Low-Energy Game: Use Your Noodle
You’ll Need:
- pool noodles (1 for every 5 kids)
- tennis balls (1 for every 5 kids)
- cotton balls (1 for every 5 kids)
- tube socks (1 for every 5 kids)
- 6-inch pieces of string (1 for every 5 kids)
- chairs or other goal markers (1 for every 5 kids)
- upbeat music (optional)
- music player (optional)
Easy Prep:
- Along one side of your room, set goal markers at least three feet apart.
- About 10 feet directly across from each goal marker, place a pile of supplies:
- pool noodle
- tennis ball
- cotton ball
- tube sock
- a 6-inch piece of string
This activity is recommended for five or more kids.
Strategize a Solution
Say: We’ve been discovering ways the Holy Spirit gives us power. Because we can’t see the Holy Spirit, it can be hard to understand what that means or what that power looks like. I have a game that will help us understand by testing our brain power.
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- Form mixed-age teams of five, and have each team choose a pile of supplies.
- Each team’s goal is to throw all the supplies toward their goal marker and have everything land at the marker at exactly the same time.
- First, have teams try by letting everyone select an item to throw and allowing kids to try to synchronize their throws.
- When this first attempt doesn’t work, have teams gather their supplies again.
- Give teams time to brainstorm ways they can complete the challenge and to try out their strategies.
- If you’d like, play music in the background while kids play.
- The solution to the game is to attach all the objects to the pool noodle by putting things inside the tube sock and then slipping the sock over the end of the pool noodle. Then the string can be used to secure the sock to the pool noodle to be thrown. All the objects will arrive at the goal marker at the same time.
Talk About It
Ask:
- How did you see brain power at work during this game?
- How do you know brain power is real if you can’t see it?
Say: When we think of power, most of the time we think of physical power or strength—something we can see pretty clearly. Brain power is different. We all have it, but we can’t see it by looking at someone. We see the effects of brain power and know it’s real and it’s inside us. The Holy Spirit gives us power that’s inside us, too!
This children’s church lesson for Pentecost was originally published on ChildrensMinistry.com, © Group Publishing, a division of David C Cook.
