How to make memory verses FUN
- Disappearing PPT - Start with the whole verse on ppt. Then with each new slide, remove a word or two with each successive slide until the slide is blank. Reward any kids who can say the whole thing. You can also review again at the end of the program.
- Appearing PPT - Appearing words on ppt (the above idea, only backwards). See how few words until kids can guess the verse
- Mixed up Tshirts - Print off verses and attach them to t-shirts in random order. Have kids rearrange the t-shirts. Can do this in boys vs. girls format.
- Mixed up Boxes - Print off verse and put on shoe boxes and put on stage in random order, as pyramid... and have kids rearrange it in order.
- Bean Bag toss - make a 'grid' on the floor with masking tape and put one word from the verse in each square. Then kids can throw a bean bag and whatever square it lands in, flip over the paper in that square with a word of the memory verse on it. Keep going until one team guess the whole verse.
- Memory Card game - print off the memory verse on about 9 pages of paper, and print it off 2x (so each phrase has two copies). Now write numbers 1-18 on the back (or 2x however papers you are using for the verse). Place them all facedown. Kids choose random numbers until they can make a match. When they make a match, they get to go again.
- Go Fish card game - make memory verse on go fish cards and play like the regular game.
- Hang Man - Hang man on a chalk board or white board with kids guessing letters. Each wrong letter gets part of the hangman.
- Wheel of fortune style (use your imagination)
- Decoding - Convert the verse to "text" short hand and have the kids decifer it. Examples would be "b" "u" "txt" "luv".... (they will likely do better than most adults at this). You might want to get a teen to help you do this. Also, here is a helpful website: http://www.netlingo.com/acronyms.php.
- Hooked on Phonics - Use images/pics to replace wods phonetically representing the verse. I.e. Be = pic of a bee, forever = "4 + [pic of a lever]"...
- Make it with playdogh or modeling clay...
- Sherades
- Puzzle - Put the memory verse on poster board. Cut up the poster board like a puzzle and have kids assemble the puzzle. You can tape portions of the verse under chairs, and that way the audience has to work together to get the pieces to the kids playing the game.
- Art Contest - have kids write out the verse artiscally with decorations like boarders, small pics or graffiti style letters. Have vote to see who has the best looking verse.
- Bible verse hopscotch: Before class, mark out hopscotch squares on the floor with the tape. Write out one phrase from this week’s Key Verse on a piece of paper. Write the rest of the phrases on separate pieces of paper. Place a piece of paper in each square, and tape it down so it doesn’t slide around.
- Scrambled Words: Scramble the words to a memory verse. Have the children quote the unscrambled verse.
- Wax Paper: Before Sunday, cover 8 1/2 X 11 sheets of white paper with wax paper. Trace your memory verse on the wax paper, pressing hard with a sharp pencil. Use large letters in your work. After the lessons of the day, hand each child a piece of paper upon which you have written the memory verse. Let the children brush tempra paint over the paper. If done properly, the paint will not adhere to the wax from the paper. Your memory verse will seem to magically appear as the paint is brushed on.
- Mirror Writing: Write the memory verse backwards on the chalkboard and let the children discover what it says.
- Erase-a-word: Write the entire verse on a chalkboard and erase one word at a time. Have the children repeat the verse after each new word is erased. At the end, the board should be blank and the children should know the verse.
- Jumbled Words: Write the memory verse on strips of paper. Place one word on each strip. Mix the strips and have the children arrange the words in proper sequence. For use on a flannel board, back with flannel.
- Secret Code: During the week send each child in your class a letter containing a secret message. Ask the children to crack the code and learn your message. The message? It's your memory verse, or course! Be sure to include the code index (ex: A=Z, B=Y, etc.) with your message. Books on various types of codes may be found in your public library.
- Balloon darts: put words of the verse in balloons and attach balloons to dart board. Throw darts, and when a balloon is hit, you can use the word inside to help you figure out the memory verse.
- Word for Word Relay (from p. 85 Creative Christian Ideas by Ken Moser): Form teams for a relay race where each team member has to run up to the whiteboard and write one word of the memory verse (in correct order) until the entire verse is written. If time permits can do multiple rounds with different instructions e.g. Hop/jump to the whiteboard. Can also do with a memory verse jigsaw puzzle.
- Newspaper Slice: Divide the memory verse up into sections then divide the youth group into smaller groups. Hand out a newspaper to each group and give 10 mins to slice up words and/or letters out of the newspaper to make up their section of the memory verse and glue onto a piece of paper. Awards for most creative.
- Sing it (from p. 82 Creative Christian Ideas by Ken Moser): Split into groups and have each group do the memory verse in a different music genre (eg. Advertising jingle, high school musical, rap, soap opera TV theme song, Opera, Country and Western etc). Record the songs if you have the technology and use them in the coming weeks to remember the verse. Alternatively, use a memory verse song already written (eg. Colin Buchanan) to teach the memory verse. You can play the song on CD and sing along or play it live! (playing live might be best, because the CD can be a bit lame).
- Translations: Look up your memory verse in some of the many different Bible translations. Do the verses say the same thing? Is one translation clearer than another? From which translation do the children prefer to memorize the verse?
- Pictures: Find pictures to match various verses you have studied. Let the children match them to the correct verse.
- Life Application: When studying a memory verse, show the children how they can use a particular verse in their own life. You may also want to ask the next week how many children used this verse during the past week.
- Bulletin Board: Decorate your bulletin board to represent the verse of the day. Have the children tell you the correct verse.
- Verse-of-the-Month: If your children have difficulty memorizing difficult Scriptures, try having them learn just one verse a month. Select the most appropriate verse to fit your lessons. It is better to have one learned than none!
- Puppets: Let a puppet teach the memory verse to the children.
- Competition: Let the boys compete against the girls in a review of the past quarter's verses.
- Want Ads: Write the memory verse in black marker (or bright colored chalk) across the want ad pages of your local newspaper.
- Window Shade: Write the memory verse in large letters on an old window shade. Then as the children learn one line of a verse you can pull the shade down to the next line. You will need to start writing the verse at the bottom of the shad
- Recorded Verses: Pre-record the memory verse on a smart phone before the class begins. Allow the children to listen to the verse at their own pace. You may want to include some explanation as to what the verse means.
- Mystery Voice: Similar to #14, but let a mystery voice record the verse. Children will then try to guess whose voice is saying the verse. This could be a means of introducing them to various people in the church (ex: the Pastor, deacons, etc.)
- Key Words: Look up the meanings of various key words in a verse. Use a concordance or a Bible dictionary.
- Mobile: Make a mobile using the various words of a verse. Display and let the children say the verse.
- Find the Verse: Place the individual words of a memory verse on strips of paper. Hide the pieces around the room and let the children find them. For an added challenge, hide a few extra words and let the children discover which are the correct ones. If they need help, let them look up the verse in their Bibles.
- Photo Cube: Put the words of a memory verse in the various windows of a photo cube. Let the children handle the cube and learn the verse.
- Use the Wall: Place individual words of a memory verse on card strips. Place these strips on different sections of your wall. Have one child stand by each strip. Then let each child say the word he is standing beside in the proper word sequence.
- Picture: Have each child draw a picture of the way he can use the memory verse in his own life.
- Paraphrase: After having learned the memory verse, let the children write the verse in their own words.
- Whispering: Seat the class in a semi-circle. Beginning with one of the end children, whisper the memory verse to him. Each child in turn whispers.
- Bible: Let the children look up the memory verse in their Bibles.
- String Across Board: On a piece of poster board; in scrambled order, write the words of your memory verse. At the beginning of each word, place a wire brad. At the first word of the verse, tie a long piece of yarn or string to the brad. Then by wrapping the yarn around each brad, let the children follow the words of the memory verse in sequence.
- Original Song: Learn the memory verse by putting it to music.
- Fill-in-the-Blanks: Write your memory verse leaving out key words. Let the children supply the missing word.
- Adding Machine Tape: Stretch a long piece of adding machine tape across one wall of your room. Call on different children to come to the tape and write the next word of the memory verse on the tape.
- Those Wearing Red: In order to use variety, try having various groups recite the verse together. For example: "Everyone who has red on, say the memory verse."
- Find The Other Half: Print some of the quarter's memory verses on colored slips of paper. Cut these slips in half. Hide one of the halves around the room. Then, give each child one of the remaining half pieces. The child is to find his matching piece only. When all are found, read the verses out loud.
- Puzzles: Write the memory verse on an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper. Cut this sheet into various sized puzzle pieces. Let individual children reassemble the puzzle. If you wish, each child could be given a separate custom-made puzzle.
- Together: Read the memory verse in unison.
- Responsive Reading: If you have an exceptionally long verse let the boys read one part of the verse; then let the girls read the next segment.
- Key Word: For a quarter's review, place one or two key words from a particular memory verse on a strip of paper. Let the children repeat the verse by seeing only the key word(s).
- Scroll: Make a scroll. Write a verse or verses for the quarter on the scroll.
- Drama: Many verses can be acted out. Sometimes you can pose a situation related to the verse too. (example: "Thou shalt not steal.")
- Here's 1000 ways on pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/scripturelady/memory-verse-ideas/
- (please add any fun ways you have used for helping kids memorize Bible verses)
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