KID’S MINISTRY GAME ON JEALOUSY

Jealousy is counting another’s blessings instead of your own.

While most adults know how awful envy feels, it can be difficult for children to handle their feelings of jealousy.

Use this game on jealousy, followed by a quick bible lesson for kids (K-5th Grade) on Galatians 5:25-26, to teach students that, when they are grateful for what they have, they won’t compare themselves to others.

– Nick Diliberto, Ministry to Youth

Looking for kid’s ministry curriculum?

ONE YEAR CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CURRICULUM, VOL 1 – Save 72% on one year of children’s ministry curriculum for 1st-5th grade helping kids fall in love with Jesus and discover what it means to follow him!

KID’S MINISTRY GAME ON JEALOUSY

Bible: Galatians 5:25-26 (NLT)

Bottom Line: When you’re grateful for what you have, you won’t compare yourself to others.

SUPPLIES

• 16 oz. Solo Cups (one per group)
• Lego blocks
• Song: “Everything is Awesome” (from The Lego Movie)

GAME PREP

Fill Solo cups with Lego blocks.

Divide kids into groups of 6-8 and give each group a Solo cup full of blocks.

Have groups form huddles on the floor with their blocks in the middle.

Use this list of words for the game:

• GREED
• MINE
• GIVE
• RUDE
• SHARE
• ENVY
• KIND

Have the song “Everything Is Awesome“ queued up and ready to play during each round of the game.

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME

Say: We’re going to play a quick game that will be a lot of fun.

You’re going to love it!

Each of your groups will need one person who is a great speller, so go ahead and choose that person for your team.

Raise your hand if you are your team’s nominated speller.

Great! All the other people on your team are going to follow your instructions throughout the game.

Here’s how we will play the game:

When I read a word out loud, we will begin to play music, and the speller on your team will quickly spell the word out loud for everyone in your group to hear.

Then, you will work together, as a team, to create the letters of the word out of Lego blocks.

You will lay the Legos on the ground to create each letter.

The Lego blocks for each letter must be hooked together. 

You can’t just lay them side-by-side.

When your team has spelled the word, everyone will stand up and shout, “We’re Awesome!”

If your team is correct, you will score one point.

We will play until we have spelled all the words on the list.

The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, and we will declare you as the “Awesome Team!”

If time permits, give each team a couple of minutes to come up with their own unique creation.

Then, allow time to explain what the team created and why it’s unique.

TEACH

Say: Today, we’re going to take a few minutes to talk about jealousy.

In the game we just played, we spelled words that are either “jealous” words or “thankful” words.

I’m going to read that list of words out loud again, and after each word, I want you to tell me if that sounds like a “jealous” word or a “thankful” word.

Allow the kids to shout “jealous” or “thankful” after you read each word.

• GREED – Jealous!
• MINE – Jealous!
• GIVE – Thankful!
• RUDE – Jealous!
• SHARE – Thankful!
• ENVY – Jealous!
• KIND – Thankful!

Great job!

Raise your hand if you have ever created anything from Legos.

Ask: What is something unique and original that you have created out of Legos?

Allow a few responses from kids.

I want you to imagine that one day you spent hours making two very unique creations, and you are very proud of both of them.

Then, your brother or sister tells you that one of those Lego creations is horrible, but the other is okay.

It would probably hurt your feelings because you care about both the things you made.

Think about this: God took time to create you, and He loves you.

When you compare yourself to someone else, you are comparing two of God’s creations.

Read Galatians 5:25-26. (NLT)

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Say: Let’s listen to this passage of scripture in a different version.

[The Message version is a translation that is simple and easy for kids to understand.]

Read Galatians 5:25-26. (The Message)

Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit.

Let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. 

That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. 

We have far more interesting things to do with our lives.

Each of us is an original.

Say: We become jealous when we compare who we are, what we have, or what we do to someone else.

So, what types of things are you jealous about?

Allow a few responses from kids.

Here’s another question… Have you ever traded part of your lunch for part of someone else’s lunch?

Ask: Why did you trade?

Allow a few quick responses from kids.

Have you ever traded something that you loved to eat for something that wasn’t any good?

No, people typically trade up for something better.

People don’t usually trade their chocolate pudding cup for a peanut butter and tuna sandwich. Gross!

In the Bible verses we read, we learned that, when we decided to follow Jesus, we made a trade.

We traded our “old life” that we lived before we knew Jesus for a new life that He offers to us.

Now, when you trade your lunch with someone, you can’t take it back. 

Well, in any case, you shouldn’t.

When you made the trade, you made a choice.

When you decided to follow Jesus, you made a choice. 

You can go back to your old way of life, but what Jesus offers you is so much better than what you had before.

Part of the old life you gave up is the attitude that thinks you are better than everyone else.

You also gave up your desire to compare yourself to other people.

You can still be jealous while you are following Jesus, but then you are leaning more towards your old life.  

You’re thinking about taking back that peanut butter and tuna sandwich.

Ask: So, why do you think God tells you not to compare yourself to others?

Allow a few responses from kids.

The answer to that question is found at the end of the verse:  Each of us is an original.

God took time creating you to be unique, and He doesn’t want you to compare yourself to other people that He created.

God has given you everything that you have in life—your family, the place you live, your friends—everything!

So, it is actually ungrateful to compare what you have to the things other people have. 

Being grateful is a choice, just like being jealous is a choice.

Today, you can choose to be grateful and leave jealousy behind.

End Game

Looking for kid’s ministry curriculum?

ONE YEAR CHILDREN’S MINISTRY CURRICULUM, VOL 1 – Save 72% on one year of children’s ministry curriculum for 1st-5th grade helping kids fall in love with Jesus and discover what it means to follow him!