When children acquire a basic understanding and awareness of the Trinity, they continue to have questions about the role of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Adults look for child-centered methods to answer children's questions. Provide hands-on learning experiences with games that expand children's understanding of how the Holy Spirit works daily and diligently within each child's heart.
Pattern Duplication Game
This game is appropriate for children ages 7 to 12. The children attempt to duplicate an unseen block pattern by relying on verbal directives to create the pattern. Divide the children into two teams. The teams sit back-to-back with a table in front of each team. Give the teams a set of identical colored building blocks. A member of the first team places a block on the table and explains to the second team how to duplicate the block. The process continues, with the first team adding a new block to a pattern and then telling the second team what to do in order to duplicate the growing pattern. Let the teams compare the final patterns to discuss how mistakes were made. Tell the teams to switch roles and allow the first team to duplicate a pattern designed by the second team. Increase the difficulty of the game by prohibiting the use of color words. For example, instead of telling the team to use a yellow block, the child must say, "Use a block that is the color of the sun." Discuss with the children that the Holy Spirit guides individuals who listen.
This game is appropriate for children ages 6 to 9. The children inflate balloons which are "flown" in a race toward a finish line. Designate a start and finish line for the race. Provide a deflated balloon for each child. Tell the participants to blow up the balloons and attempt to" fly" them toward the finish line. Signal the racers to begin flying their balloons. Tell the children to pick up the balloons and continue flying them toward the finish line. Ask the children if the activity resembles trying to predict the actions of the Holy Spirit. Encourage the children to discuss why it is difficult to make predictions concerning the Holy Spirit. Ask each child for an example of how the Holy Spirit works in his life.
Answer the Question Game
This game is appropriate for children ages 6 to 11. Provide a cup of water, a piece of fruit and a picture of a stop sign. Draw a map of a church on a large piece of construction paper. Write questions on index cards: "I am hungry; can you help me?"; "I need water for my plant; can you help me?"; "I really like your church; can you tell me how to locate the sanctuary to attend the service?"; and "I'm thinking about joining a gang; what do you think?" Place the water, fruit, map and picture of a stop sign on a table. Give the index cards to a child and tell him to ask the questions to a second child. Instruct the second child to answer the questions using the objects on the table; no speaking is permitted. Let the second child attempt to answer the questions. Explain that the fruit and water symbolize that God answers prayers to provide for our physical needs. The map and the stop sign symbolize that God communicates to us through the Bible. Discuss that God also communicates with us through the Holy Spirit. Provide examples of how the Holy Spirit speaks to the children, such as feeling happy when we help others and feeling badly when we do something unkind.
Getting Dressed Quickly Game
The game is appropriate for children ages 6 to 12. Provide two large shirts, two sock hats and two pairs of large gloves. Divide the children into two teams. Let one child serve as a referee if the teams do not have an even number. Place the clothing in two piles at one end of the room and line up the teams at the opposite end. Tell the children that each child puts on all the clothing and removes it as quickly as possible for the next child in line. A team wins when the last player puts on the clothes first. The referee determines if each child puts on the clothing correctly. Following the game, talk about the significance of how the children appear on the inside. Explain that the Holy Spirit transforms the heart when Jesus is invited to dwell inside.
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