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Leader Guide

Game

  • Spy Card Pages
  • Cardstock, 4 sheets
  • Scissors
  • Timer: clock/watch with second hand, stopwatch, timer app
  • Pencils
  • Bibles or the Superbook Bible App

Make two copies of the Spy Card Pages.

Cut out the cards. Keep one set of cards for Moses (teacher/leader).

Scout your room and add or rearrange items that appear on cards to facilitate gameplay. It is recommended that all items be in full view so children will not need to open drawers, cabinets, containers, etc. to locate items.

Note: The blank mission cards are for creating your own cards with things that are already in your classroom or items that you bring for this activity.

I Spy: Scout the land on a secret mission!

How did Moses gather information about the Promised Land? He sent twelve spies to explore the land of Canaan. (See Numbers 13:2.)

Why did Moses choose twelve spies? He chose one leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.

How long did the spies explore the land? Forty days.

Optional: Read Numbers 13:17–20:

17 Moses gave the men these instructions as he sent them out to explore the land: “Go north through the Negev into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like, and find out whether the people living there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 See what kind of land they live in. Is it good or bad? Do their towns have walls, or are they unprotected like open camps? 20 Is the soil fertile or poor? Are there many trees? Do your best to bring back samples of the crops you see.”

Divide the class into two teams. Two spies from each team will play at the same time. (If the class is larger than 16 children, four can play at the same time. Explain that you are Moses and you need each spy team to explore the room and find certain items. Important: for each round, both teams must receive the same card and look for the same types of items. It is a good strategy for each team to work quietly so the other team cannot hear!

Each team will search for the items on the card and write down the things they find that match the description. The teams get only 30 seconds (increase to a minute for younger children) to “spy” and locate the items. Each team may list as many additional items that fit the descriptions as possible for possible extra points. Once the time ends, stop the game and have the teams read their answers, pointing to and identifying as necessary the specific item/person they chose. If the teams chose the same item/person—those items cancel each other and no points are scored. For each item that is unique and accurate, the team scores one point. Record the scores for each team. After all teams have played, the team with the most points wins.

Conclusion: How did it feel to be a spy on an important mission for Moses?

Would you have wanted to be one of the actual spies that Moses sent; why or why not? Here’s a fun fact! Joshua was one of the original spies sent out by Moses to explore the land of Canaan. Later, Joshua sent his own secret spies to explore the city of Jericho to gather information before he attacked!