Easy and Fun VBS Games for All Ages (Indoor and Outdoor Options!)

Some of the best memories made from VBS are the games played. Many of us can look back on our VBS days as kids and remember the zany, crazy, and wild games, or perhaps, the calmer but equally engaging activities that made us want to come back the next day.

Games can help kids burn off energy so they can listen better during lessons. They can also reinforce Bible lessons in a way that helps kids remember.

Best Indoor VBS Games That Will Work Well for Any Space

Not every church location has spaces like gyms and halls available to them. So, it’s important to have some games you can pull from if you need to hold them in smaller settings, like classrooms or multipurpose rooms.

Here are a few ideas:

• Bible-Themed Musical Chairs – This game is very much like the original version. You’ll want the chairs arranged in a circle; however, you’ll add a taped word or phrase from the day's memory verse underneath each chair. Play music and have kids walk in a circle. When the music stops, the kids can read the words taped under their chairs. Remove a chair, and save its word, then continue. As the game progresses, children with no chairs and the retrieved words can help the group arrange the verse.
• Human Bibliopoly – This is a game that can be modified for all ages. The best way to set up is to use masking tape to create a large “board game path” on the floor. Write categories on index cards, such as Bible trivia, missionaries, group dares, physical challenges, church history, etc. Each block on the path is labeled with a category. One player from each team is the “game piece” and moves along the path by rolling the die. Bonus if you can bring a large foam die. Once they land on a square, the team answers the questions or completes the challenge. The first team to the finish wins!
• Some other fun options are:
  • Bible Pictionary. Kids take turns drawing Bible stories, characters, or themes while their team guesses.
  • Four Corners Bible Edition. Race to draw and guess Bible stories, characters, or themes from the day’s lesson, or label the four corners of the room with answers. Read a question and the kids can race to the corner they think is correct.
  • Simon Says (Bible Style) – Play as usual, but use actions tied to Bible stories or characters (e.g., “march like Joshua”).
  • Bible Charades – Kids silently act out Bible stories or characters while their team guesses.
  • Verse Scramble Relay – Teams race to put mixed-up words of a Bible verse in the correct order.
  • Pass the Object (Hot Potato – Bible Edition) – Pass an item while music plays; when it stops, the child holding it answers a simple Bible question or shares something from the lesson.
    
    

Best Outdoor VBS Games for Keeping Kids Active and Engaged

Outdoor games are typically the ultimate goal for a fabulous summer VBS. You can let the kids release pent-up energy, get louder, and let loose more than you can inside. Not to mention, the hot summer months often are the best for outdoor water games, so if you’ve communicated ahead to parents about proper clothing and footwear, outdoor games can be a great chance to cool off, too!

Here are a few ideas for some outdoor fun:

• Water Relay Races – and give it a spin, titling it “Living Water Relay”! Split the kids into even teams. Place a bucket of water at one end of a starting line and an empty bucket at the finish line. One set of buckets per team! Provide cups with small holes for proper (but not too fast!) leakage. Have the kids race to transfer water from the full bucket to the empty way. The team with the most water at the end wins!
• Obstacle Course – take a trip to the “Promised Land” which was most definitely full of obstacles! Use cones, pool noodles, hula hoops, jump ropes, balls, tunnels, and more to create stations. Label every obstacle with something memorable from the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. Kids can travel the course one at a time or in pairs, and complete each obstacle as fast as they can. Time each run for more competition!
• Some other easy outdoor games are:
  • Capture the Flag
  • Tug of War
  • Human Ring Toss (use donut-shaped pool floats)
  • Scavenger hunt (could be an indoor activity too)
  • Gaga Ball (less intense version of dodgeball)
    
    
    
    

How to Choose Age-Appropriate VBS Games

It’s no secret that finding games for different ages can be challenging. What a ten-year-old might find fun and exciting could be terrifying or completely too difficult for a five-year-old. So it is important to consider what each age group needs.

Here are some suggestions for different age groups:

Preschool – consider simple games with simple coordination skills and easy instructions. Simon Says, parachute games, follow-the-leader, and relay races can all be fun and adapted to Bible themes if you want. You will want to avoid games that eliminate children or have long waits. You’ll wind up with hurt feelings and wandering little feet.

Early Elementary – these early ages are ready for relays and scavenger hunts, freeze tag, variations of dodgeball, and even Bible trivia! Definitely be sure to avoid games with a lot of sitting or games that involve confusing or difficult scoring. Keep things active and engaging.

Upper Elementary – since you’re headed toward middle school with these kids, you’ll want something more challenging. Obstacle and strategy-based games are often great team challenges. Relay races are also a win for this age group. With these kids, make sure the games aren’t “dumb,” which usually equates to too simplistic or childish. Challenge them and push them just a bit past their comfort zone.

Low-Prep VBS Games That Are Easy for Volunteers to Lead

Not every volunteer is a natural game leader. So you’ll probably want some games in your back pocket that are easy to lead and require little setup. Some games you can take and adapt to biblical themes are:

Red Light, Green Light (Bible Version) – A leader calls out green, yellow, or red like a stoplight. But add the twist that when they call out a Bible character, the kids must strike a pose to represent that character.

Sharks and Minnows – This one is a win for a lot of ages, with one player in the middle as the “shark” and the other players running from side to side as “minnows.” When tagged, they become a shark too. But you can rename this to fit your theme. Philistines versus the Israelites, or David versus Goliath.

How Can You Make VBS Games Bible-Based and Meaningful?

If you’re intentional enough, you can tie pretty much any game to the day’s lesson or theme. Before or after each game, take a few minutes to explain the connection. If you’re playing Capture the Flag, teach the kids the story of David and his battles. Even when the challenge seemed impossible or the strategy seemed too difficult, with God, David was able to overcome big odds.

After each game, ask the kids questions about their game that tie back to scripture. This turns game time into reflection.

• After a teamwork game: “What was hard about working together? How does God call us to work as a team in the Bible?”
• After a relay race: “Did anyone feel like giving up? What does the Bible say about persevering?”
• After a trust-based game: “How did it feel to rely on your teammate? How is that like relying on God?”
  
  

Conclusion: Making Sure Everyone is Safe during VBS Games

You definitely want to be safe during game time. A few things to keep in mind are:

• Require footwear.
• Make sure kids empty pockets of pencils, toys, or anything that’s a potential poke/stab hazard.
• Inspect the area you’re playing in—especially if outdoors—for stones, rocks, things that might twist ankles, etc.
• Set clear rules and boundaries, and also acceptable and unacceptable competitive behaviors.
• Be sure you’re aware of any prior medical needs (asthma, mobility limitations, medical conditions, etc.).
• Don’t leave kids unsupervised or under-supervised. Be sure you have a good adult-to-child ratio. Aim for one adult per 6-8 children if possible, and make sure you also have someone observing for wandering children who may attempt to flee the group/area.
• Have an emergency plan in case First Aid is needed, or a summer storm descends, or another emergency occurs.

Game time can be a blast! If you’re prepared, it’ll be something they’ll remember for years to come.

Jaime Jo Wright is an ECPA and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author. Her novel “The House on Foster Hill” won the prestigious Christy Award and she continues to publish Gothic thrillers for the inspirational market. Jaime Jo resides in the woods of Wisconsin, lives in dreamland, exists in reality, and invites you to join her adventures at jaimewrightbooks.com and at her podcast madlitmusings.com where she discusses the deeper issues of story and faith with fellow authors.