below go to Amazon for more info.
Faith and Redemption
A good game to start with is on called ‘Faith and Redemption‘, which is an accurate description of what this games focuses on. Since it’s the starting point of our faith, it is a good game to help our children understand the beginning of our faith, and some of the applications in our daily lives to help overcome temptation and sin.
One thing I like about this game is it begins in the Garden of Eden, and from there ends up on Judgment Day.
Throughout the game players have followers added to them as they walk through the journey of life, which spans, as mentioned, from the beginning to the end of God’s creation and purpose.
Part of the game it for players to receive answers to prayers while experiencing miracles that help provide a way to overcome temptation to sin. It also helps to learn that a person can be forgiving when asking God for it when they sin.
Here’s is what’s included with the game:
* Game Board, Animal Cards, Prayer Cards, Scripture Cards, Sin Cards, Follower Tokens, Sin Tokens, Six-Sided Die, Playing Pawns. Playing Time -2 players (30-45 minutes) 3-4 players (45-60 minutes). Ages 10+, 2-4 Players or Teams
The Ten Commandments Card Game
With the Ten Commandments being such an important part of the revelation in both the Old and New Testaments, it’s vital that our children learn these from an early age. The Ten Commandments Card Game is a great way to do that.
The game itself is a match card game that can be engaged in a group or solitaire.
This is a game for all ages, allowing for colors, flowers and numbers to be matched. For younger children that could be a secondary benefit beyond learning the commandments themselves.
Included in the description of the game are:
“One box of playing cards in shrink-wrapped packaging. The box contains 94 cards along with a welcome, directions, and gift cards. The dimensions of each card are 2.75 by 4.25 inches. Color printing on durable matte finished card stock.”
Bible Stories Memory Game
Bible Stories Memory Game is an activity card game that focuses on the old testament. It includes the most well known stories and people from the Bible.
Since memorizing stories from the Bible that are related to our faith is important in keeping the the mind of children on God and Jesus Christ, doing it in a fun and entertaining way will help to reinforce the history that is part of our lives as people of the Christian faith.
What memory games like this do is open up opportunities for parents, grandparents or teachers to interact with children in a way that helps build up a memory of truth and treasures from the Holy Scriptures.
This also takes pressure off of adults that want to teach their children about the Bible, but aren’t confident in doing so in a more formal setting. This type of learning has more of an organic and natural flow that encourages children to interact from the elements of the game.
Kings of Israel Board Game
The setting of the Kings of Israel Board Game is in the Northern Kingdom, as the disobedience of various kings results in the judgment of God upon them, which brings strong nations to invade Israel.
Players are in the role of prophets who bring the message of repentance to the nation in order to “cleanse it of evil and idolatry” in order to save it from God’s wrath.
The role of the prophets in the game is to save the nation from internal and external threats. Each player represents a line of prophets working to save Israel.
I think this is a good game to teach and remind young people concerning the temptations and requirements to obey God in an evil world that hates God and His people.
Bible Go Fish
On a lighter note, the Bible Go Fish Christian game is developed to generate appreciation and thanks for all the good things God has done for us.
Not only can the card game be used in a similar manner as Go Fish, but it also can be used to play Memory Match.
It also includes a downloadable version of “I Thank God for You”!
While children need to be taught to obey God and the consequences of their actions, at the same time, to remind them of all the good thing God has done for them adds some balance to their faith, which is more than only focusing on the dos and don’ts.
Loop The Fruit Christian Board Game
Loop The Fruit Christian Board Game is based on the nine fruits of the Spirit as revealed by Paul the Apostle.
The game teaches and reinforces the types of behaviors related to the fruits of the spirit, helping children and adults to learn and retain them in their memories, which will, with the help of the Holy Spirit, transform the way we behave.
The game is great for family time, bible studies, Sunday school, and other teaching environments.
Being child-friendly, the game can be played and enjoyed by adults and children.
Trend Enterprises Bible Trivia Flash Cards
Using trivia flash cards to teach facts and Bible stories is almost always a good way to stir up our memories concerning the Bible, or in the case of children, young people or new Christians, a good way to get an introduction to the Word of God.
Trend Enterprises’ Bible Trivia Flash Cards include four categories to work with. There are two levels on each card to aid in presenting the categories in an age-appropriate or way, or according to the general Biblical knowledge of each person.
This game is generally for ages 6-12. Included in the game are 56 two-sided cards, 3 1/8″ x 5 1/4″.
The Action Bible Guess-It Game
The Action Bible Guess-It Game is a fun game where players are shown pictures of a person, place, or thing, and then try to guess who, where, or what it is.
The visual aspect of the game will help a lot of participants in the game to associate images with the words of the Bible, helping them to retain them in their memory.
For those that play a lot of trivia Bible games, this is a nice deviation from that, providing an alternative way to learn while having fun. This game is also more action oriented, so won’t seem to be as academic as other games of this type.
As with most effective Bible games, this one works well with mixed ages, so children appreciate spending time and learning with family and friends who reinforce the importance of learning the Bible.
Each of the 99 cards included in the game have 20 clues each on them, so there are many things to learn without getting the sense of overly repetitious.
Two or more players can play this game.
Conclusion
Well there you have it, a great group of games based upon the Bible that should meet the needs of various age groups in a variety of settings.
The purpose of these games, from my point of view, is to supplement regular Bible studies or devotional times in order to offer a different way of learning for children and adults.
Many of the ways of playing these games help people remember more than learning from text alone, as important as that is. The combination of visuals and text, along with the fun and emotional aspect of playing these games, are great ways to learn the Bible, as long as in the course of the games commentary is made in a natural way at different times, without interrupting the flow of the game.
