A study by Hasbro confirms that 96% of families become closer as they play games in a particular family activity.
With that, this article features 5 family bonding activities that involve Bible games, which you will surely enjoy.
1) Schedule Your Family Game Time
Is this your dilemma?
Busy every day? Almost no interaction at home? Physically present but socially absent?
Well, playing Bible games can significantly enhance your family dynamics.
In fact, “the more frequently family members play video games together, the better satisfaction and closeness they have”1.
So, how can you break the silence and gather everyone?
Here’s what you can do.
a. Get a pen and a piece of paper.
b. Schedule your daily activities.
c. Set a time for playing Bible games.
d. Decide how frequently you want it done.
What’s in it for you?
a. It keeps your family members on the same page.
Scheduling family game time unites your members toward a common goal of spending time together.
With this, you adjust your plans to give way for this bonding activity. When it’s time to play, it’s now easy to set aside your other engagements.
b. Recreation becomes your family routine.
How much time do you spend on recreation? Where is it on your priority list?
By including playtime in your schedule, you make it part of your family routine. Eventually, it becomes your way of life.
c. You avoid procrastination.
Because of the busyness of daily life, recreation often hangs on the waiting list.
Fortunately, scheduling your game time prevents delay. It reminds you to spend time on it before it’s too late. Significantly, it improves your time management skills.
d. Your family plays on purpose.
Creating a schedule motivates your family to play Bible games with an intention.
That is, you don’t just play for entertainment. Instead, you get clear with your goal of strengthening your family bond while educating each one about God’s Word.
e. You prevent time conflict.
Mom is cooking and cleaning the house. Meanwhile, Dad is doing his carpentry and repair work. Also, the kids are doing their schoolwork.
With a schedule, each of you gets to anticipate things. You can plan your errands accordingly such that they won’t interfere with your family game time.
2) Choose the Best Game for Your Family
Bible games can either be physical or digital.
The physical type consists of board games, outdoor relays, and the like. Meanwhile, the digital type comprises video games you install on your computer or mobile gadgets.
These are some of the best Bible games you may consider:
a. Heroes: The Bible Trivia Game
Heroes is a Bible trivia game developed and published by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in cooperation with Hope Channel International and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
In this game, get to know the Bible characters portrayed as “heroes” by answering trivia questions about them:
- John, the son of thunder
- Esther, the queen of courage
- Samson, the legend
- Ruth, the wise widow
- Noah, the captain
- Joseph, the dreamer
- Adam and Eve, the forerunners
- Jesus, the Lion of Judah
- Daniel, the wise seer
- Moses, the lawgiver
- Mary Magdalene, the tomb raider
- David, the giant slayer
- Mary, the guardian
- Paul, the globe trotter
- Peter, the rock
- …and more to come soon
For every correct answer, you collect manna and earn points, which you can use to you unlock more heroes and answer more thrilling questions.
You can also upgrade your game by using the points you won from previous rounds to unlock some effects.
All these you can enjoy in 3D graphics and animation. Even more interesting, it is free of charge! There are no advertisements popping up on the screen.
Another thing, you can play it in single-player or multiplayer modes. With the multiplayer mode, you can invite your family and friends to play with you.
Also, how cool is it to know you can play this game in your language?
The app accommodates English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Swahili, Romanian, Tagalog, Bahasa Melayu, and many more.
What a great way to study the Bible and develop your faith while having fun!
b. Superbook Bible Trivia Game
Superbook is another Bible trivia game. It is developed by the Christian Broadcasting Network.
Gizmo, a lovable robot, is your host. With this guide, you can explore various engaging questions and answers about Bible characters, places, events, and others.
Its features include these 3 power-ups that serve as your lifelines for tricky questions:
- Unlocking Power-up – the power-up you earn from every correct answer; helps you unlock another level
- Downloading Power-up – the power-up you get after using a lifeline
- Earning Back Power-up – a gem you get from every correct answer; helps you get unlimited power-ups
Aside from power-ups, there are also unlimited Bible hints. For instance, the green Superbook Device button opens a Bible verse and gives you a clue of the correct answer.
Finally, there are 3 levels to play:
| LEVEL | TYPE OF PLAYER | TIME ALLOWED | POINTS |
| Easy | Beginner | 30 seconds per question | 10 points per correct answer |
| Medium | Intermediate | 20 seconds per question | 20 points per correct answer |
| Hard | Advanced | 5 seconds per question | 30 points per correct answer |
Such a challenging educational game yet a very entertaining and interactive one!
c. Watch Ya Mouth
Have you worn a dental cheek retractor? Doesn’t it feel awkward to expose your teeth and gums?
Plus, you have a hard time emphasizing consonants. That’s what you will expect from playing Watch Ya Mouth.
Here’s how to play it:
- Wear the cheek retractor.
- Get a card.
- Read the written phrase, which can be about a biblical character, place, thing, event, or the like.
- Let your playmates guess the phrase.
For sure, you won’t be able to pronounce most letters correctly. And that is why it’s fun to play this! Enjoy!
d. Guesstures: Bible Edition
If you are good at acting things up, you will enjoy this game.
In fact, Guesstures is one of the best-selling charades. But this edition focuses on biblical topics.
These are the mechanics:
- Have 2 or more players divided into 2 teams.
- Turn on the Mimer Timer. Each round usually runs for 30 minutes.
- Get a card.
- Act up the word written.
- As soon as your team guesses it, grab the card before the timer swallows it.
You get more points with more difficult words to guess. And the team with the most points wins.
3) Create Family Routines and Traditions With Bible Games
a. Have a storytelling session with your kids.
Kids love stories.
Take this as an opportunity to tell them their favorite Bible stories. Alongside, play a Bible game to compare and verify the names of people, places, and others.
Do this any time of the day though it’s best before bedtime. Like music, stories are children’s instant sleeping pills.
Memorable bonding moments such as this mark the heart and last a lifetime. Hence, your relationship becomes stronger.
b. Have a daily family worship and prayer time.
For your family’s spiritual development, spend time together on worship and prayer.
As you wake up, before doing anything, gather your members. Sing songs, study the Bible, and pray.
While preparing your breakfast, kids can play their favorite Bible games as a pastime.
Do the same ritual before dinner.
c. Plan a family night.
In special occasions like birthdays, you prepare a lot. You even invite friends to come over to your house.
A family night deserves the same preparation. But as the term implies, it’s only for the family. Depending on your availability, you can do it once or twice a week.
Cook your favorite dishes, drinks, and snacks. Set up a karaoke. Prepare your favorite Bible games.
Activities like this not only foster bonds but also promote a sense of belonging and security among your family members.
d. Conduct a family reunion.
A family reunion is much like a family night. But with this one, you can invite your relatives.
Do the same preparation and activities as in your family night, including Bible games. This is fun to do while eating, doing karaoke, or whatnot.
This activity not only fosters a sense of belonging but also helps carry on your family heritage and pass on your unique values.
4) Spend Time Outdoors
a. Have a picnic.
Picnics are a classic family bonding activity.
To prepare, invite your family to go to the market and shop for food. Get fruits, vegetables, and other healthy snacks. Grab some drinks too. Then make your favorite sandwiches and beverages.
Don’t forget to bring your favorite Bible board games. And of course, have your mobile games ready as well.
Choose a beautiful nature park nearby though a portion of a grassy backyard, if you have, may also do.
Set everything up. Then play games for some warm-up. Take advantage of your open space to walk, run, and jump all you want.
Then rest while enjoying the lovely scenery with your delicious snacks and some music.
Through this activity, you can unwind and relax. It helps alleviate your stress, thus improving your mental health2.
b. Go camping.
Camping is much like a picnic but with camping, you can stay overnight. Besides, you have more things to prepare.
Aside from food and beverages, you need to bring your cooking and sleeping materials. And don’t forget your tent, lights, table, and emergency kit.
As you arrive, set up everything. Cook and eat together. Then play music on a loudspeaker to maintain a good atmosphere.
Play your Bible games as the highlight of your program. After which, have a sharing of reflections and moral lessons learned.
Finally, pray as a family before you sleep. Then wake up the next day with a beautiful view of nature.
You can stay longer and repeat the same activities. Or, you can go hiking at a nearby mountain.
c. Go stargazing on a clear night.
How would you like to discover new constellations or new planets?
Go to an open field. However, a good view of the sky right through your window or terrace will perfectly do.
All you need is a good pair of binoculars. Better yet, if you have a telescope, you can view the stars more clearly and zoom in further.
From time to time, take a break by playing Bible games on your mobile gadget. Then, have a reflection time while enjoying the cool night breeze.
With this activity, you get to appreciate God’s magnificent creation. You see how vast the universe is and how small you are.
5) Challenge Your Family’s Gaming Skills
a. Join a Bible gaming tournament.
Go to your local church and look into their event calendar. Or, go to your child’s school. You may also ask your community or local government.
Check if they have a schedule for Bible gaming tournaments. If yes, when will be the earliest?
Grab the opportunity! Register your family to join and enjoy playing games with other families.
b. Create your own Bible gaming project too.
Brainstorm with your family to come up with the best possible game for your community.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. As much as possible, be practical. Focus on the value and experience it can give.
After finalizing your proposal, collaborate with your local church leaders or school faculty.
Perhaps, they have brilliant ideas too to fill in the gaps. They can also help you with logistics, marketing, and other necessities.
Excited to see your project finally launched? Taste that fulfilling and rewarding experience by seeing your participants having fun and learning a lot.
Let Us Know Your Thoughts
What can you say about these 5 family bonding activities with Bible games? Which one did you find most interesting to try?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
