Do your kids know where to find Habakkuk? Can they tell the difference between Ephesians and Philippians without flipping through every page? If not, these 5 games will change that.
In this post, you’ll find 5 Bible book games that Sunday School teachers have been playing — and loving — for decades.
If you’re a Sunday School teacher or Christian school teacher, you know the struggle. Today’s kids are used to fast-moving screens, instant feedback, and non-stop stimulation. Getting them excited about the books
of the Bible can feel like an uphill climb.
But here’s what I’ve learned: kids don’t resist learning — they resist boredom. Give them a game, a little friendly competition, and a reason to cheer — and they’ll surprise you every single time.
These 5 games have been tested in real Sunday School classrooms, and they work. Let’s dive in!
What You'll Need First: Bible Book Cards
Before you play any of these games, you’ll need a simple set of Bible Book Cards — one card for each book of the Bible with its name printed clearly.
You can make your own easily:
– Print the name of each Bible book on an index card
– Add colorful graphics to make them eye-catching
– Write point values (100–300) on the backs for competitive games
– Laminate them for long-term use
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Game 1: OT/NT Sort
Best for: Ages 6–10 | Time: 5–10 minutes | Energy level: Medium
This fast-paced game is perfect for warming up a class or filling the last few minutes of a lesson.
How to play:
1. Set out 2 boxes — label one “Old Testament” and one “New Testament”
2. Grab 10 Bible Book Cards and set a timer for 30 seconds
3. One child races to sort all the cards into the correct boxes
4. Award points for every correct sort
Teacher tip: Start with fewer cards and well-known books (Genesis, Matthew) and gradually increase difficulty as kids grow in their knowledge. The improvement you’ll see week after week is incredibly encouraging!
Game 2: Order Up! 📌
Best for: Ages 6–10 | Time: 10 minutes | Energy level: Low-Medium
This game challenges kids to think about the sequence of the Bible — not just the names.
How to play:
1. String up a clothesline at the front of the room with clothespins ready
2. Give one child 5–7 Bible Book Cards out of order
3. They must hang the cards on the clothesline in the correct biblical order
4. Score points only for the cards placed out of order — lowest score wins!
Teacher tip: Set a time limit (60 seconds works great) to add excitement. For younger kids, limit it to books within one testament. For older kids, mix Old and New Testament cards together!
Game 3: Grab and Find 📖
Best for: Ages 6–10 | Time: 10 – 15 minutes | Energy level: Low
This game builds one of the most important Bible skills of all — knowing how to *find* a book quickly.
How to play:
1. Place Bible Book Cards in a bucket
2. A child draws a card and has 15 seconds to find that book in their Bible
3. If successful, their team earns the points printed on the back of the card
Teacher tip: This game naturally motivates kids to practice at home. Many will start racing siblings or parents to find books — without you even asking! 😄
Game 4: Name a Character 🌟
Best for: Ages 6–10 | Time: 10 – 15 minutes | Energy level: Low
Once kids know where the books are, this game helps them understand what’s inside them.
How to play:
1. Same setup as Grab and Find above
2. Instead of finding the book in the Bible, the child must name one main character from the book they drew
3. Correct answer = points for their team!
Teacher tip: Don’t expect perfection at first — celebrate every attempt! Some books (like Obadiah or Nahum) will be genuinely challenging, and that’s okay. Use those moments as quick teaching opportunities.
Game 5: Guess the Book 🔍
Best for: Ages 8–10 | Time: 15 minutes | Energy level: Low
This is the most challenging game in the set — and the most rewarding when kids get it right!
How to play:
1. Lay 5 Bible Book Cards face-up on a table
2. Read a Bible verse from one of those books
3. Kids guess which book the verse comes from
4. Correct guess = points on the back of that card
5. Work through all 5 cards, then lay out 5 more.
Teacher tip: Read with expression and enthusiasm — your energy is contagious! As kids get better, increase the number of cards on the table to make it harder to guess correctly.
Why Learning the Books of the Bible Matters
Some teachers wonder if memorizing the books of the Bible is still relevant. I believe it absolutely is — and here’s why:
When a child knows their way around the Bible, they gain confidence. They stop feeling lost during church services. They start engaging with scripture on their own. And that confidence grows into a lifelong love of God’s Word.
As Psalm 119:11 says: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
These games are one small but powerful way to help that happen.
Want 5 More Games?
These 5 games are just the beginning! Head over to my follow-up post for **5 MORE Games to Teach Kids the Books of the Bible** — including some that work great for preschoolers too!
Grab Your FREE Bible Resources!
🎉 Want FREE Bible Games for Your Kids?
Grab 6 free Bible resources instantly — perfect for Sunday Schools, homeschools, and Christian Classrooms!
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Gina,
Thank you for evening a devoted Sunday School teacher. Those boys you mentioned are very blessed to have you on their lives teaching them about Jesus
Blessing upon you and your teachings!
Kathy,
Thank you so much for the learn the books of the bible game! It will be a game I use in the Awana youth group I led and Sunday School class. I also have a group of 3-16 kids ranging from 6- 15 years of age and often have to figure out how I can take lessons and apply them to all ages. So many lessons I have found are to simple and don’t hold the older kids attention and other lesson are to hard for younger kids, but with these learn the books of the bible games they will be perfect for the range of kids!
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for the work you do to help teachers with this great ideas. Thanks Lord for the work you do to the kids Ginny Murrels. It is not easy to work with kids when parents do not function well but I am sure God will help you to do your best and you will be a very positive influence in the lives of those kids. God bless you.
Thanks, Jonas! I hope you will enjoy them. Blessings to you too!
These games are worth trying, thanks Kathy. Be blessed!
Thank you for the kind words, Traci! Blessings to you too!
Great Ideas!! Thank you so much for sharing them!! God Bless!!
Wonderful, Dianne! So glad you found your way to my site! Blessings on your year of ministry!
Thank you so much for these ideas! My goal going into this new year was to teach my 1st and 2nd grade Sunday Schoolers the books of the Bible, so I was very excited to find these games to help make it fun!
I love these games!!! Thanks a bunch for sharing them!!
Does anyone knows what happened to Ginny Murrell and those boys in her Sunday school? The boys need therapy. The reason they keep having accidents is because they have experienced too much trauma. So they need individualized attention for all their emotions about their parents. If your still around and need some advice I can give you some suggestions. God bless you and the work your doing,
Scripture lady,
Thanks for the great ideas.
Awesome, Tisha! Glad you can use them. Blessings!
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Definitely will use these.
So glad to hear you love the games. Your encouragement blesses me!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these games… these are perfect! Thanks so much!
I am a Sunday School Teacher and Youth Leader for a very small non-denominational church in a very small town. We have a 4 faithful youth and as many as 15 (6 recently moved away). Our church has mostly poverty or folks with a tight budget (including myself) so we do a lot of activities that are free. We live on the lake so once a week in the summer we meet to swim, eat (always feed them) and share in a lesson. I attempt to take all situations and apply them to Bible situations – or have the children look up what the Bible has to say about what is happening – eg. arguing because someone didn’t share – or hitting and fighting because ‘they hit me first’. I have 3 who have ADD/ADHD and none are on medication. My youth are ages 8-13 and most of the core group have been together for 4 or 5 years. I take this responsibility seriously and seek the Lords lead in all I teach them. We often take scripture, ask each what that means to them – then have them draw a picture of what it means (very interesting results here) and try to teach them how we can show Jesus to all we meet. However, 3 of the boys really struggle and fuss a lot. Parental help is not very evident. 2 of the brothers have a mom in the nursing home who cannot speak and only gives them blank stares. They are angry and bitter. Dad has within the last 8 months started coming to church and growing in the Lord but he has a brain injury from military and has a very short fuse and is not good to follow thru with good parental skills., He is trying but the boys are now 10 and 13 and really struggling. The 10 year old still has b.m.’s in his pants and the 13 year old still wets the bed. Childrens services has been involved 2 times with no real benefit. So that is why I’m seeking any help I can to show these children Jesus and His Love and try to encourage them. Thanks – I’m especially interested in building their confidence in their relationship with the Lord and knowledge of the Word! Thanks for listening – In Christ – Ginny Murrell
I teach Jr. Church part of the year for my congregation and would love more game ideas! Thank you for your service to the Lord and taking the time to post this great information.