Leader Guide

Building Game

All teams should have an equal number of players, with 2 to 8 players per team. If a team has an odd number of players, one player may play twice.

Place all the blocks in a pile in the middle of the floor.

Put the tables about 10 feet from the block pile. Leave a gap between the tables.

Nehemiah organized the people into groups to work together on different sections of the wall. Some served as builders; others served as laborers who carried the stones and other materials to the builders. In the video, what was Joy doing to help? She was mixing mud to make mortar for the stones. She also handed out weapons to the workers.

How did Nehemiah’s workers protect themselves from their enemies as they built the wall?

Read Nehemiah 4:17b–18a:

The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. All the builders had a sword belted to their side. The trumpeter stayed with me to sound the alarm.

Today, each team will work to build a wall with the most blocks in 40 seconds—but you can each only use one hand! Keep your other hand behind your back. Now, listen carefully how you will build the wall. Two players on each team will work at the same time. One will be the builder, and one will be the laborer and carry the blocks, no more than two at a time, to the builder. You will have 40 seconds to build your wall in three columns. You cannot go higher than ten blocks on any column. Have an assistant or volunteer help you build a tower to demonstrate what this looks like.

You will score one point for each block that is placed in the three columns. If you complete the entire wall of thirty blocks in three columns before time runs out, you score an additional ten points! Nehemiah and his workers faced a lot of challenges. Here is one for you. After 20 seconds, I will shout, “switch!” At that time, the builder becomes the laborer and the laborer becomes the builder! Let’s try it!

Divide the class into two equal teams. Pair up children within each team. Try to pair older and younger children together. If a team has an odd number, one player may play twice. Line up the teams a few feet from the block pile. Start the game and the time. The builders walk to the table and wait for the laborers to bring two blocks to them to start building. The laborers continue to travel back and forth to bring blocks to the builders. After 20 seconds, shout “Switch!” The players then switch roles. After 20 more seconds, shout “Stop!” Count the blocks in the columns and record the scores. Have the builders and laborers return the blocks to the pile, then resume the game with the next pair of players on each team. Continue until all have had a turn. The team with the most points wins.