Who’s Holding the Bag? Game

 

 

 

 

 

In this game children pass around a bag while a song is sung or music played. When the music stops, the child holding the bag answers a question. This teaching idea is simple and can be adapted to any story, age group, or situation.

Materials:

1. Material to fill a bag with a little weight. This could be dry, uncooked rice. beads or small smooth stones.
2. A small bag
3. Rubberbands or tape
4. Sewn bag or old sock

Preparation:

1. Fill a small bag with the weighted material.
2. Close the bag and secure it with tape or a rubber band.
3. Place the bag inside a sock.
4. Fold that sock over and then place it inside another sock. Repeat this step until the rice bag is the size you desire.
5. Tie a knot in the last sock above the portion stuffed with the rice bag.
6. Fold the top of the sock down over the bag part.

Instructions:

1. Children sit in a circle or around a table.
2. Pass the bag from child to child around the circle as the teacher sings a song or plays music.
3. Whoever is holding the bag when the song stops must answer a question about the story.
4. Once the child has answered, start the song again and continue passing the bag.

Adaptations:

1. To help apply what has been learned try this: Instead of answering questions when the music stops, the children can give an example of whatever the lesson is about. For instance, in the story of The Tabernacle the theme is generosity. The teacher can say that whoever is holding the bag when the music stops will give an example of generosity.
2. Play the True and False Toss Review Game.
3. Review Game: Write questions or draw pictures relating to the day’s lesson on pieces of paper and place them on the floor. Children can take turns tossing the rice bag and trying to make it land on one of the papers. If it lands on a question, the child answers it and earns a point. If it lands on a picture, then the child tells about the picture and earns a point. This could be played in teams if you wish.
4. Rice bags (or anything requiring a bean bag) are useful in Bible class because they can be passed or tossed like a ball, but they don’t bounce around and require chasing after (which is distracting). Kids like the challenge of throwing and aiming, so it’s fun to adapt other games and use them in Bible class. It could be as simple as placing papers on the floor and having children earn points by landing the bag on a paper and answering a question. Try these websites for some bean-bag game ideas:
   1. Pre-school games at http://www.preschoolexpress.com/game_station05/game_station_oct05.shtml
   2. Games for various ages at http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/beanbag_games.htm

The video uses the story of The Tabernacle as an example.