Orthodox interesting games for schoolchildren. Christian Games

1. MRS MUBL

10-15 people sit in a circle. One begins the game with the following question addressed to the neighbor on the right: "Is Mrs. Mable at home?" He must answer: “I don’t know, I’ll ask my neighbor.” And he asks the neighbor the same question, to which he receives the same answer. Participants get all the pleasure from how the words are pronounced. They must be spoken without showing teeth, i.e. biting his lips.

2. ROBBIE
You need 5 or more people to play. The host says some commands. If he says: Robbie says .... (do this), then the rest follow the command. If the leader simply says a command (do something), then it is not necessary to execute it. Anyone who makes a mistake is out of the game. Commands can be the following: close your eyes, raise your arms, lower your arms, jump up, meow, etc. The one who remains last wins.

3. REMEMBER THINGS
15-20 different items are laid out on the table. Players are given 30 seconds to remember them. Then the items are covered. Each participant writes what he remembers. Whoever memorizes the most items wins. The game can be made a team game, i.e., not one person remembers, but a team; The team with the most items wins.

4 Lost Sheep
Children's game on the theme: "Jesus the Good Shepherd". Key Thought: The Lord always knows where we are and can always find us as a good Shepherd. 5-50 people play. One person leaves the room, at this time a "sheep" is hiding - some kind of object. The "shepherd" enters and begins to search, and everyone else helps him, clapping their hands, according to the "cold-hot" principle.

5. BAG
The game is good at parsing the Bible story about the healing of the blind. The facilitator invites the children to imagine themselves blind and guess objects by touch. To do this, a bag is taken into which a variety of items are added: a watch, an apple, matches, a glass, etc. If desired, everyone can reach into the bag and pull out objects one by one, guessing them.

6. Crocodile
A minimum of 4 people are required to play. Players are divided into two teams with approximately the same number of people. The first team thinks of a word, for example, "student". Then they call any one player from the opposite team and tell him this hidden word. The task of this player is to pantomime this word for his team to guess it. When the player shows the hidden word, then his team begins to guess aloud. For example: do you show the school? To which the player may respond with a nod of the head, but must not utter any words or sounds. When the word is guessed, the teams switch roles.

7. CONDUCTOR
A minimum of 5 people are required to play. Everyone stands in a circle, one player goes out. One person is chosen to be the "conductor". He will show as if playing musical instruments, and repeat everything after him. The guessing player enters and everyone starts to play, repeating after the "conductor", the guessing player must find out who the "conductor" is. If he guessed it in less than three attempts, then he stands in a circle, and the “conductor” comes out instead of him, and if he failed to guess twice, then he guesses again, only a new conductor is chosen.

8. THE RIGHT VOICE
The game is good for the topic of the lesson: how to follow Jesus. You need at least 5 people and a room for the game or space on the street, in the yard, in the forest. One player is blindfolded. Among the remaining players, one is selected, which will be the "required vote". In the room (courtyard, forest) many different obstacles are instructed. The blindfolded player must walk a certain path between these instructed objects, while everyone else advises him how to go. The "right voice" always speaks the truth, yet the rest are deceitful and try to lead astray. The traveler needs to understand whose voice is telling the truth and then constantly listen to him.

9. SALAD
Although this game is very simple, but it can become your favorite. It is worth playing it once and you will like it! The game requires one chair less than the number of players. Play 10-20 people. Everyone sits on chairs, one remains in a circle. He gives everyone the names of fruits and vegetables. For example, it turned out, 3 apples, 3 pears and 4 bananas (the one standing in a circle also takes the name of the fruit). The game starts. Standing in a circle shouts out one name: a pear! Those who received this fruit must change their place. Again, there is only one left. He also calls out the name of the fruit, or maybe two at once. If the word "salad" is shouted out, then all players must change places. The game can continue indefinitely.

10. TRANSFER TO ANOTHER
The game requires two teams of 5-7 people. This game is similar to the Crocodile game. Only here the first team thinks not one word, but a whole bible story like how Noah led the animals into the ark. Then the first team calls one player from the second team and tells him what is hidden. Unlike the game "Crocodile", the players of the second team at this time must be in another room. They are called one by one.

So, the first player from the second team learned his task: to depict how Noah brought the animals into the ark. The second player from the second team is called, to whom the first player in pantomime depicts a hidden story. He does this only once, and the second player only looks and does not ask anything. The task of the second player is to understand what they have guessed, so that later they can pass the story on to the third player from their team. So, the whole story is passed along the chain from one player to another. If the guesser knows the story, it will not be difficult for him to portray it himself in pantomime, but if he did not guess, he will begin to show him incomprehensible movements, from which all others will simply be delighted.

The last player of the second team, having watched the pantomime, must say what kind of story it is. It may happen that he will name a completely different story, which will cause general laughter. Then everyone is asked what he understood and what he portrayed. After that, the teams change places.

11. TO THE COIN
Requires 10 - 20 people. Everyone is divided into two teams, stand or sit opposite each other, hiding their hands behind the backs of their neighbors. The leader is located at one end of the chains. An object is placed at the other end: an apple, a matchbox, etc. The leader tosses a coin, and the extreme players of the teams watch what falls out, while everyone else should look at the apple (boxes). If “tails” falls out, then nothing happens, and the coin is flipped; if “heads” falls out, then the extreme players of the teams must shake hands with their neighbor, and he passes the signal on until he reaches the opposite end. The latter, having received a signal, must grab the apple. In the team that grabbed the apple, a movement is made: the one who grabbed it sits on the opposite end of the chain, and everyone moves. Now he watches the coin fall out. The team with the fastest movement of all players wins.

12. GUESS THE MELODY
The game involves 10-15 people. Everyone stays in the room, one leaves. Players think of some song, for example, "A Christmas tree was born in the forest." The first line of the song is taken, from which everyone receives one word. He will sing it. The guesser enters, and everyone begins to sing only their word. The task is to guess the song.

13. RING
8-20 people play. For the game you need a thread and a ring. The thread is threaded into a ring and the ends are tied. Everyone stands in a circle, holding the thread in front of them with both hands. The thread must be taut. One person is in the center of the circle. He must find the ring, which the other players are constantly moving along the thread. The next person to go into the circle is the one with the ring.

14. REMEMBER THE DETAILS
The game requires 5-15 people. The host with one player comes out and changes some detail in the appearance of this player. For example, they unbutton one button, roll up a sleeve or change their hairstyle. They then return to the rest of the players, who must guess what has changed.

15. SUITCASE
Game for the development of memory. 3-12 people play. The first player says: "I take a suitcase and put in it ... a cucumber." The second player continues: "I take a suitcase and put a cucumber, a tree in it." Etc. Everyone adds their word to the chain. The last person to correctly name the entire chain wins.

16. WHITE ELEPHANT or HOW TO GIVE GIFTS
special game on New Year's Eve
Why "White Elephant", I don't know, but that's how it's called.
This game is good to play on New Year's Eve or Christmas Eve. But this is optional.
So, each participant in the game (7-25 people) brings with him a gift wrapped in such a way that it is impossible to guess what is inside. All gifts are placed under the tree.
All players gather in one room and watch what is happening. The game starts. The first participant goes to the Christmas tree and takes any gift he likes. He unfolds it in front of everyone, shows it, demonstrates it and sits down with a gift in his place. Then the second participant gets up and chooses a gift for himself. He can take the gift from under the tree or take the gift from the first player. And so each next participant can take a gift from under the Christmas tree or pick up an already unwrapped gift from one of the players. If a gift is taken away from someone, then this person chooses a new gift for himself. He can again take something from under the tree or take it from someone else. But he cannot take back the gift that was just taken from him. The game is considered over when there are no gifts left under the tree.
During the game, each person who has already received a gift should not hide it from others, but rather advertise what a wonderful present he has, take whoever wants, I don’t feel sorry. This game teaches sacrifice.
NOTE: in order to play this game, you need to warn everyone in advance that there will be a "White Elephant", explaining the rules. Gifts should be such that they can be useful to both the guy and the girl.

17. CALLER
Everyone is blindfolded, except for the host. He must constantly move around the room with a bell in his hand. The rest try to catch the leader by ringing the bell. Sometimes they catch each other and are convinced that they were mistaken when they heard the ringing of a bell in the distance. The player who caught and recognized the caller becomes the leader.

18. WHO IS NOT?
Participants sit on chairs. The leader leaves the room. At this time, one of the players is covered with a blanket, the other players change places. Then the leader is called. He will have to find and determine as quickly as possible: who is not in the room. If the leader calls the hiding person, the latter becomes the leader. The winner is the one who quickly determined: who is not.

19. WHO GURBLES LONGER?
Find some volunteers to come out in front of the group. Each takes water in his mouth and begins to gurgle. Swallowing is not allowed! You can stop for a few seconds to take a breath. From laughter and gurgling, water is splashed on the floor - then the participant is disqualified.

20. Blinds and Bluffs in the Dark
Attach a small piece of paper to the back of each player. Blindfold each eye. Then give each player a pencil. The goal of the game is to roam around the room and recognize the people you're running into while trying to hide your own identity. This can be achieved by changing the voice, refusing to speak, changing the trajectory of movement around the room, not allowing anyone to touch you. On the back of each person he encounters, the player must write who, in his opinion, this person is. The game continues until you feel that most of the players have been able to write something on each spin.

21. SHIT A FRIEND
Have all team members entering the room take off their shoes and put them in a bag. Leave the package in the next room. From each team, a runner is selected who will run after the shoes described by each of the players on his team. So, the first describes the signs of his shoes, the runner runs after her, brings, the second says the signs of his shoes. The goal of the game is for the runner to quickly find and bring the shoes of his team.

22. ENCYCLOPEDIA
This team intellectual game is sure to please you. It is good for her to have 1-3 hours left, for example, if you celebrate the New Year in a friendly company.
It takes a little preparation to play. Let the host take encyclopedic Dictionary and write down a few unknown words on a piece of paper. For example, these:
. LOPAR - the name of the Sami peoples used in literature
. RETURN - an obsolete name for skimmed milk that was returned from dairies to farms to feed calves
. PERCAL - thin cotton technical fabric made from non-twisted yarn
. RECHITSA - a city in the Gomel region, a pier on the Dnieper
. SUTRA - in ancient Indian literature, a laconic and fragmentary statement
. Kimbundu - the language of the Bambundu people
. Melon - in Russian architecture of the 15th-17th centuries, a decorative detail, thickening in pillars, columns in window frames
. GOKCHA - the former name of Lake Sevan
. SCOTSIA - (from Greek - darkness) - an asymmetric architectural bummer with a concave profile of two arcs of different radii
After that you can play. Play 4-5 teams of 1-5 people each. All teams are given the same blank sheets of paper, exactly the same on which the leader wrote out the words for himself. The facilitator reads the first word without revealing its meaning. Each team writes its own meaning of this word (i.e. invents). Then the facilitator collects all the sheets, puts his sheet with the correct answer to them, shuffles and begins to read. After he has read all the versions (along with the correct answer), each team must guess the correct answer. If she guessed right, she gets one point. If her answer was accepted by the other team as correct, then she gets one more point (or two, or three, if two or three teams believed her answer).
In this game, the task of each team is not only to guess the correct answer, but to write their own answer so that it looks like the truth, and everyone believes this "truth".
The team that gets the largest number points.

23. GLOVED GUM
This is a mini relay.

Two teams with the same number of players receive a pair of rubber gloves, a bag that is hermetically sealed and contains sweets for each player. At the command of the host, the first player from each team puts on gloves, opens the bag, takes out and unfolds the candy, poisons it in his mouth, closes the bag tightly, takes off his gloves and passes everything to the next player. The team that completes this operation first wins.

24. RIP SOAP
This is also a mini relay.

Each team receives a bowl of water and a bar of soap. At the command of the facilitator, each team tries to wash off the soap using only hands and water. After a certain time, the host checks the size of the soap of each team. Well, of course, a small piece .....

25. WHAT DO I TAKE WITH ME ABROAD?
10-15 people play. It is possible that 2-3 people know what the essence of the game is. The leader is a customs representative.
So, everyone in turn says: "I'm going abroad and I'm taking with me .... (a table, a chicken, a volcano, etc.). If a person calls an object by the first letter of his name, then the leader (customs officer) says: "I skip" For example: Dima - money, Tanya - TV
Otherwise, the customs officer will not let you through. The task of the players is to understand by what criterion they are allowed to go abroad.

26. BUN
game for those who like to laugh
A large piece of a bun is stuffed into a person's mouth so that he can hardly speak. Then he is given a text to read. He begins to read with expression (let it be some unfamiliar verse).
Another person writes down for him what he understood, and then reads aloud to everyone. Its text is compared with the original.

27. BLANKET
For the game you need 15-40 people. People should at least know each other's names, but it's better to be well acquainted. One person walks out the door. Some of the rest are seated on a chair and covered with a blanket. The person who left the door enters back. His task is to guess who is under the covers. If there are a lot of people, this will not be so easy to do.

28. PRIZE FOR THREE
Two participants stand opposite each other - in front of them on a chair lies a prize. The facilitator counts: "One, two, three ... a hundred, one, two, three .... eleven, one, two, three ... twenty", etc. The winner is the one who is more attentive and the first to take the prize when the host says "three"

29. Cucumber
The players stand in a circle, in the center of which is the leader. The circle should be tight - shoulder to shoulder, and hands are behind. An ordinary fresh cucumber is taken, preferably a larger one, and passed around. The task of the presenter is to determine in whose hands this cucumber is now. And the task of the players is to pass the cucumber to each other, and, when the host is not looking, bite off a piece. You need to chew very carefully so as not to arouse the host's suspicions. If the operation was successful, and the cucumber was eaten unnoticed by the host, then this very victim of his own inattention will fulfill the desire of the already full meeting!

30. FORCE OF THE NOSE
For the competition, a matchbox lid is taken and put on the nose (stronger). The task is to remove the cover with the help of facial movements. The best result is obtained when the box is tightly worn on the nose.

31. RUSLAN AND HEAD
The host is chosen - Ruslan, the rest of the participants play the role of "head". To do this, it is necessary to divide as follows: one plays the role of the left eye, the other - the role of the right, the third - the nose, the fourth - the ear, etc. Then it is necessary to compose such a mise-en-scene so that a figure resembling a giant's head is formed. If there are many participants, then it is good in this case to give someone the role of left and right hand. Ruslan stands in front of the "head" and does the simplest manipulations. For example, he may wink, then yawn, sneeze, scratch his ear, etc. "The Giant's Head" should accurately reproduce all these actions. You can complete the task at a slightly slower pace.

32. I HAVE A BIRD...
Game for laughs. 5-15 people participate. A match is inserted into the mouth between the teeth so that the mouth cannot be closed. Then each in turn says, “Hi! My name is ... I have a bird, her name is ... (cuckoo, nightingale, sparrow, etc.) Everyone else must guess the name of the bird.

33. NUMBERS
This game is played by 7-15 people. Each player is assigned a number from 1 to 15 (according to the number of participants). Everyone sits in a circle, the game begins. Players make such movements: two claps, two palms on the knees. Everyone does it at the same time, this is how the rhythm of the game keeps. The first one starts: "One-one (two claps), five-five! (two palms on the knees)". The player with the number five continues: "five-five, eight-eight." So, until someone goes astray: misses or goes astray. Then that player is out. And its number can no longer be pronounced, otherwise it will also be considered an error. There should be two winners.

34. GESTURES
The game is similar to the game "Numbers", but instead of numbers, everyone invents a gesture for themselves. For example, scratch your ear, clap your hands, show your horns, etc. It's much more fun and harder.

35. SHOE FOR CINDERELLA
Guests are divided into two teams. Each has a captain. Teams sit opposite each other, everyone takes off one shoe or boot and throws it in the center in one pile: you can put extra shoes. The captains don't see it. The task of the captain is to put shoes on his team. The first team to wear the shoes wins.

The need for the game is laid down by God in the nature of a child, teenager, young man and persists even into adulthood.

Sport contributes to the development of the character of the child, teaches children to be devoted to their team, to work together, to learn to solve problems together, to be together both in joy and in sorrow. Sports and games teach honesty, as the question is often asked: “Tell the truth or lie?”

There are many games that perform various functions:

1. Games to get to know each other. (develop memory, ingenuity, relationships)
2. Games - icebreakers: "Know the neighbor on the right", "Where is your neighbor from?" (memory, speed, attention)
3. Trust games: “dinner of the blind”, “falls of trust” (trust in God, courage, coordination of movements
4. Games with a problematic task: "Leader", "Blind Man's Buff" (attention, ingenuity, leadership qualities).

Number of participants in games is also different:

1. Individual games (“Tetris”…)
2. For two (chess, checkers…)
3. For the group ("Leader", "Rock, scissors, paper ..)
4. For several groups (more than 10-20 people: football, volleyball, basketball, "zone")
5. Special games (trampoline, bows..)

In the children's Christian camp, games are given 3-4 hours daily. Children love to play very much, they have a lot of energy, and it needs to be put somewhere. And this is what games do.

The sports program provides an opportunity to instill in children:

1. Love for sports and sports games.
2. Master different sports.
3. Be more physically fit and strong.
4. The study of the foundations of Christianity in practice.
5. Develops self-confidence, organization, attention, patience, dexterity, memory, ingenuity, collectivism, love of God.

Intergroup games and tournaments help:

1. Bring the group together into a single team.
2. Strengthen relationships between team members.

General recommendations: Play in such a way that you enjoy the game and please each other. Don't get so caught up in the game that you lose control of the situation and relationships. Your goal as a mentor is to use sport as a means and opportunity to create a Christ redeeming relationship. Plato said: "I learn more about a person in one hour of playing together than in one year of talking together."

Before starting the game, ask the following questions:

1. Do I have people?
2. Is there enough time?
3. Is there a suitable place?
4. Is there inventory available?

Teaching sports games:

1. Learn the game yourself before teaching others.
2. Don't host games that don't give you pleasure (they won't give pleasure to others).
3. Study the description of the game and play it according to the "description".
4. Choose a safe place (safety should come first).
5. Give orders orally, make sure everyone understands you.
6. Go the way: from simple to complex.
7. Stop unfriendly and dangerous behavior.
8. Encourage and involve everyone in the game.
9. Evaluate the situation constantly (ask yourself: “What is the response of the participants?”)
10. Be attentive to children and their mood (do not impose on them more than they can accept).
11. After the game, sum up the results and let the participants express their impressions.

What if the kids don't want to play?

1. Cheer them up. Give them special attention.
2. "Get out" before the game starts.
3. Children can be captivated by the very excitement of games
4. Use incentives (prizes, tokens, sweets) to attract children.

What to do if children fight?

1. Separate the fighting, do not leave fights unattended.
2. Take a break from the game, discuss what happened.
3. Use the help of a director or camp coordinator if necessary.
4. Focus on group cohesion before the game.
5. It doesn't matter who wins and who loses, we play for fun ("... we're not losing a cow").
6. 6. Use the "Penalty Bench" for violators of discipline.

1. The game must be age appropriate.
2. Think in advance how many games you will play.
3. Think about what time you will play the game.
4. Prepare a place and props for games.
5. Be aware of the feelings of children, do not upset them. (consolation prizes).
6. Consider the physical condition of children (malaise, headaches)
7. Reward the losers as well (solve the rivalry problem).
8. Alternate mental games with physical ones.
9. Let the more able children help the less able.
10. Summarize the meaning of the game, discuss it with the children.

It is not at all necessary to include in the lesson plan all the games offered in the manuals, on the contrary, it should be carefully select games according to the following criteria:

• Are the goals of the competition consistent with the goals of Bible teaching? Does the competition have a learning goal? Does the competition meet long-term goals?
• Is it worth spending money, time and effort on this competition?
• After the competition, the children are excited. Will this excitement interfere with the objectives of the lesson?
• Do you have enough awards and prizes to encourage participation in the competition? What is the value of the prizes? Can you buy enough of them?
• Will the kids get used to the prizes? Won't they expect prizes and rewards every time they succeed in something?

Games help children study the Bible, learn each other's names, burn off excess energy, and learn to work as a team. Good games, age-appropriate children bring a lot of joy. The next time you plan to have a class competition, consider all the factors and pray. Choose methods that fit the purpose of your lesson, motivate children to learn, and create an atmosphere of cooperation and joy.

Think about the philosophy behind some games. For example, a game like "musical chairs" teaches children to be the first to take what others want to take. The game "janitor" teaches that you need to heat up so much that there is more than others.

"Stop playing, it's time to move on to serious business!"

This is absolutely the wrong approach to children. Play is serious business for children. The game is self-expression and entertainment, this is the so-called combination of "pleasant with useful", where the body and mind are involved at the same time. Through play, the child learns about the world and learns about relationships. The Swiss psychologist Piaget said that through play the child transforms the world in order to satisfy his needs.

Teachers can encourage play by providing children with opportunities to play, space and materials. Why should a teacher encourage play? Play is an activity in which the whole being of the child actively participates, and this is what learning should be. By organizing games, keeping in mind the goals of the lesson and inserting the right words in time, the teacher can direct the course of the game towards a specific goal.

Games can be applied in all areas of children's ministry. For example, playing "hide and seek" with a teacher, a child learns to trust an adult, because he will still appear, even if he disappears for a few seconds. The youngest can get to know God through sensory play, such as playing with objects from different materials, colors, shapes and sounds. When a child squeezes a rubber duck and hears that it quacks at the same time, the baby is asserting itself in its capabilities.

Older children learn a lot by playing adults.

To give children this opportunity, the classroom should be equipped with a “house” that includes beds for dolls, lockers and a table with chairs. .

If there is not enough space in the room, the teacher should reconsider the assignment of the space occupied by the piano to the teacher's desk, or find out if there are free classrooms. The vacated space can be used to install a "house", for holding various activities: music, theater, painting, cubes, mosaics, etc. If you can spend time outdoors, then the possibilities for games expand significantly.

Games develop social skills quickly. In such games, the teacher has the opportunity to attract a shy and uncommunicative kid to the team. Later, children can learn cooperation by playing with each other in small groups. Children old enough to cooperate with their classmates learn in the game skills that they will carry throughout their lives: “Wait your turn”, “Play fair”, “Follow the rules”, “Know how to lose with dignity”.

The more abilities children have (long-term attention, literacy, communication skills), the wider the range of learning games that workers can use. Through individual play, a child can learn a verse from the Bible, but the meaning of this verse is easier to understand by applying it to life.

All items must be durable and washable, must not have sharp corners, splinters or excessively tight doors and lids, otherwise little fingers may be hurt. All equipment can be bought or made by hand. But in any case, it must be safe and appropriate for the age of children. You should be careful when trusting children to play with hats, combs and massage brushes in order to avoid the spread of psoriasis. To maintain interest, you should constantly change doll clothes.

Expand the horizons of role-playing games and discover new ways to apply Bible truths in life situations you can, if along with playing “houses”, teach children to play “shop”, “hospital”, “school”, “bank”, “post office”, “office”, “library”, “airport”, etc.

Teachers should avoid sexual innuendo in these role-playing games.

There are many kinds of games. For example,

***Communication games

1. "Introduction"

Depending on how familiar the gathered children are with each other, two variants of the acquaintance game are offered:

For children less familiar with each other. Game progress. You need to choose the leader of the game. Everyone becomes facing each other. One minute is given to everyone to find out the name of the neighbor on the right and left. Then the leader begins to walk in a circle behind the backs of the players. To the person he chooses, he puts his hand on the shoulder and says: “right” or “left”, or “right - left”, or “left - right”. The selected child must name their neighbors in correct sequence. If the specified child cannot do this, then his neighbors themselves say their names in the correct sequence, and the loser becomes the leader. The former leader takes his place. You can change places in a circle each time (in this case, the game becomes more complicated). Game variant. A circle or several circles are made, depending on the number of children. The first child tells the group his name: "I am Katya." The next one says: "Katya, and I am Vasya." The next one says: "Katya, Vasya, and I am Larisa." And so it goes until the last child in the circle, who tries to name all the players. If the child cannot repeat, then the other children in the circle help him.

For more familiar with each other children. Required: a pre-made manual "Acquaintance". Game progress: choose the leader of the game. All children are divided into 2 teams. Each member of one team finds a mate from the other team. At a signal, within 2-3 minutes, couples will learn from each other the answers to those questions that are written on the special “Introduction” manual (age, name, whether there is a pet, hobby, whether there is a close friend). After 3 minutes, everyone quickly returns to their teams. Then the leader chooses any of any team. The selected player finds his partner in the neighboring team and talks about him according to the questions proposed at the stand, then vice versa. Etc. It would be nice to keep everyone involved in the game. If someone fails to answer the question, then the player in question answers the question himself.

How to split teams:

1. stand in a circle and, on command, put one foot forward. Those who expose right leg, will be one team, and who will put the left foot - the other;
2. on command, you need to throw out several fingers on your hand. Everyone who has more, - one command, less - another; or an even number is one team, an odd number is another.

2. "Introduction"

Required: A ball made by the "Acquaintance" stand.

Game progress. The host puts the questionnaire on his chest and throws a ball to someone. The player catches the ball, looks at the leader's questionnaire and answers the questions, talking about himself. Then the host puts the questionnaire on the player with the ball and the game is repeated.

3. "Say the name"

Game progress. The players sit (stand) in a circle. Everyone makes three claps on command: hands, knees, hands. One player loudly calls the name of the neighbor on the right and his own ("Lena - Glory"). Claps again, and the next one clockwise calls names ("Glory - Tanya"). Until complete a circle. Option. You can speed up, slow down the pace of the game, change the movement clockwise and counterclockwise, stop the game and swap players in random order.

4. "Trust"

Choose two guys of your choice. Invite one of them to stand with his back to the leader: “You can fall with your back to me, and I will catch you.” The child trustingly falls into the hands of the leader. You can ask the children to pair up and try to do the same with each other. Everyone's task: to be faithful in what he does - catches or falls. (If time is limited, do this option with just one child.) After the game, you need to ask: “How did you feel? Have you been obedient and trusting? We trust so many people in our lives: drivers when we are in transport, doctors who serve us, etc. But the most important thing is always in our life, in all circumstances, to trust God. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, then our trust in God and our faithfulness are tested. And at this time, God looks at how we relate to the difficulties that we meet. Are we always patient and obedient.

5. "I want to know"

Required: ball Everyone stand in a circle. The host starts the game: “I want to know what your name is?” and throws the ball to the one from whom he asks. The child catches the ball and says: "Sasha" and returns the ball to the leader. The child then continues, “I want to know how old you are,” and throws the ball to another child, who responds and returns the ball to the leader. After the children have a good understanding of the rules of the game, they can start playing with each other by asking and answering similar questions. Give every child the opportunity to participate in the game. If the children are lost, what question to ask each other, the host himself continues to play with the children. Questions can be very different, but aimed at getting to know each other better, learning more about each other. We need to pay more attention to the children who came for the first time.

6. "Find the treasure"

Needed: paper box or small toy. The leader of the game is chosen from among the children. He must leave the room. The host hides a box from one of their children, after which the leader of the game returns. The host makes the following introduction: “Imagine that you are in a foreign country. You must find the treasure. It is hidden in a person you know, but you are given one clue: this person has ... and the host tells him only one clue. It could be some distinguishing feature a child with a hidden box. Well, if this feature is not striking, and it will take some time to find it. For example, blue eyes, a mole on the right cheek, a birthmark on the arm, light brown hair, shoes with black laces, etc. The player who is looking can be given 1 minute (count to 60) to guess. If he manages to guess, then the child who had the box becomes the new leader of the game and leaves the room. And the one who was the leader before hides the box. (You can use a small box as a treasury, which contains leaves with God's promises written on them.)

Children sit (stand) in a circle. The task of each player is to make two handclaps and quickly, in one sentence, say about a joyful moment in their life: “I was glad when ...” or “I am glad because ...” After that, everyone sitting in a circle at the same time clap their neighbors right and left and say "Hallelujah!" or "Thank God!" (Previously, the presenter can talk about the meaning of the word “Hallelujah!” - the highest praise to God. “After every joyful news, we praise God, because all good comes from Him).

8. "Questions of Friendship"

Children join hands, forming a circle; The leader stands in the center of the circle. On a signal, the children begin to squeeze the hand of their neighbor in a chain (transmit signals). The host must guess where, through which hands the signal passes and have time to put his hand on the one who received this signal. If the facilitator manages to do this before the signal goes further, then he has the right to ask a question to this child. After that, the game continues. For a change, you can make it so that the child who was stopped by the leader himself asked a question to his neighbor (instead of giving his neighbor a signal, he asks him a question). After the neighbor answers the given question, the game continues from that neighbor.

9. "Greeting"

The exchange of greetings is an exchange of human warmth. Meeting a person, we, first of all, meet his gaze and express in one form or another that we are glad for the existence of this person, glad that he is among us. let's try different forms greetings and determine the most effective for you. To do this, we divide into two groups and stand opposite each other at a distance of several steps in 2 lines. Please (gong). Now, at the signal of the leader, the partners approach each other and exchange various greetings. It can be handshakes, hugs, curtsies, pats, enthusiastic exclamations and quiet meaningful looks. Exchanging greetings, the partners change - they make a shawl to the right. Please exchange greetings! (Gong). And now in each line, the participants must change partners. You are welcome! (Gong) Well, now continue the greeting with a new partner, in a new form. Think about how best to greet a new partner so that the greeting is appropriate for this person. You are welcome! (Gong) There could be a competition for the longest greeting. Who will win? Take action! (Gong) Let's summarize and end the game.

10. "Smiles"

Ask each member of the group to smile and measure their smile with a ruler. Add up all the values. Then ask everyone to think about how many times a day they smile. Calculate on the calculator by multiplying the values. What was the distance?

11. "Exception"(Open each other)

Ask everyone in the room to stand. Read the list slowly and ask people to sit down if the statement applies to them.

• Squeezing toothpaste from the middle of the tube
• Scared of a big dog
• I have friends in Australia
• Got caught for breaking the rules traffic
• Talked to the trees
• Reading the newspaper at breakfast
• I regularly watch TV after 11 p.m.
• I'm on a diet
• Dropping the towel on the bathroom floor
• Been to Hawaii
• Late to the house group this week If anyone is left standing after reading everything, they need to be given a prize for doing absolutely nothing.

12. "Back to back"

Ask two people to stand back to back so that they cannot see their partner. Ask everyone: n what color is your partner's clothes? n what color is his hair? Is he wearing a T-shirt? n is he tall?

13. "Hand"

Get paper and pencils ready. Have everyone put their hand on a piece of paper and circle it. Then have five people write their names on each finger. During prayer, each person prays for those people whose names are written on his “hand”.

14. "How do you feel?"

Ask each person to draw a face that reflects their feelings. If a person cannot draw, he can write a word. Put all the leaves in the basket. Then one person takes out a piece of paper and comments on it or says words of encouragement.

15. "We all come from childhood"

Tell or write about the most vivid memory of your childhood. Have you been a member? Witness? Were you told about something? What are your feelings about this? Joy, surprise, fear, resentment, etc.? Name your favorite toy. Who gave it to you? What are your favorite toys today? Is it a memory or an object of today's life?

16. "Relay race of genres"

Each of the participants does what he likes best, what he does best - reads poetry, stands on one leg, shows pantomime, etc. The sequence is established at the request of the host or by the players themselves.

17. "Movies of my childhood"

What episode of your life would you like to film? It will be popular science or Feature Film? What actors and directors would you invite to work in this film? Who would you assign to play you?

18. "Letter to myself"

Write the letter you would like to receive. Tip for the teacher: pay attention to what kind of letter it is - a request, advice, an outpouring of joy or sadness, consent, etc.

19. "Draw ourselves"

The child is invited to draw himself now and in the past. Discuss with him the details of the picture, how do they differ? Ask your child what he likes and dislikes about himself. To the teacher: this exercise is aimed at understanding oneself as an individual, understanding one's various sides. This is useful for identifying what has changed in the child from the past and what you would like to change.

20. "Who am I?"

Children take turns trying to name as many reports as possible to the question: “Who am I?” Characteristics, traits, interests, and feelings are used to describe oneself, and each sentence begins with the pronoun "I". For example: “I am a girl”, “I am an athlete”, “I am good man" etc. The facilitator makes sure that the children do not repeat what the previous guys said, but describe themselves personally. To the teacher: this game gives children the opportunity to look at themselves from different angles, to expand their self-image.

21. "Basket of walnuts"

Children “throw” into the basket (pronounce one by one, passing the basket or approaching it) painful insoluble situations or cases, relationships or desires, their own qualities or traits of other people that are incomprehensible to them.

22. "Tea Invitation"

The tea cup is passed from hand to hand. n Who, of all those present here, would you like to invite for tea? n What would you like to talk about? n What will you tell him? n What would you like to hear in response?

Edited by V.I. Fedorova

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Orthodox calendar

Rev. Basil isp. (750). Shmch. Arsenia, Metropolitan Rostovsky (1772). Rev. Cassian the Roman (435) (the memory is transferred from February 29).

Blzh. Nicholas, Christ for the Holy Fool, Pskov (1576). Shmch. Proterius, Patriarch of Alexandria (457). Shmch. Nestor, Ep. Magiddian (250). Prpp. wives Marina and Kira (c. 450). Rev. John, named Barsanuphius, ep. Damascus (V); mch. Feoktirista (VIII) (memories are transferred from February 29).

Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

At the 6th hour: Isa. II, 3–11. Forever: Gen. I, 24 - II, 3. Proverbs. II, 1–22.

We congratulate birthday people on Angel Day!

Icon of the day

Venerable Martyry Zelenetsky

Venerable Martyry Zelenetsky , in the world of Mina, came from the city of Velikiye Luki. His parents, Cosmas and Stephanida, died when he was not yet ten years old. raised him spiritual father, a priest of the city's Annunciation Church, and the boy more and more clung to God with his soul.

Having become a widower, his mentor accepted monasticism with the name Bogolep in the Velikoluksky Trinity-Sergius Monastery. Mina often visited him in the monastery, and then he himself took the tonsure there with the name Martyrius. For seven years the teacher and the disciple worked tirelessly for the Lord in the same cell, competing with each other in feats of labor and prayer. Monk Martyrius carried out the obediences of cellar, treasurer and sexton.

At this time, the Mother of God for the first time showed Her special care for the Monk Martyria. At noon, he dozed off on the bell tower and saw the image of the Most Holy Theotokos Hodegetria on a pillar of fire. The monk tremblingly kissed him, hot from the pillar of fire, and waking up, he still felt this heat on his forehead.

On the spiritual advice of the Monk Martyrius, the seriously ill monk Avramius went to venerate the miraculous Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and received healing. The monk was imbued with ardent faith in the intercession of the Mother of God. He began to pray to the Queen of Heaven, so that She would show him where to hide for the passage of the feat of perfect silence, to which his soul aspired. The monk secretly withdrew to a deserted place 60 miles from Velikiye Luki. As the monk himself writes in his notes, "in that desert I received great fears from demons, but I prayed to God, and the demons were put to shame." In a letter to Elder Bogolep, the monk asked for blessings for living in the wilderness, but the confessor advised Martyrius to return to the hostel, where he was useful to the brethren. Not daring to disobey and not knowing what to do, Saint Martyrius went to Smolensk to venerate the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria and the miracle worker Abraham (Comm. 21 August). In Smolensk, Saints Abraham and Ephraim appeared to the saint in a dream and comforted him with the announcement that he was appointed by the Lord to live in the wilderness, "where God will bless and the Most Holy Theotokos will guide."

Then the monk went to the Tikhvin monastery, hoping that there the Mother of God would finally resolve his perplexity. And indeed, the monk Avramius, who, in gratitude to the Mother of God for the healing, remained forever in that monastery, told him about the secret desert, over which he had a vision of the shining Cross of the Lord. Having received this time the elder's blessing, the Monk Martyrius took with him two small icons of the same size - the Life-Giving Trinity and the Most Holy Theotokos of Tikhvin - and went to the desert, called Zelena, for it towered like a beautiful green island among the wooded swamp.

The life of the monk in this desert was cruel, much painful, but neither cold, nor deprivation, nor wild beasts, nor the intrigues of the enemy could shake his determination to endure trials to the end. He erected a chapel in glorification and thanksgiving to the Lord and the Most Pure Mother of God, in which he was again honored to see in a dream the image of the Mother of God, this time floating on the sea. To the right of the icon, the Archangel Gabriel appeared and invited the monk to venerate the icon. After some hesitation, the Monk Martyrius stepped into the water, but the icon began to sink into the sea. Then the monk prayed, and the wave immediately carried him with the image to the shore.

The wilderness was sanctified by the life of the hermit, and many began to come into it, not only to be edified by the word and example of the monk, but also to settle down with him. The growing brotherhood of the disciples prompted the monk to build a church in the Name of the Life-Giving Trinity, where he also placed his prayer icons. As evidence of the grace of God, who rested at the monastery of the Monk Martyrius, Monk Guriy was able to see over church cross cross shining in the sky.

This was the beginning of the Trinity Zelenetsky Monastery - the "Green Desert of Martyria". The Lord blessed the works of the monk, and the grace of God visibly shone upon him. The fame of his insight and gift of healings spread far and wide. Many eminent Novgorodians began to send offerings to the monastery. At the expense of the pious boyar Fyodor Syrkov, a warm church was built, consecrated in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos in memory of the first church in Velikie Luki, from where he began his path to God as a boy.

From the Most Pure Theotokos, the monk continued to receive grace-filled reinforcements. Once, in a thin dream, the Mother of God Herself appeared to him in his cell, on a bench, in big corner where the icons were. "I looked, without looking up, at Her holy face, at her eyes, full of tears, ready to drip on Her most pure face. I got up from sleep and was horrified. I lit a candle from the lamp to see if the Most Pure Virgin was sitting in place, where I saw Her in a dream. I went up to the image of the Hodegetria and was convinced that the Mother of God truly appeared to me in the image as She is depicted on my icon, "the monk recalled.

Shortly thereafter (about 1570), the Monk Martyrius received the priesthood in Novgorod from the archbishop (Alexander or Leonid). It is known that in 1582 he was already abbot.

Later, the Lord granted the Green Desert an even richer benefactor. In 1595, in Tver, Saint Martyrius healed the dying son of the former Tsar of Kasimov, Simeon Bekbulagovich, praying before his icons of the Life-Giving Trinity and the Mother of God of Tikhvin and placing the image of the Most Holy Theotokos on the patient’s chest. Thanks to the donations of the grateful Simeon, churches were built in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God and St. John Chrysostom, the heavenly patron of the healed Prince John.

In 1595, Tsar Theodore Ioannovich gave the monastery a letter of commendation, approving the monastery founded by the monk.

Having reached extreme old age and preparing for death, the Monk Martyrius dug out a grave for himself, placed in it a coffin he had made with his own hands, and wept much there. Feeling the imminent departure, the monk called together the brethren and implored his children in the Lord to have an unshakable hope in the Most Holy Life-Giving Trinity and wholly put their trust in the Mother of God, just as he always trusted in Her. Having communed the Holy Mysteries of Christ, he gave the brethren a blessing, and with the words: "Peace to all Orthodox," he rested in spiritual joy in the Lord on March 1, 1603.

The monk was buried in a grave dug by himself near the Church of the Mother of God, and then his holy relics rested under a vault in the Church of the Most Holy Trinity, under the basement church in honor of St. John the Theologian. The former monk of the Zelenets Monastery, Metropolitan of Kazan and Novgorod Korniliy (+ 1698), composed the service and wrote the life of St. Martyrius, using the personal notes and testament of the reverend.

Troparion to the Monk Martyry Zelenetsky

From youth, God-blessed, having loved Christ, / you left your fatherland / and, having evaded all worldly rebellions, / you reached the quiet haven of the most honorable abode of the Mother of God; having settled in it, / you gathered the monastics, / and with your teachings, like a ladder ascending to Heaven, / you diligently tried to lead them to God, / pray to Him, God-wise Martyrios, / / ​​to grant our souls great mercy.

Translation: From your youth, blissful in God, having loved Christ, you left the Fatherland and retired from all worldly fuss, you found yourself in a quiet haven of the venerable monastery of the Mother of God, from there you saw an impenetrable desert, indicated by a cross-shaped dawn, found it suitable, and settled in it, gathered the monastics and with your teaching, as a ladder ascending to Heaven, in tireless work you tried to lead to God, pray to Him, God-wise Martyrius, to grant our souls great mercy.

Kontakion to the Monk Martyry Zelenetsky

You wished to evade the fatherland, reverend, and all worldly rebellion, / and, having settled in the wilderness, / there in blissful silence you showed a cruel life, / and children of obedience and humility grew in it. / even pray, God-blessed, for us, your children, whom you have gathered together, / and for all the faithful, let us call you: // Rejoice, Father Martyrie, lover of the silence of the wilderness.

Translation: Fatherland, reverend, and all worldly fuss you wished to retire and settled in the desert, there, in blissful silence, you showed a difficult life and raised children of obedience and humility [monks] in it. Because of this, I gained boldness [courage, resolute aspiration] to pray to the Holy Trinity for us, your children whom you have gathered, and for all the believers, we call on you: rejoice, Father Martyrius, lover of the silence of the desert.

Prayer to the Monk Martyry Zelenetsky

Oh, good shepherd, our mentor, Reverend Father Martire! Hear our prayer now brought to you. Vemy more, as if you are with us in spirit. You, reverend, as if having boldness to the Master, Jesus Christ, our God, and to the Most Honorable Mother of God, be an intercessor and a warm prayer book about this monastery, you have rewarded it, and about us, unworthy servants, living in it, you enlighten and chief, helper and intercessor to your God-gathered brotherhood, as if by your intercession and prayers we will remain unharmed in this place; but from demons and evil people we are not cursed, and we will be free from all troubles and misfortunes. To all those from everywhere who come to your holy abode and pray to you with faith and bow to the race of your relics, about the hedgehog to be delivered from all sorrow, illness and misfortune, hasten graciously, grant the Orthodox peace, silence, prosperity and abundance; and about all of us a warm concept to the Lord and Assistant to the souls of our Budi, hedgehog let go to our and the prayers of yours, holy, getting rid of us everlaughters and make sure the kingdoms with all the saints, yes glory, thanksgiving and worshiping a single God, in Trinitz Slavimoma, Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Reading the Gospel Together with the Church

Hello, dear brothers and sisters.

In the last broadcast, it was about the gospel of Zechariah in the Jerusalem temple about the birth of John the Baptist.

Today we will consider the text of the same Evangelist Luke, which tells of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary.

1.26. In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, called Nazareth,

1.27. to the Virgin, betrothed to a husband named Joseph, from the house of David; the name of the Virgin: Mary.

1.28. The angel, having entered to Her, said: Rejoice, Blessed One! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.

1.29. She, seeing him, was embarrassed by his words and wondered what kind of greeting it would be.

1.30. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace with God;

1.31. and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and thou shalt bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name: Jesus.

1.32. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father;

1.33. and shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom shall have no end.

1.34. Mary said to the Angel: How will it be when I do not know my husband?

1.35. The angel answered her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy being born will be called the Son of God.

1.36. Here is Elizabeth, your relative, called barren, and she conceived a son in her old age, and she is already six months old,

1.37. for with God no word will remain powerless.

1.38. Then Mary said: behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And an angel departed from her.

(Luke 1:26-38)

Both stories about the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel are built according to the same scheme: the appearance of an angel, his prediction of the miraculous birth of a child, a story about the coming greatness, the name that he should be called; doubt of the interlocutor of the angel and the gift of a sign confirming the words of the messenger of Heaven. But still, there are many differences in these narratives.

If Zechariah meets the messenger of God at the most majestic moment of his life and this happens in the house of God, in Jerusalem, during the service, then the scene of the appearance of the same angel to a young girl is emphatically simple and devoid of any outward solemnity. It takes place in Nazareth, a seedy provincial town in the Galilee.

And if the righteousness of Zechariah and Elizabeth is emphasized from the very beginning and the news of the birth of a son is given in response to fervent prayers, then practically nothing is said about the young Mary: neither about her moral qualities, nor about any kind of religious zeal.

However, all human stereotypes are turned upside down, because the one whose birth was announced in the clubs of incense incense will turn out to be just a forerunner, a herald of the coming of the One about whom it was told so modestly.

Evangelist Luke points out that Elizabeth was six months pregnant when the angel appeared in Nazareth with good news to the Virgin Mary. In the case of Elizabeth, the obstacles to birth were her barrenness and old age but for Mary, her virginity.

We know that Mary was betrothed to Joseph. According to Jewish marriage law, girls were betrothed to future husbands very early, usually at the age of twelve or thirteen. The betrothal lasted about a year, but the bride and groom were considered husband and wife from the moment they got engaged. This year the bride stayed in the house of her parents or guardians. In fact, a girl became a wife when her husband took her to his house.

Joseph, as we remember, came from the family of King David, which was extremely important, because through Joseph and Jesus he became a legal descendant of David. Indeed, in ancient times, legal kinship was considered more important than blood.

Greetings: rejoice, Blessed One! Lord is with you(Luke 1, 28), - the angel addresses the Virgin Mary. The author writes in Greek. It is quite possible that the Greek word “haire” (“rejoice”) in Hebrew could sound like “shalom”, that is, a wish for peace.

Like Zechariah, Mary is confused and full of confusion caused by both the appearance of the angel and his words. The messenger tries to explain to Mary and reassure her with the words: do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God(Luke 1:30). Then he explains what is about to happen. And he does this through three main verbs: you will conceive, you will give birth, you will name.

Usually the name of the child was given by the father as a sign that he recognizes him as his own, but here this honor belongs to the mother. Jesus is a Hellenized form of the Hebrew name Yeshua, which is most likely translated as "Yahweh is salvation."

Listening to the angel how great her Son will be, Mary asks a natural question: what will it be like when I don't know my husband?(Luke 1:34).

This question, dear brothers and sisters, is both simple and difficult to understand. Maria cannot understand the words of the angel, since she is not yet married (in the actual sense, although in the legal sense she already had a husband). But Mary will soon enter into conjugal communion, why is she so surprised?

There are several attempts to explain this issue, and they are built on the words "I don't know my husband." So, some believe that the verb "know" should be understood in the past tense, that is, "I have not yet known my husband." From which it follows that Mary understood the words of the angel as an announcement to her of her actual state of pregnancy.

According to another point of view, the verb "to know" comes from the word "to know", that is, to enter into marital communication. The patristic tradition tells us that the Virgin Mary made a vow of eternal virginity and her words should be understood only as "I will not know a husband." But some scholars argue that this was impossible, since in the Jewish tradition of that time, marriage and childbearing were not only honorable, but also obligatory. And if there were communities where people led a virgin life, then they were mostly men. And such statements seem logical. But let's not forget that God does not act according to human logic - He is above everything and can put a virtuous thought on the heart of a pure person and strengthen even young girl in her charitable desire to preserve her integrity.

A vivid confirmation that God does not operate within the framework of the physical laws of nature is the answer of the angel Mary: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; Therefore, the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God(Luke 1:35). It is not uncommon to hear a distorted understanding of this moment in the gospel story. People try to explain the Virgin Mary's immaculate conception of the Son of God as a literary device taken from Greek myths, where the gods descended from Mount Olympus and entered into relationships with women, from whom the so-called "sons of God" were born. But in this text we see nothing of the kind. Yes, and in the Holy Spirit there is no masculine principle, which is emphasized even by the grammatical gender: the Hebrew “ruach” (“spirit”) - female, and the Greek "pneuma" - the average.

The Jewish Talmud also tries to challenge the purity of the Savior's conception, arguing that Jesus was the illegitimate son of a fugitive soldier named Panther, hence the name of Christ in the Talmud - Ben-Panther. But some scholars believe that “panther” is a distorted Greek word “parthenos”, which translates as “virgin”, which means that the Talmudic expression should be understood as “Son of the Virgin”.

The scene of the Annunciation ends with Mary's response to Gabriel's message: behold, the Servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word(Luke 1:38).

These words contain the great humility of a young girl, ready to fulfill any will of God. There is no slavish fear here, but only sincere readiness to serve the Lord. No one has ever succeeded, and it is unlikely that they will be able to express their faith the way the Virgin Mary did. But this is what we, dear brothers and sisters, need to strive for.

Help us in this Lord.

Hieromonk Pimen (Shevchenko),
monk of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra

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Orthodox educational courses

OLD BUT NOT ALONE WITH CHRIST: Sermon on the Meeting of the Lord

With Imeon and Anna - two old people - did not see themselves as lonely, because they lived by God and for God. We do not know what life sorrows and senile ailments they had, but for a person, loving god grateful to God, such trials and temptations will never replace the most important thing - the joy of the Meeting of Christ ....

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Hieromonk Nikon (Parimanchuk)

Preparation for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism

AT section " Preparation for Baptism" site "Sunday school: online courses " Archpriest Andrey Fedosov, head of the department of education and catechesis of the Kinel Diocese, information has been collected that will be useful to those who are going to be baptized themselves, or who want to baptize their child or become a godparent.

R section consists of five public speaking, which reveals the content of the Orthodox dogma within the framework of the Creed, explains the sequence and meaning of the rites performed at Baptism and provides answers to common questions related to this Sacrament. Each conversation is accompanied additional materials, links to sources, recommended literature and Internet resources.

O The lectures of the course are presented in the form of texts, audio files and videos.

Course Topics:

• Conversation #1 Preliminary Concepts
• Conversation #2 Sacred Bible Story
• Conversation No. 3 Church of Christ
• Conversation #4 Christian Morality
• Conversation No. 5 The Sacrament of Holy Baptism

Applications:

• Frequently asked Questions
• Orthodox saints

Reading the lives of the saints of Dmitry Rostov for every day

Recent Entries

Radio "Vera"

Radio VERA is a new radio station that talks about the eternal truths of the Orthodox faith.

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cheat sheets

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Rules of the game: You will definitely like this team intellectual game. It is good for her to have 1-3 hours left, for example, if you celebrate the New Year in a friendly company. It takes a little preparation to play. Let the facilitator take an encyclopedic dictionary and write it out on a piece of paper ...

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12 match games

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32 outdoor games

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Great Cook - Sent by a friend The volunteer is given two spoons (or forks) and is blindfolded. The host offers to “identify” different objects by touch with the help of spoons. You can offer products (potatoes, carrots, onions, pears, etc.), or you can give a more difficult task - to identify such inedible ...

MOBILE GAMES

Games occupy a special place in the life of every child. The need for the game is laid down by God himself. The game gives a load to the body, helps to get rid of stiffness, shyness, helps to show hidden character traits. The game helps to unite, teaches to help others, patience, the ability to forgive and not be proud of victory.

Mobile games - why are they needed?

Games are part of the science of physical education.
The philosopher Herbert Spencer expressed the idea that in biological terms, the game is useless and aimless, but unclaimed energy accumulates in the body, which is realized during outdoor games. One can argue with this wording, because. often the opposite happens: a person plays, although he does not have extra energy, but he likes to play.

The meaning of outdoor games is that children can realize themselves both physically and intellectually. Games are constantly transforming, acquiring new forms. Outdoor games help the child to show such a quality as the will in overcoming difficulties. Ya.A. Comenius expresses the idea that whatever children want and can play without harm, it is better to help them than to hinder them, because idleness is harmful both to the body and to the spirit.

Children's play is the realm in which fantasy finds its fullest expression, and it develops and exercises all the skills and reactions that serve to develop this feeling. Much more serious is the fact that the game, being a preparation for life from a biological point of view, from a psychological point of view, is revealed as one of the forms of children's creativity.

The child in the game always creatively transforms reality. We all know how infinitely different are the roles that various objects can play in a children's game. One and the same chair can serve as both a horse and a ship. But at the same time, the game remains a game and does not take the child away from life to a small extent, but, on the contrary, develops and exercises those abilities that are necessary for life.

Adults often look at the game as idleness, as fun, which should be given only time. Therefore, they usually do not see any value in the game and, at best, consider that this is a natural weakness of the child's body or age, which helps the child to take his leisure time for some time. But, nevertheless, the game has a spiritual meaning for the child. A child is always playing, he is a playing creature, but his game has a great meaning. It should definitely correspond to his age in terms of interests and include such elements that lead to the development of the necessary skills and abilities.

Children always strove to play, even in a primitive society: archaeologists found a baby doll in one of the burial places of ancient people.

The game is an educator. The game develops all the qualities necessary for the future life of a person, something on which the fate of the child depends: his ability to communicate with other people, the success of his studies, the qualities necessary in the family - parental and the one that he will create in the future himself. His career is finally...

Games are an excellent means of development! Each game develops a whole range of different abilities. The child periodically participates in different games, the games are repeated, and he begins to see his growth, his movement. Here he constantly lost, - but now he began to win.

And he begins to perceive himself as a growing, developing little (yet!) person who is gradually improving, improving.

Games will give your child a way to figure out what he knows, what he doesn’t, what works well, what doesn’t.

Many teachers believe that a child should not lose in a game. Human wisdom says: a person must be able to lose. Losing in a child's game is not something harmful and unnecessary. It is absolutely necessary. Of course, if your child only loses and never wins, he will become neurotic. Everything needs a measure, of course. But if he always wins, he will not learn to lose, and in life the first small failure will knock him down.

And if we love our children, if we want them to grow up to be good people who achieve success not in any way, but in the ways accepted in human society, then it remains for us to teach them to “lose well”. To a greater extent, this applies to the Christian community.

So, play together with children, lose and win.

PSYCHOLOGY OF KIDS

What are they, kids?

All the great people in the history of mankind were preschoolers. Even the Son of God, the Savior of the world, was also a baby and spent his preschool years and all his childhood with his earthly parents, Joseph and Mary.

The preschool years can be considered the foundational years of a lifetime. The most important thing in early childhood education is to lay the foundation of faith. To prepare the ground for faith, we must understand the child, know his needs, we must know how he develops.

A child learns more in the preschool years than in any other five years of his life.

Children 3-6 years of age change greatly in appearance: the body lengthens, infantile plumpness subsides. They have a vivid imagination. Children love to play and enjoy imitating the actions of their chosen character. For example: a policeman, a pilot, a doctor. Their body needs in constant motion. At this age, they already walk and run well. They need games that help develop control of their large muscles. A group of small muscles is just beginning to develop, and children quickly tire of difficult exercises. Therefore, games should be both active and calm so that both muscle groups can develop.

A 3 year old is easier to control than a 2 year old. From the age of three, children already understand reasoning. The fact that they are able to reason helps them solve the problems that confront them.

Children at this age begin to enjoy being with other children and playing with them. When they learn to play with other children, they develop an interest in taking turns doing things and sharing with others. With age, the desire to play with other children increases. Children at this age are very curious. They ask a lot of questions. They already have a sense of humor, and it often shows up. During the game, they often laugh. They are often amused by a noise, a fall, or a collision.

They can't play games that have strict rules yet. In the game, they come up with their own rules, and during the game they can change them. They can participate in simple games that adults organize for them, and such games do not have to follow complex rules.

Children 4-5 years old have a very vivid imagination, but in games they rely only on knowledge of the real world. A child can play policeman, but at the same time he, as a policeman, does only what he himself knows about the work of a policeman. Imagination and animation of objects make up a large part of the game of children. They also include imaginary play partners in their play.

It is very important to know and understand the needs of the children we teach the Bible. Jesus knew what the people around him needed. He meets their physical needs as well as their spiritual and emotional needs. He taught us to do the same.

Preschoolers can develop their God-given abilities only in an environment in which they feel confident and secure. Guidance is also essential for preschoolers. Teachers should guide the activities of children.

But the most important thing children need is love. The child needs to feel loved.

Adults sometimes call the work of a preschooler a “game”. But the preschooler makes great efforts, trying to complete the task during the game. In a good classroom, preschoolers don't just play. Through play, they learn about themselves and the world around them.

Play is for a child what work is for an adult. Sometimes adults complain, saying about children: “They only know what to play.” Meanwhile, it is in the game that children learn and learn the norms of behavior. Play helps them relate what they learn from the Bible to their own lives.

When selecting games, it is necessary to take into account the age characteristics of children, the nature of their attitude to games of a particular age category. There is such a thing as developmental psychology, which responds to various questions character of children and adults. It is impossible to work with children without knowing their characteristics.

Physical development is an integral part general development child.

The author of the book “Movement + Movement” V. A. Shishkina describes the opinion of various experts on the importance of motor activity: “Physiologists consider movement to be an innate, vital human need. Hygienists and doctors say: without movement, a child cannot grow up healthy. Movement is a warning of various kinds of diseases, especially those that are associated with the cardiovascular, respiratory nervous systems. Movement is an effective remedy.”

The main conclusion of the book "Games and entertainment for children in the air" is that "games and entertainment should be indispensable companions of children."

In a book on psychology, L.S. Vygotsky believes that “the game is the first form of conscious behavior that arises on the basis of instinctive and emotional. It is the best means of holistically educating all these different forms and establishing the right coordination and connection between them.

All outstanding teachers always directly or indirectly considered movement the most important condition and means of comprehensive development.

J.J. Rousseau wrote about movement as a means of knowing the surrounding world. K.D. Ushinsky repeatedly emphasized the role of movement in the child's mastery of the native language.

The doctor and teacher V.V. Gorshevsky, as a result of deep research, came to the conclusion that the lack of movement not only negatively affects the health of children, but also reduces their mental performance, inhibits the overall development of children

According to a specialist in preschool pedagogy E.A. Arkin's intellect, feelings, emotions are brought to life by movements. He recommended giving his conclusions on personal observations and studies of this issue by others. But for us the most important argument in favor of physical activity children and the use of games in the classroom is the Bible.

A BIBLICAL VIEW ON GAMES

Outdoor games are part of the science of sports.

The Bible mentions sports more than once. Ap. Paul used many examples from this area, comparing exercise with Christian life (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Phil. 3:12-14; Heb. 12:1-2).

Physical activities are a natural area for shaping the character of children and influencing its development. There are places in the Bible where the importance of physical development and good physical form. “Moses was 120 years old when he died; but his vision was not dulled, and the fortress in him was not exhausted” (Deut. 34.7). Khalev, at the age of 85, asks I. Navin “... now, I am eighty-five years old. But even now I am as strong as I was when Moses sent me; how much then I had strength, so much now I have in order to fight, and go out and go in ”- Joshua 14.10-11. In the first book of Kings there is a description of Goliath: height - almost 3 meters, weight of copper chain mail about 60 kg, kneecap of an iron spear - about 7 kg (1 Sam. 17.4-7).

The Word of God tells us about the extraordinary strength of Samson “And Samson went with his father and with his mother to Timnath, and when they approached the vineyards of Timnath, behold, a young lion, roaring, goes to meet him. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he tore the lion to pieces like a kid; but he had nothing in his hand” (Judg. 14:5-6).

In the first book of Kings in 17 ch. David's words are recorded about his skill and how, with God's help, he got rid of a lion and a bear.

In David's victory over Goliath, not only his faith in the Lord is revealed, but also his skill in handling a sling.

Jonathan was a master of the bow. He could send an arrow wherever he wanted (1 Sam. 20:20-22:35-38). It is said of Saul and Jonathan that they were "swifter than eagles, stronger than lions" (2 Sam. 1.23). After the confrontation on Mount Carmel, it rained heavily, and Ahab went to Jezreel. “The hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He girded his loins, and ran before Ahab as far as Jezreel” – (Kings 18:46).

There are also passages in the Bible that tell of numerous runners whose duty it was to run before the chariots of kings and princes (1 Sam. 8.11; 2 Sam. 15.1; EC 1.5).

The word "play" in the Bible translates several Hebrew words at once. With the exception of playing musical instruments, it is most commonly found and used in two senses: celebration and leisure sports.

In 2 Kings 2.14-16, this word also refers to the death game or single combat. Hints of folk games can be found in Is.22.18, which speaks of a “roll” (meaning a ball or sword) and in Zech.12.3 about lifting heavy stones, the so-called “test of strength”, an ornament that, according to Jerome, was a very common wood among the youths in Palestine. After the Babylonian captivity, competitions were introduced in the manner of the Greek ones: running, fencing, fisticuffs, etc. The Herodians, in the end, decided to build theaters and an amphitheater in Jerusalem and some other cities and staged sometimes magnificent games in honor of Caesar.

After David's victory over Goliath, "... the women who played exclaimed, saying: Saul defeated thousands, and David tens of thousands!" -(1 Sam. 18.7). In addition to being used in the sense of celebration, the same word is used in some places to describe a cheerful mood. Describing to Job the hippopotamus, a monstrous animal so large that it is called "the top of the ways of God, God says that the mountains bring food to the hippopotamus, where all the animals of the field play" (Job 40.15-19).

The prophet Zechariah, describing the blessing of Israel, writes as follows: “Thus says the Lord: I will turn to Zion and live in Jerusalem ... And the streets of this city will be filled with youths and maidens playing in its streets” - (Zech.8.5).

Looking at just a few examples from the Bible, we can see that games and sports are compatible with the Christian life.

In many biblical sports games principles Christian life. “Don't you know that those who run in the race all run, but one gets the reward? So run to get. All ascetics abstain from everything: those in order to receive a crown of perishability, and we - incorruptible. And that is why I do not run as if I were wrong, I do not fight in such a way that I only beat the air; But I subdue and bring my body into subjection, lest, having preached to others, I myself should not be unworthy” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

“If those who struggle are not crowned, if they struggle unlawfully” (2 Tim. 2.5). Having carefully studied biblical view games, we can conclude that Sunday Schools should make more use of games in order to develop a Christian way of thinking in students.

Various games can be considered as a role-playing teaching of the Christian life and with their help to instill some of its main qualities:

• Willingness to make sacrifices for a distant goal. and Attention to others.
• Ability to respect criticism and draw conclusions.
• Ability to work in a team.
• The ability to lose without enmity.
• Purposefulness, perseverance, self-discipline.
• Obedience to the rules and instructions of elders.

But we must always remember that it is always necessary to put piety and virtue in the first place and only then strive for physical achievements.

Physical achievements are of little importance to the Lord. “He does not look at the strength of the horse, he does not favor the speed of human legs; The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who trust in His mercy” (Ps. 146:10,11). “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not turn the cares of the flesh into lusts” - (Rom.13.14).

“For bodily exercise is of little use, but godliness is profitable for everything, having the promise of this life and the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:8).

Summing up, Paul writes these words. Although Paul does not rule out the importance exercise, but his main emphasis is on the exercise of piety.

LEARNING THROUGH GAMES

Adults play in order to relax, distract from everyday work. Children play and learn at the same time. Children, when they play, they not only run and scream, but also perform some actions, which in their essence are a form of learning.

What can play teach?

All this indicates that we should use games in teaching. Through play, the child learns to discover the world. For children aged 3-6 years, the game is an important element in understanding the world.

The game should be purposeful and the child should understand well why he is doing it. Games stimulate the child not only to physical development, but also to the development of his mind. The game helps to reveal the child's abilities, his talents and capabilities. Playing with his comrades, he learns friendliness, the ability to forgive and yield. While playing, the child will learn to think, speak and remember faster than if he just passively listened to the teacher.

By showing his desire to play, the child thereby indicates that he wants to learn this and that he has physical abilities for this. The game used in teaching is a way of keeping children's attention and interest in Bible studies.

Play is a learning method in which Bible truths become real to children. A very important element after the game is the discussion of the course of the game and its content. The game helps to turn learning into a conscious and interesting thing for the child and provides the baby with a natural transition from learning to playing.

Combining the rich and diverse world of play with learning, we gain the ability to make learning tasks meaningful and interesting. Introduction to the learning process of the game will allow children to arouse the desire to master the educational content.

Senior preschool age (5-6 years) is a stage of intensive mental development.

At preschool age, attention is involuntary. The state of increased attention is associated with orientation in the external environment, with an emotional attitude towards it. At the same time, the content features of external impressions change with age. But, despite all the changes, it is still difficult for them to focus on something monotonous. But in the process of a game that is interesting for them, attention can be quite stable.

The child remembers better what is of the greatest interest to him, gives the best impression. At the older preschool age, the child is able to reproduce the impressions received after a fairly long period of time.

One of the main achievements of an older preschooler is the development of arbitrary memorization. Some forms of this memorization can be noted in children at the age of four or five years, but it reaches significant development by six or seven years. In many ways, this is facilitated by gaming activities, in which the ability to remember and reproduce the necessary information in time is one of the conditions for achieving success. The presence of such an opportunity is due to the fact that the child begins to use various techniques specifically designed to increase the efficiency of memorization: repetition, semantic and associative linking of material.

Thus, by the age of six or seven, the structure of memory undergoes significant changes associated with a significant development of arbitrary forms of memorization. Involuntary memory, not associated with an active relationship to the current activity, turns out to be less productive, although in general it retains its dominant position.

A similar ratio of arbitrary and involuntary forms of memory is noted in relation to such a mental function as imagination. A big leap in its development is provided by the game, the necessary condition of which is the presence of a substitute activity. The formation of the imagination is directly dependent on the development of the child's speech. Imagination at this age expands the child's capabilities in interaction with the external environment, contributes to its development, serves, together with thinking, as a means of knowing reality.

The development of representations in many respects characterizes the process of formation of thinking, the formation of which is largely associated with the improvement of the ability to operate with representation at an arbitrary level. Preschool age presents the most favorable opportunities for the development of various forms of figurative thinking.

Visual-schematic thinking (the highest form of visual-figurative thinking) creates greater opportunities for mastering the external environment, being a means for creating a generalized model of various objects and phenomena by a child. Acquiring features of the generalized, this form of thinking remains figurative, based on real actions with objects. At the same time, this form of thinking is the main one for the formation of logical thinking associated with the use and transformation of concepts. Thus, by the age of six or seven, a child can approach solving a problem situation in three ways: using visual-effective, visual-figurative and logical thinking. Accumulation by the older preschool age of a great experience of practical actions, a sufficient level of development of perception, memory, imagination and thinking increase the child's sense of confidence in his abilities. A child of six or seven years old can strive for a distant (including imaginary) goal, while maintaining strong volitional tension for quite a long time.

When performing volitional actions, imitation continues to occupy a significant place, although it becomes arbitrarily controlled. At the same time, the verbal instruction of an adult, which encourages the child to take certain actions, is becoming increasingly important. In the older preschooler, the stage of preliminary orientation clearly appears. The game requires you to work out a certain line of your actions in advance. Therefore, it largely stimulates the improvement of the ability to volitional regulation of behavior.

At this age, a system of behavior with others is formed. It is very important for them to evaluate actions by adults. An important role in this process belongs to the collective role-playing game, which is a scale of social standards, with the assimilation of which the child's behavior is built on the basis of a certain emotional attitude towards others.

Children love games. With the help of games, you can repeat stories from the Bible, you can learn to apply Bible principles in life. The rules of the game should be very simple and children should understand that it is important to learn something new in the game. Teachers should invent and conduct such games and other types of active development through which children can learn the material.

Preschoolers are very active. They need to be given the opportunity to balance their activities: play and rest. Children in this age group tend to learn through play. The game helps them to participate in such processes as communication, joint labor activity, walking, caring for other children, respect for their rights, personal responsibility, decision making.

The main method of moral education is the game method. Children understand that the other people they play often see the same things in completely different ways.

Summarizing the most important achievements in the development of preschoolers, we can conclude that children already at the age of 6-7 years old have a fairly high level of mental development. At this time, a certain amount of knowledge and skills is formed, an arbitrary form of memory, thinking, imagination is intensively developed, based on which you can encourage the child to listen, consider, memorize, analyze. Preschoolers learn to coordinate their actions with their peers, participants in joint games, regulating their actions with social norms of behavior.

SUNDAY SCHOOL GAMES

funny and exciting games attract boys and girls. While playing, children learn Christian ethics and noble conduct. Games give children the opportunity to use up excess energy and have fun in a Christian setting. Children love to win, but victory has to be won in a hard but fair game. In team games, there are always winners and losers. It is important to be able to win honestly and lose nobly. Usually children are sociable and love to play - both with children and adults. They like to do things for fun, for fun. In the game, in the heat of passion, their personal qualities and their characters are revealed. The selfish child will choose for himself in the game best role, will seek to take over the game and "make a name for themselves". The leader must be very vigilant during the game. Competitive games provide an opportunity to move in the knowledge of Christianity from theory to practice. During Bible studies, pupils learn the principle of love for their neighbor as for themselves, and in the game they get acquainted with his practical application. In play, children need to be reminded of honesty, an important biblical principle.

Outdoor games are one of the means used by the teacher in the formation of the Christian character of students.

The question of the need for outdoor games in Sunday school lessons is still controversial. But, nevertheless, outdoor games, as a means of education, benefit in many respects compared to some other methods of education, during which students remain passive.

In the book "Mother's School" Ya.A. Comenius, there is one example about the glorious husband and ruler of Athens, Themistocles. Once a young man came to visit him at the moment when he, sitting on a stick, was playing horses with his son. The young man was very surprised to see such a famous husband behave like a child and play with a child. Themistocles limited himself only to asking that no one be told about this until he himself had children. Themistocles made it clear by this that only then will he understand what parental love means, when he himself becomes a father and himself will not be alien to what now seems to him childish.

The same can be said about games in Sunday School. In order to understand why games are needed in Sunday School, you need to know the psychology of kids, their needs and requirements, you need to know the methodology for teaching the Bible to kids in Sunday School and not only know the theory, but also feel it in practice. Many Christians are convinced that games are not acceptable in Sunday School classes. But if you develop a lesson plan in such a way that the elements of the game fit well into the lesson itself, then everyone will benefit from this: both children and adults. Children will have a natural opportunity to release their energy by reinforcing the lesson material. The teacher will have the opportunity to observe how the children use the acquired knowledge during the game. Each teacher, before introducing the game into the lesson plan, needs to consider the following questions:

1. Which game is suitable for this topic of the lesson?
2. Where should the element of the game be introduced in the lesson?
3. What kind of game is appropriate in this lesson? (Noisy or quiet).
4. How many games can be played in this lesson?
5. What room is needed for the game?
6. Is this game suitable for the age of children?
7. What to do with those children who do not want to play?
8. How to conduct a game so that there are no “extra* children?”
9. How to avoid conflict during the game?
10. What should be said at the end of the game when summing up?

When playing any game, you must remember safety precautions.

Remember that excessive excitement of children can harm. As soon as you see that the children do not follow the rules of the game, that their excitement has crossed the border, stop the game. Invite the children to calm down, explain their mistakes, discuss what they did wrong, then continue the game. Games, as well as other forms of activity that are closely related to the theme and purpose of the lesson, can be used in Sunday School lessons to improve children's perception of Bible truths.