Christian Games That Teach About the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity made up of God the father and his son Jesus Christ. The concept of the Holy Spirit is difficult enough to teach to adults, teaching about his nature and work to children is that much more difficult. Sometimes games can help illustrate a truth that hours of teaching cannot. Whether you are teaching on the fruits of the spirit or on his role in the life of the believer, it is best to use a little creativity in coming up with lessons or games.

Hang up a picture of Jesus in the room and set up a spotlight underneath that is pointed directly at the picture. When the students enter the room, speak to them about the Holy Spirit’s role in bringing people to Jesus. Have a volunteer turn off the lights and make sure the room is very dark. Have each student name something about the picture of Jesus that they like. They may mention that they can’t see the picture. Click on the spotlight and then have everyone name something about the picture they like. Explain to them that the Holy Spirit is like the spotlight, pointing everyone to Jesus.

Set up chairs, tables and other items as obstacles in a maze pattern around the room. Blindfold a volunteer and have attempt the maze by listening to the voice of another person guiding her. Explain to the students that the Holy Spirit is a guide in our everyday lives. If we listen to what the Spirit tries to tell us, through God’s word we are less likely to stumble over life’s obstacles.

Cut up some apples, oranges, grapes, lemons, limes, bananas, pineapple, plums or prunes and watermelon. Put the cut up pieces of each fruit into cups with a different fruit in each cup. Have each student close their eyes and taste the fruit to see if they can tell which kind it is. Discuss the fruit of the Spirit and explain that each: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are all individual benefits the Holy Spirit brings to the life of the Christian. For some more fun see if the students can agree on which actual fruit matches best to the fruits of the Spirit.

This game is similar to charades. Write down all nine of the fruits of the Spirit onto pieces of paper and put them in a bucket. Each student will draw one of those pieces of paper and without words, act out the definition of that word. The rest of the students will have to guess what that word is. To make it more interesting add other words in there about the Holy Spirit, like "Trinity," "wind" or "inspire."

Set up enough chairs in a circle so that there is one chair for each student. Each student will take a seat except for one standing in the center who is the caller. Tell each student seated in the circle to think of one of the fruits of the Spirit. The student in the center will call out one of the fruits, each student who chose that fruit must immediately leave their seat and grab another vacant seat, while the student in the middle tries to grab any vacant seat. If anyone is left standing without a chair, they become the new caller in the center. If the caller says, “Fruit basket upset!” everyone must leave their seats and find an empty available one.