For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
Display the key passage for everyone to see. Read it together.
Try out one of the following memorization games from the options below to help your family get God's word deep into your hearts!
We’d love to see your family’s verse! Share a photo or video in the PBF Kids Family Facebook Group!
Psalm 119:11 gives us some advice on how to remember God's words. We can store up God's Word in our heart by memorizing scripture. And in doing that, we make a way to remember His words and know exactly where they go— deep into our hearts to stay!
WRITE & PASS
Sit at a table and have one person start with a paper and a pen.
The first player will write the first word of the verse on the paper, pass it and pen to the next player who writes the next word, and so on around the circle until the entire verse and reference are written.
Play additional rounds as time permits.
CLAP GAME
Form a circle, clapping once and saying the first word of the verse.
The person to your right should clap once as he says the next word of the verse.
Continue around the circle, clapping once per word, until the group says the entire verse.
Then play again. Explain that at any time, a player saying a word may clap twice. In that
case, movement reverses and the player to the left will say the next word.
If a player claps once, the verse continues in the same direction.
TARGET PRACTICE
Write out each word of the verse on a piece of paper with a marker. (be sure to make them large and visible from a distance)
Lay the words out and take turns tossing a beanbag (or small stuffed animal) onto the words of the verse in order.
When a player’s beanbag lands on the first
word, the whole family will say that word aloud.
When a player lands on the next word, everyone will start at the beginning and say each word in order up to the current word.
Continue word by word until you say the entire verse.
FILL IN THE BLANKS
Write the verse on a piece of paper, leaving blanks for several of the words.
Challenge everyone to fill in the blanks.
Play again with more blanks, working up to filling in all the words from memory.
RANDOM WORD
Say the verse as a group, with each person saying only one word at a time.
Someone starts by saying the first word of the verse.
Without going in any order, someone will randomly choose to say the next word.
Then someone else will attempt the next word in the verse.
If 2 or more people say the same word at the same time, the group must start the verse over from the beginning.
FIRST LETTER
Read the verse aloud two times.
Then write out the first letter of each word in the verse, leaving space between letters.
Have volunteers supply the missing words, and write them in one at a time. Once the entire verse is completed, say the verse again together.
PUZZLES
Write out the verse on a piece of paper and cut it into several strips to make a puzzle.
You can create just one puzzle for everyone, or create a puzzle for each family member. (just keep each puzzle separate)
Distribute the puzzles and assemble and read.
Complete the puzzles multiple times trying to improve your speed and accuracy each time.
HOT POTATO
Form a circle.
Use a beanbag, stuffed animal, or ball.
Say the first word of the verse and
then toss the beanbag to another player.
That player will say the next word, toss the beanbag to another player who will say the next word, and so on.
For an added challenge, remove or cover the verse so you must say the verse from memory.
ARRANGE CARDS
Write the words of the verse out on index cards, post-its, pieces of paper, or even craft sticks. (one word for each card)
Mix up the cards and time the group to see how fast they can put the verse in order.
You can split into teams and race each other. (remember to check for accuracy)
Continue this many times, individually and all together and try to improve times.
DICE GAME
Everyone will need a piece of paper and pencil.
Someone will start with a numbered cube.
When you say “go,” everyone will begin writing the verse on their papers.
The player with the cube will roll the cube until he rolls a 4. He shouts “Pass!” and passes the cube to the player on his right.
Other players pass their papers to the right and pick up writing where the previous player left off. Continuer rolling and passing.
The first player to finish writing the passage and reference on the paper in front of him wins.
DRAW A WORD
Provide paper and markers or crayons.
Assign family member a keyword from the verse and instruct him to draw a picture to represent the word.
Then say the verse, holding up the pictures for the keywords.
Challenge them to say the verse from memory, referring to the pictures as prompts.
OVEN MITTS
Form two or more teams.
Each player will take turns writing one word of the verse.
Before a player writes, she must put on gloves or oven mitts.
The team that finishes writing out the verse first wins.
ERASE A WORD
Write out the verse on a piece of paper (using a dry erase board works even better)
Say the verse once through together.
Then pick a volunteer to choose a word to blackout (or erase) so it's no longer visible.
Read the verse together saying the missing word in its correct place.
Choose another volunteer to pick a word to blackout (or erase) and say the verse together including the missing words.
Continue in this way until the group can say the entire verse without seeing any of the words!
CARD RACE
Write each word of the verse on separate index cards, sticky notes, craft sticks, or pieces of paper folded up.
Tape a starting point on the floor and position a pillowcase or other container with the prepared sticky notes inside, across the room.
Time the challenge as the first person races to the pillowcase and picks out a word, races back to the starting line, and puts the word on the floor.
The next player will retrieve another word, and so on.
Once you have all the pieces and arrange the verse in order, you can call time.
For an added challenge, require people to pull the words from the pillowcase in order. or make another set of cards and form teams.
BALL OF YARN
Stand in a circle.
Give one family member a ball of yarn.
She should say the first word of the verse, hold the end of the yarn, and then toss the yarn ball to another person.
The next person will catch it, say the next word, pinch the yarn between his fingers, and then toss the ball to someone else.
Continue forming a web until you say the entire verse.