Leader Guide

Anger Game

Have you heard the expression, “seeing red”? The color red is associated with hot anger or rage. So, “seeing red” means to be extremely angry. Like Saul, it is all you can think about. Read Colossians 3:8

But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

Rage is violent anger. Being malicious means purposely harming someone or something. Slander means lying about someone. Anger can cause all of these—so we need to get rid of any hidden anger right now! This is what our game is about. Let’s get rid of anger so all that remains is joy and peace!

Give two paper plates to each child.

Distribute markers, crayons, or colored pencils; make sure there are plenty of red ones, plus other colors.

Display your sample plates. Have each child make an angry face on one plate and color it red.

Have each child make a joyful face on the other plate. Don’tcolor it red!

Divide the class into two teams. If teams are uneven, add the two sample plates to the pile of the smaller team.

A small class may play as just one team. Time the first round, then play again to beat the time.

Teams will make two separate lines near one end of the room.

Have each team place their finished plates face down in a pile and shuffle them.

Have an assistant or sixth grader volunteer help you. Use the plates to make a “game board” for each team on the floor near the other end of the room. See illustration for set-up of rows and columns. Important—leave enough space between the plates to walk through.

The game is played like a matching game but is more active.

The goal is for each team to “get rid of” the angry red faces by matching pairs of them.

One player from each team plays at the same time. Players walk quickly to their team’s plates, flip two over, and briefly hold them up for their team to see.

If both plates are colored red, they are removed from the board and put in a pile near the team. If the plates do not match (angry and joyful face), they are turned face-down again in the same spots.

If two joyful faces are turned over, they are returned to the board, face up. Joyful faces never leave the board!

The players then return to their team and the next player for each team takes a turn.

The first team to reveal all the happy faces and “get rid of” all their red plates wins!

Conclusion: Great job getting rid of all the hidden anger! The faster we rid ourselves of anger, the sooner we can be filled with God’s joy and peace.