Fall Game for All Ages: Harvest Relay

In this high-energy fall game, kids “harvest” fruit and vegetables as they consider the fruit Jesus wants us to grow.

Scripture: John 15:16; Ephesians 5:9

Supplies:

• tough-skinned fruits and/or vegetables (pumpkin, squash, watermelon, cucumber, orange, lemon, and so on) (at least one per child)
• masking tape

Fall Game Setup

Choose four areas in your play space to serve as four harvest areas, and mark each with masking tape boundaries on the floor. Tell kids these areas represent the field, the basket by the side of the field, the trailer that carries the baskets, and the barn. Place all the fruits and vegetables in the field (the first harvest area). Have kids form three groups and assign them to wait at the “field,” the “basket” (the second harvest area), or the “trailer” (the third harvest area).

Harvest Relay

The goal of the game is to work together to quickly bring in the harvest.

Kids in the field must get all the fruits and vegetables from their area to the basket. They do this by getting on their hands and knees and pushing the fruits and vegetables with their noses or the tops of their heads. (Noses work best for pushing small produce, heads work best for large produce.) Each player pushes one fruit or vegetable at a time and then runs back to the field to see if there’s more to harvest. As soon as the first fruits and vegetables start arriving at the basket, kids waiting there will push them to the trailer, also on their hands and knees using their noses and heads. As the fruits and vegetables arrive at the trailer, the third group of kids will push them to the barn, using their noses and foreheads.

Encourage children to hurry with the harvest. Kids will quickly realize that to have a fast harvest, they must look out for one another. And keep at it even when it’s hard. Kids may even find ways to help others who are pushing a lopsided vegetable that won’t roll straight. When the entire harvest is in the barn, congratulate children for their great work.

Discussion Questions

After playing this game, ask your students to sit in small groups and discuss:

• How did we work together to bring in the harvest?

Say: The Bible tells us about different fruit that Christians can grow, called fruit of the Spirit. That fruit includes goodness, righteousness, and truth (or honesty). This kind of fruit is long lasting!

• What can we do to grow this kind of fruit in our lives? First, offer an idea of your own to kickstart kids’ ideas.

This fall game comes from The Encyclopedia of Bible Games for Children’s Ministry. In this book, you’ll find 175 fun and easy-to-lead games to add to any lesson. For even more game ideas, check out these posts!