Action Game

I want to read from the Bible about what took place at the tomb of Jesus when Peter and John heard the news of Jesus’ resurrection! This will give you a better understanding of our game. Read John 20:1-10:

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put Him!” Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home.

It sounds like Peter and John had a race to the tomb, doesn’t it? Can you imagine the thoughts going through their minds—could Jesus really be alive? John won the race but he didn’t go into the tomb until later. Peter came in second place, but went into the tomb first! They saw the empty tomb and the burial cloths Jesus had been wrapped in. Now, they finally understood Jesus’ words about His resurrection! In our game today, we are going to be in and out of the tomb like Peter and John.

Have the children line up single file behind one another down the center of the room, facing the leader. Leave as much room as possible between the children. Tell the children that the right side of the line is “In the Tomb” and the left side of the line is “Out of the Tomb.”

The leader shouts a command and ends it with either “In the Tomb” or “Out of the Tomb.” Upon hearing the command, the children jump from one side to the other and do the command. If the children stay on or jump to the wrong side, they must sit out of the game for two commands, and then they may return. Have another leader control when children may return to the game.

Use the commands below or create your own:

• Clap your hands as fast as you can—in the tomb.
• Clap your hands as fast as you can—in the tomb. This is a duplicate command to trick!
• Sit on the floor—out of the tomb.
• Stand up—out of the tomb.
• Jump up and down three times—in the tomb.
• Do five jumping jacks—in the tomb.
• Shout “Christ Is Risen!”—out of the tomb.
• Hop on one foot—in the tomb.
• Wave hello—out of the tomb.
• Touch your toes—out of the tomb.
• Hum a tune—in the tomb.
• Pat your back with both hands—out of the tomb.
• Shout “Celebrate the resurrection!”—in the tomb.
• Spin around two times—out of the tomb.
• Shout “I will share the Good News with others!”—in the tomb.
• Run in place to share the Good News—out of the tomb.

Game options: Play just for fun—no one is removed from play when an error is made. Eliminate players from the game as they err. The last child standing wins.