Use this activity as an alternative to Halloween celebrations to redeem the occassion for God!

Dress Up / Costumes
1. Animals. Assigning animals prevents an abundance of lions or elephants and no giraffes. Each two participants should receive a name of an animal. You might also include simple directions on how to create a costume for each animal that is assigned. Costumes can be simple or elaborate, home-made or store bought or rented. Masks can be created but it’s often easier to paint faces to compliment the animal costume. You can easily make ears, tails, and noses. Paint details, whiskers, spots etc. Each guest assumes the role of the animal assigned, acting and talking like that animal.

2. Noah. Find a few stuffed animals to keep with him. (two of one kind!) Small beanie babies size animals sticking out of his pockets would work. You could also make a big rainbow out of cardboard and paint and make a cutout for a handle for him to carry.

Games
1. Feed the Lion – Draw a Lion on a cardboard box and cut out the mouth of the lion. The mouth should be large enough to easily toss a small beanbag through the opening. Color the Lion. The participants must tossed the bean bags into the mouth of the lion to win a prize. A great source for pictures of a lion is coloring books. If you have an OHP available, copy the cartoon to an OHP cell, project it onto the cardboard, and simply draw the lines that are projected. Tempra Paints are great for coloring it and filling in the details!

2. Pin the tail on the Animals – Choose an animal to draw. As already mentioned, you can use coloring books if you need a something to follow. Use a piece of yarn for a tail and play the same as “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”. (i.e. Put on a blindfold and spin around and around and around. Then take the tail and try to stick it to the animal in the correct position. How close will you come to the correct spot on the donkey?) Another possible variation could be to “pin the nose” on an animal. For variety, have several animals from which children can choose.

3. Animal Tag – Have the group form a circle sitting in chairs. Everyone chooses an animal name for themselves (dog, rhino, hippo, monkey, etc.) Fitting the Noah Theme there should be two of each animal. One person stands in the middle as the “Noah” with a rolled up newspaper. The game begins with one person calling out the one of the animal names in the circle. The two animals must change places before “Noah” can grab a seat. Call out “flood” and everyone must change chairs.

4. Two by Two – All the girls stand in a circle. Then all guys form a circle around them. Make adjustments so that the inner and outer circles contain an equal number of people. Each guy should be facing a girl partner. Each guy / girl couple takes on the name of an animal. They must remember their partner. The girls begin walking clockwise while the guys walk counterclockwise. A leader then interrupts by calling out “two-by-two” At that moment, both circles stop and couples must find their partner. The guy must get down on one knee with the other knee extended so that the girl may sit on his knee. The slowest couple to assume the designated position is eliminated.

5. Monkeys Bowling – Set up 10 pins (You can make them using empty 2 liter plastic soda bottles. Fill with a little water or sand for stability, but don’t make them too heavy) For added fun, put a drawing of a yellow bananan on the pins. Grab a small coconut or simply a small ball for the bowling ball. Children are awarded prizes based on the number of bananas they bowl over.

6. Follow the Leader – For younger kids this is a lot of fun. Play “follow the leader” and go through all types of animal motions and sounds. Award prizes for the best sounds, best portrayal of an animal.

7. Animal Sounds – As everyone arrives, assign the names of animals to various persons in the room making sure that the animals assigned are scattered around the room. Then shut out the lights and have the teens make the animal sound assigned to them. They must then mingle around the room (in the dark) listening for the other animals of their kind. The first group to find each other wins.

8. Animal Relay Races – Have relay races with animal actions and sounds: “walk like a duck”; “hop like a kangaroo”; “laugh like a hyena”; “slither like a snake”, “swim like a fish”, “walk like a crab”, etc.

9. Two-by-two Pair-up – Each person should receive a card with an animal on it, and either a sound (moo, oink, meow) that they have to do, or a motion (laughing for a hyena, hopping for a kangaroo, etc.) and they have to make their sound/motion and find the other person doing the same thing (two by two).

10. Animal Trivia – Make a list of trivia questions about little know facts for various animals.

11. Best Costume – Give prizes for the best costumes. Prizes can be linked with certain animals. Like hairbrushes for a beautiful Lion’s mane, or neckties for giraffes, maybe spot remover for leopards, or luggage straps for elephants. Use your imagination.

Other Activities
1. Origami animals – get a god origami book and teach them how to do a few animals
2. Animal balloons – Tie the long thin balloons into animal shapes
3. Noah’s Ark humor

Snacks
1. Animal crackers
2. Gummy worms (for the birds)
3. Snack mix – Nuts, dried fruits
4. Fruits and vegetables

For prizes
Animal related items such as animal print notepads, a book on the Promises of God, an animal beanie baby or pair of small stuffed animals, a large box of animal crackers.

Application
Tell the story of Noah. Discuss the Promises of God.

Holiday Collection

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