Teaching Tip of the Week
4/15/96
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Three ideas for helping your club or class learn
Scripture memory verses
When teaching Scripture memory verses during club or class time you will
want to let the children repeat the verse seven or eight times (after your
teaching on the meaning and application of the verse) to help them
remember it. But you will want to do it in a fun, exciting way. Here are
three favorites of some of the methods that I use. You will find that if you
use methods like these that the children will have the verses memorized
before you are even finished teaching!
*But don't forget to send them home with verses printed out so they can
review them during the week!*
1. Crazy Cards
Make up upwards of six cards with numbers on one side and instructions for
something fun to do while everyone repeats the verse one more time. Choose one
child at a time to pick a card without knowing what it says.
The six cards I use say:
1. Say the verse while walking in place.
2. Say the verse with a friend. (Children pair off)
3. Say the verse while holding your tongue. (option: while holding your nose.)
4. Say the verse while turning around.
5. Say the verse while hopping up and down on one foot.
6. Say the verse while patting your head and rubbing your stomach.
(Keep in mind that all the children do the activity, not just the one who
chooses the card.)
Any other good ideas for this game? Share them with us!
2. Clap and Guess
After repeating the verse several times to familiarize your children with it,
choose one child to come and stand with his back towards the class. Have
another child come and point to a single word in the verse on your verse
visual without saying the word.
The class now says the verse clapping on, instead of saying, the chosen word.
The child at the front then must guess which word was clapped on.
Second chances are, of course, permitted since the objective is really that
the children would repeat the verse enough times to remember it. I will
usually let the child who guesses choose the next one to guess.
3. Erase-a-Word
Write the verse on a blackboard or whiteboard (a small whiteboard is handy
for a club.) Each time the verse is repeated choose a child to erase another
word until all are gone and the children can say the verse without seeing it.
If it is a long verse try letting the first child erase one word, the second
two, the third three and so on.
To be most effective use a different game each week. Even a favorite will
become boring if used week after week.
Back to The Teaching Tip of the Week.