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Leader Guide

Game

  • An adult or teen who can consistently pitch balls underhanded with accuracy
  • An assistant, such as a sixth grade helper, to keep score on the board
  • Bundle Bat Pattern
  • Bundle Bat Instructions
  • 2 empty paper towel rolls; or make your own tubes using two rolled up sheets of cardstock for each one  
  • Scissors for the teacher
  • Masking or painters tape
  • Soft foam ball; or 2 or 3 balloons, plus extras for breakage, for younger children or those with special needs
  • Three bath towels or bed sheets
  • Whiteboard with marker or chalkboard and chalk

Note: If you wish to make the game simpler and faster, simply ask the two teams questions from the Gideon Q&A List at the bottom of the activity without batting balls. 

Make two copies of the Bundle Bat Pattern on cardstock in color or black and white, then follow the directions to make two Bundle Bats. One will be a spare.

Tape a sheet of cardstock or cardboard on the floor at one end of the room to be “home plate.”

For the “pitcher’s mound,” tape or place a mark about 10 feet from home plate. Adjust distance as necessary so children can easily hit the ball or balloon.

Place the three towels on the floor according to the illustration, leaving a few feet between each one. Adjust the distance as preferred.


Are you ready to play a fun game to review the story of Gideon?

We are going to play a game similar to baseball using a special kind of bat! Gideon was threshing bundles of wheat in the winepress. He would swing the bundles up in the air then down to the ground to separate the chaff from the grains of wheat, which could be eaten. We are going to swing a wheat bundle too, but not at the ground—at a ball!

Divide the children into two teams; they do not need to be exactly even. For each turn at bat, a team will have one child bat the ball or balloon and another child answer the review question. You may ask children to choose whether they would prefer to bat or answer a question. A sixth grade helper or another assistant should keep score on the board. See scoring chart below.

The pitcher—preferably an adult or teen—should throw the ball slowly and underhanded so the batter can easily hit it. The pitcher should not try to strike the batter out! The player tries to hit the ball with the bundle bat. If children have difficulty hitting a ball, use balloons instead, and adjust the distance between the pitcher, home plate, and towels.  

After the ball is batted and the runs are scored, ask the second player on that team a review question from the Question and Answer Sheet. For younger children or those with special needs, you may allow that player to consult with other team members before giving the answer. A correct answer earns 5 runs. A partially correct answer earns 3 runs. If the answer is incorrect, the other team has a chance to answer it for 3 runs. For bonus questions, any player on either team may answer; whichever team answers correctly first receives 2 runs.

Each batter is allowed three strikes or misses. If they do not hit the ball after three tries, the question is then asked to the teammate. During the team’s next time at bat, different children should bat and answer the question. The team with the most runs/points wins.

Scoring runs/points:

  • 2 runs for hitting the ball so it lands on the towel on the left or right
  • 3 runs for hitting the ball so it lands on the towel in the middle
  • 1 run for hitting the ball so it lands anywhere else in the room
  • 5 runs for answering a review question correctly
  • 3 runs for a partially correct answer to a review question
  • 3 runs for the other team if it answers the review question
  • 2 runs for answering a bonus question correctly

Options:

  • You may have children take turns as pitchers.
  • You may choose to count a homerun and award 5 points for a ball that is hit hard enough to strike the wall directly opposite home plate without touching the ground first.

Gideon Question and Answer Sheet

Ask a question to the team that was just at bat. A correct answer receives 5 runs/points. A partially correct answer receives 3 runs. If the first team answers incorrectly, the other team has the chance to answer for 3 runs. When a bonus question appears, read it aloud for any player on either team to answer; the first team to shout the correct answer receives 2 runs. 

  1. God was not pleased with the Israelites because they did what in His sight?
    Evil; worshiped false gods.
  2. True or False: The Midianites ate most of the Israelites’ food.
    True.
  3. What was Gideon secretly doing in the winepress?
    Threshing wheat to feed his family.
  4. True or False: The name of Gideon’s servant was Peter.
    False.
    2-point bonus question for both teams:
    What was his servant’s real name?
    Purah.
  5. The enemy’s army had so many soldiers that the Bible compares it to what type of insect?
    Locusts.
  6. What did the Angel of the Lord call Gideon? Mighty Warrior, Mighty Hero, Mighty Man of Valor, etc.
  7. True or False: The Lord told Gideon He would go with him and fight the enemy as if they had just one man.
    True.
  8. True or False: Gideon was afraid of his family and would not tear down their altar to a false god.
    False.
  9. What did Gideon put on the ground as a test to prove God was sending him to lead the army of Israel into battle?
    Wool fleece.
  10. True or False: The test was that if God was indeed sending Gideon into battle, the fleece would talk to Gideon.
    False.
    2-point bonus question for both teams:
    What happened with the fleece and the ground the first night of the test?
    The fleece was covered in dew, the ground was dry.
  11. True or False: After the fleece had dew on it, Gideon had all the faith he needed and was ready to lead the troops into battle. False.
    2-point bonus question for both teams:
    What did Gideon ask for the second night?
    The opposite; fleece dry, ground wet.
  12. True or False: When Gideon blew the ram’s horn to call the Israelites to join his army, 32,000 men came.
    True.
  13. True or False: God told Gideon that he still didn’t have enough men.
    False; God told him there were too many. 
    2-point bonus question for both teams:
    What did Gideon tell the men who were afraid to fight?
    They could go home.
  14. How many men did God allow Gideon to take into battle?
    300.
  15. When Gideon still did not have enough faith, how did God show him that He would give Gideon the victory?
    God had Gideon go to the enemy’s camp, where he overheard a soldier describe a dream in which Israel was victorious.
  16. What three items did Gideon give each of his soldiers?
    Ram’s horn, torch, clay jar. Give 2 points for partial answers.
  17. True or False: Gideon divided his army into 3 groups of 100 men.
    True.
  18. True or False: The men blew their horns and shouted.
    True.
    2-point bonus question for both teams:
    What words did they shout?
    A sword for the Lord and for Gideon.
  19. What did the soldiers do with their clay jars?
    They broke them.
  20. True or False: The enemy soldiers were so confused and frightened that they attacked each other.
    True.
    2-point bonus questions for both teams from Large Group:
    After the enemy armies were defeated, what did the Israelites want Gideon to do?
    Be their ruler or king.
    How did Gideon answer their request?
    He said no, God would be their ruler or king.

Conclusion: What a great game! Nice job answering so many questions correctly about the Bible story. When Gideon was standing in that winepress, he had no idea that he would be asked to do such a great thing for God. Can you imagine what God is planning for us? God was with Gideon, and He will help us do great things, too—all we must do is trust and obey Him! Let’s learn some more about how the story of Gideon points us to Jesus Christ!