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Father's Day Games for Church: The Left Right Game (Free)

A free Father's Day left right game for church. Read Jesus' story of the father who ran (Luke 15) aloud while kids pass a gift at every LEFT and RIGHT.

All ages

Father's Day Games for Church: The Left Right Game (Free)

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Free to print and copy for your church, classroom, VBS and home. Please don't resell or re-post our files; link to the page instead.

Ages
Early Elementary (K–2), Upper Elementary (3–5), Preteen (5–6), Whole Family
Time
10 minutes
Scripture
Luke 15:11–32; 1 John 1:9
Bible story
The Prodigal Son

What you need

  • One small wrapped gift or treat per player
  • The printed story (2 pages)
  • A reader with a clear voice

Steps

  1. Everyone sits in a circle holding one small wrapped gift.
  2. The leader reads the story slowly, with a little pause after every LEFT and RIGHT.
  3. At every LEFT, pass the gift to the left. At every RIGHT, pass it to the right.
  4. When the story ends, the gift each player is holding is theirs to keep.

A Father's Day game for church with the Bible inside. Kids sit in a circle holding small wrapped gifts while you read Jesus' story of the father who ran to his son. Every time they hear LEFT or RIGHT, they pass their gift that way, and the gift in their hands at the end is theirs to keep.

The story is a retelling for a game, but every event in it comes from Luke 15:11–32, and the reference is printed after each part. The words in quotation marks are from the King James Version.

The prodigal son story set: the lesson, craft, coloring page and puzzles for The Prodigal Son (memory verse 1 John 1:9) tell the same story with the same memory verse.

Talk about it

When the gifts stop moving, ask: what did the father do when he saw his son a great way off? (He had compassion, ran, fell on his neck and kissed him, Luke 15:20.) What three things did he give his son? (The best robe, a ring and shoes, Luke 15:22.) Read 1 John 1:9 together: God is ready to forgive too.

Tips

  • Read slowly and pause a beat after each LEFT and RIGHT. Kids love it when the words come quickly in a row.
  • Use small gifts of the same size, such as a pencil, a sticker sheet or a small treat bag with a Father's Day verse card tied on.
  • A big group can play with just 3 or 4 gifts: only the players holding one at the end keep it.
  • Pair it with fathers in the Bible trivia or the prodigal son play for a full Father's Day class.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good Father's Day game for church?

A left right game with a Bible story inside. Kids sit in a circle with small gifts and pass them every time the story says LEFT or RIGHT. This one tells Jesus' story of the father who ran to his son (Luke 15:11–32).

Is this story from the Bible?

It is a retelling for a game, not Scripture, but every event in it comes from Luke 15:11–32, and the references are printed after each part so you can check them. The quoted words are from the King James Version.

Can dads play too?

Yes. Seat dads, grandpas and kids in one circle, or let every child pass a gift that ends up with one of the men. Small, same-size gifts work best.

More for this Bible story