In this Thanksgiving game, children will learn that even though the holidays are a busy time of year, they should always take the time out of their day to thank God for all he has given us.
Materials
• One ball per two students
Object
Children will compete in pairs to see who can complete their thankful alphabet while successfully tossing a ball to their partner.
Preparation
Game is best played in a wide and open area.
Introduction
Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season. It’s the busiest travel time of the year. We are constantly moving around, visiting family, cooking, shopping, and there is hardly any downtime. When we are so busy, we really don’t think about everything we are lucky to have. It’s not that we don’t want to, we just don’t have time and our minds are constantly focused on other things. Today we are going to see how hard it is to focus as we play a game.
Instructions
1. If possible, divide the class into pairs.
2. Give one ball to each pair and have them stand across from each other, five feet apart.
3. When you say “Go!” students will begin to toss the ball back and forth.
4. With each toss, they must say something they are thankful for BUT they must do it in alphabetical order.
5. For example, student one will say something that starts with “A” and student two will say something that starts with “B.”
6. They will keep alternating with each toss.
7. While saying something they are thankful for and tossing the ball, they will take one big step away from their teammate.
8. If the ball is dropped at any time, the pair must start over.
9. The first team to get through the entire alphabet wins.
Closing
Focusing on catching was a little tough when our brain was trying to think of special items. It was a challenge, but we were all able to get pretty far into the alphabet, if not all the way through. We should look back on this game as we continue through the holiday season. No matter how busy we get, we should always take time to stop and think about how lucky we are. There are a lot of people who don’t have what we have. God has given us and continues to give us so many wonderful gifts and we should always take the time to thank him.