Children's Games & Activities for John 3:16

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. Even non-Christians are familiar with this scripture, which emphatically states the unconditional love God has for everyone in the world. From the child-friendly Easy To Read version of the Holy Bible, John 3:16 reads, "Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him would not be lost but have eternal life." If you're a parent of toddlers or preschoolers, use activities and games to help them memorize the verse and reinforce its timeless message.

For preschoolers learning about the months of the year, incorporate John 3:16 with February. What better time than the month of secular love to teach young children about God's love? A ready-made calendar is convenient, but being the creative parent you are, you can make one on plain paper or card stock and decorate it with hearts. On each day, write one word from the verse. By the end of the month, the entire verse will be revealed. This is an ideal way to help 3- to 5-year-olds commit it to memory.

Toddlers and preschoolers are perpetually in motion, so parents looking for a game to teach their child John 3:16 can't go wrong with Musical Chairs. This is most effective if several friends are visiting or as a Sunday School game if you're the teacher. Much like the traditional version, music plays while the children walk around chairs placed in the middle of the floor. The difference in this version of the game is that there should be enough chairs for every child so no one gets eliminated. Tape a number to each chair. When the music stops, every child scrambles to find a seat. After the children are seated, pull a number. The child sitting in the chair with the designated number has to stand up and recite as much of the verse as possible.

Toddlers and preschoolers enjoy music and singing, so use both to engage your children in a lively learning activity. Help your child memorize John 3:16 by singing the lyrics of the verse. One cute way is to sing it to the tune of a familiar song like "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." Adapt the lyrics for toddlers for ease of remembering.

To convey the idea of the whole world, have your preschooler color a coffee filter with washable blue and green markers, then spray the filter with water. This causes the colors to run together so when it dries, the filter looks like the earth. In the meantime, instruct your child to color a picture of Jesus with his arms spread wide. Help her glue the pictures to black construction paper then glue the coffee filter to the top of Jesus' arms. Write the John 3:16 verse at the bottom of the construction paper to tie it all together.