6 Reasons to Include Games in your Children’s Ministry Time

Brittany Nelson

Games are a key part of children’s ministry. But have you ever thought about the value games can really bring? Here’s an excerpt from our Ultimate KidMin Game Bundle that shares 6 reasons why you should include games in your children’s ministry time:

1. GAMES HELP BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.
Play and fun help create shared memories among kids and kids/leaders. When kids feel known and loved by their peers and leaders, they are more receptive to learning.

2. GAMES BRING FUN TO THE LESSON.
When kids have fun, they want to participate, they want to hear more, and they want to come back next time.

3. GAMES ALLOW FOR MORE ENGAGEMENT.
Kids can engage and participate in a game rather than merely sitting and listening to a lecture. This engagement piques more areas of their brains, creating a deeper level of learning and a greater enjoyment of the lesson. Games can help give kids ownership of their learning by inviting them to be active participants.

4. GAMES CAN HELP REINFORCE THE LESSON.
Games are a great way to reiterate and reinforce the lesson through repetition, active involvement, and more! (Psst – DKM Subscribers can access a free version of our Review Question Game Canva Templates here or in the Subscriber Freebie Library!)

5. GAMES ARE COMPETITIVE AND MOTIVATORS.
Kids – especially elementary kids – love a good competition. Tap into their competitive side to encourage even the most stubborn “I don’t want to do this” kids to participate!

6. GAMES HELP WITH DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES.
Not all kids learn best through sitting and listening, or even reading a lesson. Some kids need to get up and move, and games help them do that!

Developmentally, kids learn through play and fun, so adding game time to your ministry lesson is a valuable way to include play and fun, which will, in turn, increase learning and relationships.

The key is using your game time with intentionality.


This blog post ‘6 Reasons to Include Games in Your Children’s Ministry Time’ was originally posted on Deeper KidMin and reposted here with permission from the author. 

About Brittany Nelson

Founder & President at Deeper KidMin

Brittany has numerous years of ministry experience with a variety of ages (children, youth, and college). That and a passion for writing creative materials and resources for church leaders and families to use in reaching the next generation in the name of Jesus. It was with that in mind that she founded Deeper KidMin, where she could use her administrative gifts and creativity with other KidMin leaders.

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