Leader Guide
Game
- Permanent marker
- Four balloons, any shape and size, plus extras
- Six disposable plates
- Optional: painters tape or masking tape
- Whiteboard and marker, or chalkboard and chalk
- Four pillows/rugs, small boxes, bed sheets or blankets to make rocks and hills; add other obstacles to the course as desired
- Optional: sixth grade helpers to pretend to be “robbers”
- For large classes, double the number of items to make four teams
Blow up the four balloons and tie closed.
Using the permanent marker, write “LOVE GOD” on two balloons and “LOVE NEIGHBORS” on the other two balloons.
Place two marks or lines at opposite ends of the room, about 25 feet apart.
Create two “roads” between the marks, using the pillows, plates, etc.—see illustration. You may add other obstacles to make the course more difficult.
Sixth grade helpers may pretend to be robbers, positioned near the plates in the middle of the course. They may jump up as the travelers spin in a circle but should not touch the children or hit the balloons.
Write the SuperVerse in the center of the whiteboard, leaving room at the top. This will also be used for the SuperVerse activity later. Luke 10:27b:
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” And, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Let’s look at the board and say our SuperVerse together. Luke 10:27b:
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” And, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Demonstrate how to travel the course while holding a disposable plate with a balloon on it in each hand. In this game, you will each travel on the dangerous road from Jerusalem to Jericho, then return to Jerusalem.
Each of you will start from Jerusalem. Begin walking from the starting line.
You must always keep your balloons on your plates, one in each hand. What do the balloons say? “Love God” and “Love Neighbors.”
No matter what happens, we must remember to love God and other people. So if one balloon falls off, you must stop and put it back on. The plates represent the action of serving God and others. True love is active love!
On your journey you will step over rocks and hills. Take a huge step over the pillow or towel.
You must also be on the lookout for robbers! Step on a plate on the floor and spin around, searching for danger. Sixth grade helpers may pretend to surprise you there.
Continue to Jericho, then explain that the children should turn around and return to Jerusalem, repeating their actions. If time is short, you may have players return to Jerusalem by walking quickly on the outskirts of the course, not doing the obstacles again.
- Divide the class into two equal teams. One player may play twice if necessary.
- The teams form two separate lines behind the line or mark.
- Hand two plates and two balloons, marked “Love God” and “Love Neighbors,” to the first player on each team.
- Say Go! Both players travel the course, stepping over hills and rocks, spinning in a circle, then going to the Jericho mark where they turn around and repeat the actions on the way back to Jerusalem.
- Players then hand the plates and balloons to the next player.
- The team whose players all return to Jerusalem first wins.
Conclusion: What was the funniest part of that game?
What was the hardest part?
Let’s learn more about what it means to love God and our neighbors.