Like Aaron and the Israelite’s we have all experienced hunger (at least on some level) and know how grumpy it can make people. This story of divine providence gives us some real, tangible props to tie into our games. Select the game that best suits your group age range and setup.
Gathering manna
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
Spread popcorn kernels around the room and have the kids collect them. You can use unpopped, or you can cook the “manna” and talk about how real manna may have tasted (like honey wafers). For younger groups, use a clean sheet and pre-popped popcorn.
Manna and more
Ages 7+
Small group
Requires setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
Click on the image to download the PDF of this activity. Cut out then hand out the odd shaped manna pieces. Get the kids to make groups greater than 4. The challenge is to join the pieces together to make a quail (the bird shape appears in the gap between 4 pieces). Talk about how God gave the people food when there was no natural source for them in the desert.
Quail catch
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
Use a stuffed animal or soft ball to represent the quail in this variation of ‘piggy in the middle’. The quail would have flown close to the ground and been caught by throwing sheets or baskets over them. Gently throw your ‘quail’ from person to person, to simulate the flying bird. Give your catchers towels they can throw over the quail to ‘catch’ it.
Grumble ball
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
This is a discussion activity with a game thrown in. Explain that Moses led God’s people, and so he was the one they went to with their problems and their complaints. Label a large basket or container ‘complaints’ on one side and ‘prayers’ on the other – make sure the kids can only see the complaints label. Give the youngsters a pile of papers and have them take one and scrunch it up into a ball to throw into a basket while naming something that they may complain about. Once the paper has been used up, turn the basket around. If they had known these were prayers, would they have complained about the same things? Link to story – the people grumbled to Moses, but God said they were really grumbling at him.
Taste trial
All Ages
Small group
Requires setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
Take various foods and have the youngsters try them blindfolded. (If possible, include honey and crackers) Can they identify what they are? Did they like the taste? How would they have felt about eating the same food every day?
