100 Theme Night Ideas for Your Children’s Ministry

Are you looking for some new games to play in your Awana club or children’s ministry? Maybe you’re wondering how to keep everyone engaged. Every year we can find ourselves searching for new activities to fill our ministry calendars. That’s where theme nights come in!

We’ve compiled a list of 100 crowd pleasers, grouped by subject, to support you during your ministry year. You don’t have to try one every week, but you certainly can! They’re easy to arrange, and most use simple household items. Some also come with Large Group lesson suggestions.

However and wherever you meet, you can use theme nights to re-energize your group, boost participation and encourage handbook achievement. Look for the for themes that can be adapted to online gatherings. Once you have discovered your favorites download the Theme Night Calendar or the Theme Night Calendar template to make your club night planning a cinch!

Have you tried any of the theme nights below? Did we miss your favorite one? Share your ideas in the comments!

All About Missionaries

1. Any Country Night – Choose a country to celebrate. This could be one where your church has missionaries or a home country of one of your leaders. Search the internet for a country’s Independence Day or the time of year the U.S. celebrates a heritage month, and plan your event around it. Play games and fix food from that country, talk about the culture and the land. Large Group Lesson: Share a story about a missionary in that country.  

2. Penny Night – Play games with pennies; start a penny drive for missionaries. Large Group Lesson: widow’s offering (Mark 12:42). 

3. Missionary Night – Bring a map and follow a well-known missionary’s route, or invite a missionary to teach the lesson. Talk about what missionaries need (a map, a suitcase, cans of food, etc.) and what they might see on their journeys. Discuss what it means to share God’s Word far away and close to home. Large Group Lesson: Talk about Paul and Barnabas being the first missionaries (Acts 13:1-14:7).

Characters & Costumes

4. Pirate Night – Kids dress as pirates. Play games with gold-covered chocolate coins or organize a scavenger hunt. Designate a set amount of time to talk like pirates. Large Group Lesson: the Bible doesn’t talk about pirates, but we do have an account of Paul’s shipwreck. We also have other verses that talk about treasure (Acts 27-28 and Proverbs 2:3-5).

5. Wise Men Night – Kids dress up as wise men (or women) or wear a star. If you can, get samples of frankincense and myrrh so kids understand what this is. Sometimes Christian bookstores sell these in special Christmas displays. Large Group Lesson: The wise men coming to see the child Jesus (Matthew 1). Note: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were living in a house by this time. Jesus was probably about 2 years old. The wise men did not come to the manger.

6. King and Queen Night – Kids can dress as kings or queens. Large Group Lesson: Esther or any other Bible event that involves kings and queens.

Club Cliffhangers

7. Coupon It – On the last night of club in a calendar year, give all kids a coupon to be turned in for the first club night next year. The coupon could be for an ice cream cone or something out of the ordinary. If you have a firefighter in your church, for instance, the coupon could offer kids the chance to sit in a real fire truck.

8. Treasure Hunt Night – Hide plastic gold coins or small prizes around your room and send kids on a treasure hunt. At the end of the night, bring out a treasure chest and tell the group you’ll open it on the first night of Awana next year. Remind them about it over the summer during church. Large Group Lesson: If you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:4-5).

9. Club Preview Night – In spring, give kids a preview of the next program they’ll be going to. Introduce them to the new room, handbooks, awards and club characters. Have children suggest fun things to do on the first night of the new ministry year, but tell them they’ll have to wait to find out what the surprise will be!

10. Scrapbook Night – Take individual and group photos. (Kids can wear their uniforms or club T-shirts.) During craft time, ask kids to write down or draw their favorite Awana memory. Turn the mementos into a scrapbook or banner to welcome children on their first night of the new club year.

Competitions 

11. Freckles Night – For every verse the kids say, they get to put a “freckle” (red circle sticker) on their leaders. The group that puts the most stickers on their leader wins!

12. Johnny Appleseed Night – Play games with apples, such as an apple toss and race. Stand your kids behind a designated line and toss an apple into a bucket. Move the bucket further and further each time. The team that gets the most apples in the bucket wins. Large Group Lesson: Tell kids about Johnny Appleseed, aka John Chapman, who became known as Johnny Appleseed when he traveled throughout an area now known as Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, etc., planting apple seeds. His goal was to help provide food for pioneers. Johnny Appleseed also preached God’s Word to those he came in contact with, often stopping at the homes of settlers and sharing the gospel.

13. Super Sundae Night – Treat the kids to a super sundae and use the night to incentivize your kids to say a certain number of verses. (Give them at least four weeks to attain the goal.)

14. Memory Challenge Night – Did you know there is such a thing as a USA Memory Championship? Competitors go through a variety of competitions to try to remember names and faces, numbers, poetry, objects, or random words. Hold your own memory championship. Let kids know it will be fun and that no one will be put on the spot. 

15. Club Color Night – Kids wear apparel and accessories in their club’s color (blue for Cubbies, red for Sparks, green for T&T). They can use stickers, T-shirts, nail polish, face paint and more. Which group is the most vibrant? Leaders can either count each article of clothing to determine a winner or judge which group is the most creative.

16. Verse Bee – Have a “verse bee,” with kids working together as teams. Read (or quote) the first half of a verse and see which team can finish it. Large Group Lesson: hiding God’s Word in our heart (Psalm 119:11).

17. Dog Show Night – Lots of kids love dogs, so why not have a dog show night at club? Kids bring stuffed dogs for “show” and an opportunity to win homemade ribbons for the prettiest, the cutest, the funniest, the smallest and the biggest dog. Set up an agility course for your kids. Include opportunities for them to jump over a low hurdle, crawl through a “tube” of chairs, and run back and forth between pins.

18. What’s My Name Night – Give every child some paper and a pencil. See how many children can write everyone’s first name. Now see how many of God’s names they can come up with. Large Group Lesson: Read verses that refer to God by His various names and explain what each name means.

19. Piñata Night – Buy a piñata and give kids a chance to break it open. Tell everyone a few weeks in advance that they can earn a certain number of tries by finishing all of their handbook sections. Or, have a review game on Piñata Night and let kids earn tries by answering Scripture questions. Make sure everyone gets some of the treats inside! The Awana Store offers a supply of branded gifts. 

20. Fish Night – Bring goldfish crackers for a treat and for games. Have children race each other to a finish line while holding a spoon filled with a determined number of crackers. Set up fishing nets for kids to throw balls into. Make paper fish with magnets glued to the backs and fishing rods with magnets on the end for the clubbers to “catch” fish. Large Group Lesson: Talk about the meaning of following Jesus (Mark 1:16-24). 

21. Ruler Night – Ask kids to bring a ruler, yardstick or tape measure to club. Have kids compete in a variety of events in which the result needs to be measured. Throw items from the Game Time Kit or a disc flyer. Large Group Lesson: Discuss Solomon or David, or about allowing the peace of God to rule in your heart (Colossians 3:15).

Crafts

22. Encourage a Friend Night – Ask older kids to make cards for younger Awana groups in your church. For instance, children in Sparks can write to Cubbies and encourage them to finish their handbooks so they can be Sparkies one day. For clubs that meet virtually, make a fun video to share with the other groups. 

23. Mr. (or Mrs.) Potato Head^® Night – Provide art materials such as sequins, string, etc. (For kids meeting virtually, have them collect simple items from around their homes.) Ask kids to dress their potato as different people and things: an Awana leader, a well-known person, a dog or a person from the Bible. Give prizes for the most creative.

24. Pastor Appreciation Night – Ask children to write a note of appreciation to your pastor. Collect the notes and deliver them during Pastor Appreciation week. Invite your pastor to speak at Awana! (October is Pastor Appreciation Month.) 

25. Duct Tape Night – Give the kids an opportunity to show their creativity by creating duct tape clothing items (such as a hat or bracelet). Provide them with duct tape in various colors and designs. Large Group Lesson:  … There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24). 

26. Time Capsule Night – Gather interesting items for a time capsule. If you plan to open the capsule at the end of the year, ask the kids to write down (or email) two or three short-term goals to put in the capsule. Or make a capsule to open when most of the kids are graduating from high school. Include a current event update, goals the kids have, goals you have for your Awana club, and anything else you would like to preserve. Large Group Lesson idea: redeeming the time (Ephesians 5:16).

Food

27. Cookie Night – Bake a giant cookie (or four giant cookies, one for each team). Count how many chocolate chips you put into the cookie. For every Scripture section a child recites, they get one guess as to how many chips are in the cookie. The one who comes closest gets to take the cookie home, or they might choose to break it into pieces and share it with the team. Large Group Lesson: sharing.

28. Lots of Food Night (John 6:1-15) – Ask children to bring to club any canned food they’d like to donate to a food bank. And because it’s “Lots of Food Night,” have a snack together! Large group lesson: Explain that children can make a difference for God just like the boy did by giving up His lunch to feed the multitudes (John 6:1-14).

29. Recipe Night – Ask kids to bring their favorite snack to your gathering! Have them explain why it’s their favorite and share simple recipes. If you are meeting online, you may not be able to have a meal together in person; but you can talk to kids about the importance of breaking bread together – for the early Church and for Christians today. Large Group lesson: hospitality. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts. …  (Acts 2:46).

Fun

30. Half Night – Halfway through the year, celebrate Half Night. Award small prizes to kids who are halfway through their books (on track). Set up Game Time so children run halfway around the circle. During snack time give each child half a cookie. Large Group Lesson: Talk about Esther and how the king offered her anything up to half his kingdom (Esther 5:3). 

31. Island Night – Pretend it’s summer and you’re on a tropical island. Have an indoor cookout, turn the heat up, dress in summer clothes, and play games with beach balls. Hang streamers and balloons around the room, color pictures of things you see during the summer, play games with a beach ball, etc. This is an especially good theme for mid-January. 

32. High Five Night – Do things in fives: five laps around the Game Square, a special award for saying five sections (or five shares for each verse said), etc. Give lots of “air high fives.” 

33. Build a Boat Night – Lots of Bible events take place around the water. To illustrate your lesson, have kids build a boat using Popsicle sticks or show them how to make a boat with construction paper.

34. Neon Night – Hand out glow sticks and glow-in-the-dark toys, and turn down the lights! This is a fun Zoom activity. Large Group Lesson: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16).

35. Planet Night – Play Planet Ring Toss: Set different-sized balls around the room representing planets. Have each child stand behind a designated line and try to toss a plastic flying ring around a planet. Give points for each planet the team loops. Make sure each child keeps track of his or her ring throughout the game to avoid sharing germs! Talk about each planet and how God made them all. Pick a nice day and set up a planet walk so kids can get a better idea of how far away the planets are from the Earth and Sun.

36. Vacation Night – Ask kids to come to club dressed as if they’re going on vacation. Decorate the room with posters from different places and take the kids’ pictures in front of them. Large Group Lesson: Read about Paul’s missionary journeys. He wasn’t on vacation, but he was on a mission. Discuss the reason he traveled and why he kept going even after he was beaten and arrested.

37. Mail Night – Handwrite cards for your children, telling them how much you enjoy having them in club. Then, pull out the art supplies and give the kids an opportunity to make a card for someone who can’t get to church very often. Large Group Lesson: caring, community and communication.

38. Campfire Night – Build a real campfire, or make an imitation one with logs, a couple of flashlights, and orange, yellow and red crepe/tissue paper. Sing campfire songs. Large Group Lesson: Talk about the need to follow Christ (John 21:9 ).

39. Joyful Noise Night – Ask kids to come to club with an object that makes noise. It could be anything from a pan and a spoon to a real instrument. Designate specific times throughout the night for kids to make noise. Large Group Lesson: Explain Psalm 100.

40. Silent Night – After the noise of theme night 39, you may be ready for Silent Night. During this club meeting no one can say a word except to recite verses, answer questions, or teach the Large Group Lesson. You could even choose songs with motions so no words need to be said. Look online for how to sign God, Jesus, the cross, etc., and teach the kids how to make the signs.

41. Talent Show Night – Give kids the stage to perform a special song, dance move, poem or other talent. This can be an optional activity; but encourage children who don’t participate to cheer for their friends. Large Group Lesson: Romans 12:6-8.

42. Drive-in Movie Night – Get families involved in decorating a large cardboard box to look like a car. The box needs to be large enough for their child to sit in. Show a fun video or movie and serve popcorn. Use the evening as a point of celebration.

Holiday 

43. No Room in the Inn Night – On a club night before Christmas, have all your clubs meet outside. Make sure kids bundle up if it’s cold where you live. Purchase hay bales for kids to use as chairs. Bring flashlights for them to use as they say verses. Make a chalk circle on the parking lot for games. The purpose of the night is to remind the kids that the Lord Jesus Christ was not born in a hospital or a comfortable room, but rather He was born outside and laid in a manger. (This works best for older kids). Large Group Lesson: Luke 2. 

44. Ugly Christmas Sweater Night – Ask kids to wear their ugliest Christmas sweaters. If they don’t have an ugly Christmas sweater at their house, they can do a “bad” job of decorating a t-shirt or sweater to make it ugly. An alternative is to provide a T-shirt and supplies for kids to decorate at club. Large Group Lesson: Man looks on the outward appearance, but God knows our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7).

45. Veterans Day Night – Dress in red, white and blue. Thank the Lord for our freedoms. Invite a veteran to come speak to your club and explain that serving can take different forms. Put together something special, like a song or a card, to thank your visitor for what they’ve done for our country and for us.

46. Thanks Night – Ask your children to think of someone they are grateful for and to write that person a short note of thanks. Young children can draw a picture that illustrates their feelings. Teach them how to say “thank you” in different languages. Large Group Lesson: ten men with leprosy; only one is thankful (Luke 17:11-19).

47. Christmas Shopping Night – Give kids a chance to use their Awana shares to buy Christmas gifts for their family. About a month or so before your Christmas Shopping Night, ask church members to donate either new or gently used items for the store … or money to buy store items. Large Group Lesson: Talk about the joy of giving to others (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).

48. Holiday Charity Night – Plan an “all-club” contest to help fill the church’s holiday food basket or gift drive. Prepare a list of needed items to send home with each child. (You could also post the list on the club Facebook page.) The winner — the club that donates the most items — gets a special treat. Large Group Lesson: sharing (Romans 12:13). 

Interactive

49. Kids Run It Night – Give children the opportunity to lead club. Assign a speaker, musicians, etc., and allow them to come up with the program (with your approval, of course).

50. Music Night – Invite kids who play a musical instrument to be part of a music show. Sing extra songs during Large Group Time (or use some of Game Time to sing). Large Group Lesson: Ephesians 5:19.

51. Leader Favorite Night – Each leader chooses a favorite game, a favorite song and a favorite verse. One or two leaders can also bring their favorite snacks to share with everyone.

Nature 

52. Animal Theme Night – Ask kids to bring their favorite stuffed animals to club, or wear hats, shirts and shoes with animals on them. Hang pictures of animals around your room. Do an animal craft. Large Group Lesson: Discuss any portions of Genesis that relate to animals. 

53. Flying High – Talk about animals that fly: birds, frogs, squirrels, insects, etc. (and there’s even a fish that can fly short distances!). Talk about planes and hang gliders and paragliders, and how God gave us the ability to think and create such amazing things. Make paper airplanes and fly them around the room during Game Time.

54. “I Love Spring” Night – Talk about what happens in spring. Flowers and trees bloom, the sun shines more, baby animals are born, the weather gets warmer, etc. Thank God for spring. Plant seeds in cups that your kids can take home to watch grow. Large Group Lesson: Genesis 8:22, Mathew 24:32, 2 Timothy 4:2.

55. Outer Space Night – Peek outside at the sky to see what’s visible. Or set up a telescope outside and give each child a turn to look through it. Play with these scaled-to-size planet cutouts and marvel at the size of the universe! Large Group Lesson: God made the sun, moon, stars. He created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1).

56. Virtual Nature Walk – Take kids on a tour through God’s creation! Or record a quiet walk through a local forest or park (you can also find similar videos online), and play it for your group. Let kids point out everything they see and draw pictures. For even more fun, bring real items to show such as fresh-cut flowers or a pet hamster. Large Group Lesson: Discuss how God reveals His majesty through plants, wildlife, and people.

Scripture Activities 

57. Count Your Blessings Night – Wear clothes that have numbers on them. Pass out small blank notebooks and show kids how to start their own gratitude journal. Ask them to write or draw something they’re thankful for and share it with the group. Large Group Lesson: And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19). 

58. Love Night – Talk with your kids about how to show God’s love to others. Are we kind, patient, humble? Role-play different situations common to a child’s life. What is the loving way to handle the situation? What is the unkind way to handle the situation? Older kids can anonymously write down the situations they would like to see acted out. Large Group Lesson:1 Corinthians 13.

59. John 3:16 Night – Every year on the club night closest to March 16, have John 3:16 night, with a special emphasis on the Gospel of Christ.

60. Affliction Night – Ask children to come dressed in bandages, or provide bandages for them to wear throughout the night. Include a three-legged race during Game Time or tie a bow with one hand. Large Group Lesson: The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).

61. Roman Night – Have each child come, wearing an old sheet like a toga over their clothes. During Game Time, kids must speed walk around the Game Square in their costumes. Large Group Lesson: Talk about what Paul meant when he said we should be living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2).

62. Fruit of the Spirit Night – Teach the kids a song about the Fruit of the Spirit. Play games with fruit. Bowl with apples (and of course, the apples probably will not go in a straight line). Use bananas as batons. Enjoy a snack made with fruit. Large Group Lesson: Talk about the different characteristics of the Christian life as evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25).

63. Obedience Night – Talk about how obedience goes further than simply doing what you’re told; you need a good attitude, too. Use examples such as this: “Mom tells you to clean your room. You head down the hall, but you kick your little brother’s block tower, slam the door and think mean thoughts about your mom as you are working. Do you think that’s what God meant when He said we were to obey and honor our parents?” Play games, like Simon Says, that demonstrate obedience. Or have the kids take turns being blindfolded and led through an obstacle course by directions (not physically guided). Large Group Lesson: Ephesians 6:1-2.

64. Weather Night – Most people don’t know the phrase “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor’s take warning” is based on a verse (Matthew 16:2-3). Discuss this, make windsocks from cotton and ribbon, and talk about one of the storms in the Bible, such as the one found in Jonah or detailed in Mark 4:35-41.

65. Copycat Night – Kids can dress up as twins with a friend. Talk about people you look up to most, such as older siblings or teachers, and what makes them so inspiring. Large Group Lesson: Be imitatators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Seasonal 

66. Harvest Fun – Decorate with corn stalks and dried ears of corn, and put together the supplies for kids to do a leaf-rubbing craft. Serve a fall snack, such as pumpkin pie or apple cider. Large Group Lesson: Talk about the colors of the leaves, how wonderful it is that God made the earth the way He did, and that we can see such beautiful colors in the fall.

67. Winter – Hang paper snowflakes around the room. Serve snow cones or snowflake-shaped cookies as a treat. If you live where there is snow, have the children share their experiences with snow. Show pictures of actual snowflakes. Large Group Lesson: No two snowflakes are the same. Talk about how we are all different, and how God made each of us unique and special.

68. December Contest Night – Plan a simple contest for the December club nights, with the opportunity for everyone to be a winner. For instance, the requirements might be to say three verses or do two sections—a task doable for all your children. Then announce that the promised celebration for the winners will be the first night back. Be sure to make the celebration something your kids enjoy: ice cream, tacos, whatever works. Emphasize needing to be at club the first night back in order to receive the prize.

69. Crazy Scarf Night – Celebrate winter with everyone wearing a fun scarf. Show pictures of the different seasons (explaining how they look in different areas of the country) and how they each serve an important purpose, like enabling plants to grow. Marvel together at how wonderful God’s creation is because of seasons.

Serving 

70. Nickel and Dime Night – Ask kids to bring nickels and dimes for your local Awana missionary or another missionary your church supports. (Let leaders and children know about this night several weeks beforehand so they can begin saving.) Ask a local missionary to speak or talk about the importance of Awana missionaries. Show your kids a map of all the places Awana has clubs. Large Group Lesson: the importance of missionaries and their role in spreading the Gospel.  

71. Souper Bowl Night – Ask leaders and kids to bring soup for a soup kitchen or food pantry. Play football-related games. Let kids dress up in their favorite team jerseys. 

72. Give-the-Shirt-Off-Your-Back Night – Have kids bring a new or never-worn child-sized T-shirt to donate to a mission, shelter or other organization that works with needy children. (Of course, leaders need to make sure that any shirts with words are appropriate.) Large Group Lesson: giving to those in need (Romans 12:20).

73. Make a Christmas Card Night – Provide supplies — markers, glitter, old cards to cut up — for your children to make cards for residents of a community nursing home. (Choose a home where Christmas cards would be welcomed.)  Large Group Lesson: Discuss what a community is, how it is important to Jesus, and that He asks us to care for both those in our community and those who may not have community. Explain to the kids how they belong to the Awana community.

74. Verse-A-Thon Night – Everything you need to know is right here.

75. Generosity Night – Ask kids to donate packages of clean underwear for a children’s shelter (often shelters get play clothes, but not underwear-type articles of clothing). Or collect Bibles for a mission, toys for a homeless shelter, gently worn winter jackets, toiletries or loose change for a GO project. Large Group  Lesson: Talk about the churches in Macedonia. Even though they experienced severe poverty and were hurting, themselves, they were generous (1 Corinthians 8). Note: Bible scholars believe these churches were under great persecution for their belief in Christ.

76. Kindness Night – Ask your kids if they know someone in their family, neighborhood or school who could use some help. Have them think of a way they can be kind to this person, and suggest they follow through with their idea and report back the next week. Have the kids serve each other during snack time. Large Group Lesson: Discuss what kindness is and looks like (Colossians 3:12).

77. Town Night – What’s taking place in your town right now? Is there a big event happening or something your community needs? Think of ways you can incorporate that into a theme night. Perhaps your kids could collect food for a local food bank as part of the theme, collect change or design flyers to spread the news of an event to their friends and family.

78. Prayer Walk – Make sure you have the necessary permission to go off church property, or take a walk around your building. Ask kids to quietly pray for each home and person they see. Large Group Lesson: Romans 12:12, Jeremiah 29:12, Jeremiah 33:3.

Show & Tell 

79. Favorite Toy/Game Night – This is a great Zoom option. Kids can take turns displaying and talking about their favorite items. At the end of the night, thank God for the provision of everything, even toys and games.

80. Solid Rock Night – Ask kids to bring a special rock to club and explain why it is special. Or provide rocks for the kids to paint or use as a craft. Large Group Lesson: Psalm 18, 19, etc.

81. Future Night – What do your kids want to be when they grow up? Have them come to club dressed as their future self. Discuss what they expect the future to look like. Share a little about your past and how today is the future of your childhood. Large Group Lesson: Although things around us continue to change, God remains the same. As He was in the past, He is in the present and will be in the future (Heberews 13:8, Revelation 1:8).

82. Visitor Night – If other groups meet at your church on Awana night, such as a Bible study for parents or seniors, arrange to have your kids stop by for a visit. Recite one of the Bible verses you’ve learned, bring a craft as a gift, or sing an Awana song!

Special Guest 

83. Wonderfully Made Night – Invite a health or science teacher to talk about amazing and fun facts about our bodies. Provide rulers and yardsticks for the kids to measure their hands, feet, height, etc. Have them stretch out their arms and measure the span. (The length will roughly be the same as their height.) Play games related to the five senses. Large Group Lesson: Discuss how wonderfully God made our bodies, the importance of taking care of our bodies — the temple of the Holy Spirit — and what it means to be the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27, 1 Corinthians 6:19).

84. Ant Night – Invite someone to talk to the group who knows about ants (perhaps they have an ant farm). Make ants on a log for a snack (peanut butter and raisins on celery). Large Group Lesson: Proverbs 6:6 or 30:24.

85. Grandparents Night – Invite grandparents to visit. They’ll enjoy coming, the kids will be happy, and you might get a new leader or two! Kids who don’t have grandparents available could “adopt” someone they know to be their grandparent for the evening, or identify people at church who are willing to be an “adopted” grandparent for a child. (In the “adopted” grandparent situations, team up a couple adults for each child, to follow child-protection guidelines.) Large Group Lesson: Ephesians 4:32.

86. Bring Your Friends Party – Encourage kids to invite friends and plan a night of fun, welcoming games. If your club gathers online, consider inviting friends who may not have felt comfortable joining you before. Some guests are more comfortable trying a new church virtually instead of in person.

87. A Favorite Speaker Night – Who is a favorite among those you ask to be guest speakers for Large Group lessons? Is it the church deacon who used to be a pro football player, the Gospel illusionist or the lady who tells Bible events in such a way that all the kids are on the edge of their chairs? Let the kids know that person will be teaching the lesson.

Surprise 

88. Grace Night – Give children surprise gifts. Tell them, “You did nothing to deserve the gift, the leaders merely wanted to express how much they care about you.” Large Group Lesson: Explain that salvation is a gift of grace from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Trivia & Riddles 

89. Riddles and Giggles Night – Everyone brings a joke to share. For Game Time, give each child a number that they keep to themselves. To play the game, have everyone put their head down and close their eyes. When you call out a number, the person with that number must laugh. Then everyone else tries to guess who laughed. Give everyone a turn at laughing. Large Group Lesson: A joyful heart is good medicine. …” (Proverbs 17:22).

90. Wisdom Night – Challenge kids to bring in a trivia fact, and give them an opportunity to share their wisdom with each other. (Depending on your group, you might want leaders to check for anything inappropriate before kids share their facts.) Large group Lesson: Matthew 3. Where did the wise men come from? How many were there? What were those gifts they brought the Christ child?

91. Trivia Night – This is a compilation of what the kids have learned throughout the year. Set your room up as your favorite game show stage. Give points for kids who bring a Bible trivia question with them to club. (But know that leaders will have to write most of the questions.) Intersperse Bible questions with trivia such as, “How much pizza does the average person eat every year? – 46 slices!” Questions/answers like these are easy to find on the Internet. Give out small prizes for the winning team.

92. Are You Smarter Than a Kid? Night – One club challenged church adults to a Scripture/Bible knowledge contest against the kids. Guess what? The kids won! Have a good-natured friendly competition and give everyone a lasting memory.

Wear 

93. Messy Night – Let kids come to club as untidy as they want. For those meeting in person, this gives the game director the freedom to play messy games. For a fun virtual option, give kids time to pull out silverware, buttons, nails and other everyday items and arrange them into art. (Make sure to clear this with parents first.) Have kids show you their art, through a photograph if necessary, before cleaning up any mess. Large Group Lesson: our righteousness acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

94. Dots and Stripes Night – Ask kids to wear polka dots or stripes to club. For every section said, kids get to “dot” their leader with a dot sticker. Large Group Lesson: Joseph and his coat of many colors. Explain that the big deal about the coat was it was embroidered and long, not plain and short like a shepherd’s coat. Joseph’s coat was like those given to privileged people who didn’t have to work. (Shorter shepherd’s coats allowed the shepherd to quickly climb over rocks and jump over streams.) No wonder Joseph’s brothers were jealous (Genesis 37).

95. Goofy Glasses Night – Have kids wear/make goofy glasses. Give prizes for the goofiest! Large Group Lesson: We’re told to look to Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).

96. Dress Like Your Dad or Mom Night – Help kids get ideas for dressing like their parents. Suggest they model a uniform, if their parents wear a uniform to work or Awana. Or have them think about a “tool” of their parent’s employment that they could carry — a book for a teacher, a stethoscope for a doctor, etc. Large Group Lesson: Ephesians 6:2. 

97. Fashion Disaster Night – On this night, children come dressed as mismatched as they can. For Game Time, present a pile of mismatched pairs of socks. Have the kids take them apart and find the matches. The team to match all their socks the fastest wins. Play this game with your entire Awana club for a fun night of getting to know one another. Large Group Lesson: “… [People] looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7).

98. Cow Night – Ask kids to come dressed in the colors of a cow or to wear a bell around their neck. Show them different pictures of cows from different areas of the U.S. and around the world. Play “Dead cow, sick cow” during Game Time. Large Group Lesson: He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10).

99. ‘80s Night – Celebrate the decade with everyone dressing in the style of the ‘80s. Use slang from the time period, bring in toys that were popular, etc.

100. Lifesaver Night – Kids dress up as first responders. Talk about the ways each hero saves lives. Have a Lifesavers® hunt. Divide the individually wrapped candies by color. While kids close their eyes, hide about three of each color candy around the room. Tell each child they can only collect one certain color. If they find another color Lifesaver, they must leave it where it is. Do this until everyone has had a turn. Large Group Lesson: For, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

If you’ve enjoyed this list, download a PDF version of it to hang on your wall or store in your club binder.