• In this video you will learn how to make a rice bag and then how to use it in a game of “Who’s Holding the Bag?”.
• This simple teaching idea can be adapted to any story, age group or teaching situation.
• In the video we used the story of The Tabernacle as an example.

Supplies:

1. Dry, uncooked rice
2. A small bag
3. Rubberbands or tape
4. Old socks.

Rice Bag Instructions:

1. Fill a small bag with rice.
2. Close the bag and secure it with tape or a rubberband.
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.

How to Play “Who’s Holding the Bag?”:

1. Children sit in a circle or around a table.
2. The bag will be passed 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 then the song starts again and the bag continues to be passed.

Other ways to use a Rice Bag:

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 can 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 anwers 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. I like to use rice bags (or anything requiring a bean bag) 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