3 Preteen Bible Activities for Your Children’s Ministry
These three Bible activities will get preteens in your ministry having fun in the Bible.
Preteen Bible Activity 1: Ping-Pong Problems
Use this game to discuss trials and trusting God.
You’ll Need:
Lead the Activity
Read aloud Job 1:1-5.
Say: Based on what these verses tell us about Job, explain whether you think Job deserved for bad things to happen.
Form two teams. Have both teams line up on one wall. Read aloud Job 1:6-11.
Have teams begin the relay race. Kids from each team will take turns kicking a ping-pong ball across the room.
Read aloud Job 1:12-17.
Make an obstacle course by scattering books and chairs in front of each team. This time kids will hold the strings and use the washers to hit the balls around obstacles as they make their way across the room.
Read aloud Job 1:18-19.
Remove the obstacles. This time, with the strings between their teeth, they’ll use the washers to hit the balls across the room.
Ask:
- How did you overcome each new, difficult situation?
Read aloud Job 1:20-22.
Ask:
- What do you think about how Job reacted?
- How do you usually react to trials?
- What can you learn from Job?
Shawn Vander Lugt
Preteen Bible Activity 2: Destruction
Use this interactive Bible passage to discuss jealousy’s destructiveness.
You’ll Need:
Lead the Activity
Say: We often don’t think about how jealousy can hurt others. We think it’s just something we feel inside, but the Bible tells about many people who destroyed their lives and others’ lives because of jealousy.
Show the shirt. Tell preteens this shirt will represent a healthy family or group of friends.
As you read aloud Genesis 4:1-16, have preteens cut and scribble on the shirt every time they hear an action that came from jealousy or a consequence of jealousy.
Ask:
- How is the ruined shirt like the consequences of jealousy?
- How can you guard against jealousy?
Say: When jealousy grows in our hearts, it ruins friendships and families the way scissors and markers destroyed the shirt. But God is stronger! He’ll change our hearts if we ask him.
Sharon Carey
Preteen Bible Activity 3: Preteen Pop-Up Prayers Activity
Use this devotion to talk about when God answers prayer.
You’ll Need:
Lead the Activity:
Help preteens create a heart card with the construction paper.
- Fold the paper in half.
- Using a pencil, draw half of a heart shape on the top of the construction paper. The crease should be in the center part of the heart.
- Draw a straight line from the edge of the paper to the middle part of the heart.
- Cut along the the straight line and around the top of the heart. The result should look like the photos below.
- Erase any leftover pencil lines
- Unfold the paper so it lies flat on a table.
- Pinch the center part of the heart shape, and fold it inside the heart so it can pop up and fold in as shown in the photos below.
- On the card, write “GOD” on the left panel, write “ANSWERS” on the heart, and write “PRAYER” on the right panel. (See photo below.)
- Then have preteens write a personal prayer on the back of their heart card.
Read aloud Acts 9:36-37. Ask:
- Tell about a time it seemed like God didn’t answer a prayer.
Read aloud Acts 9:38-42. Preteens open their cards on verse 40 to watch the heart pop up. Ask:
- Tell about a time God answered a prayer for something you thought was impossible.
- What are some ways God answers prayers differently than how we expect?
Close your time praying over preteens’ prayer requests.
Looking for more preteen ideas? Check out these posts!
