Bible Class Skills and Drills

Before we take a look at skills and drills, let’s remember the purpose of Bible class. Bible class is a time for students to learn about God. It’s a time for children to learn from faithful Christians while their parents attend their own classes. Bible classes are often broken down by age, so students are able to learn Bible facts at an age-appropriate level.

I’m a firm believer that Bible class teachers should use their whole class time to teach God’s Word and to engage students in activities that foster learning and spiritual growth.

After all, for some—if not most—this is the only time they will hear about God all week, except maybe when praying before meals.

While we certainly can and should make Bible class fun and enjoyable, the games and activities we choose should always reinforce the Bible lessons being learned.

Children are capable of so much and I am always impressed with how much they can learn in just one quarter! We don’t need to water down Scripture—they can learn timelines, major events and themes, and even learn memory verses!

Your entire class time doesn’t have to be filled with teaching a Bible lesson. You can also play review games, make crafts that reinforce the lesson, sing songs, and more! 

Skills and drills are quick activities that let students review what they’ve been learning.

Skills and drills are often done independently at each student’s own pace and include activities such as puzzles, matching, sequencing, and sorting. 

By working on skills and drills as students arrive and for the first few minutes of class, it establishes a routine and immediately engages students.

While students are working on skills and drills, you can take attendance, chat with parents and students, and walk around the room to make sure each child is successfully completing the activities, stepping in to help when needed.

Unless you have Bible class after worship, there are always a few students who show up late, so continuing skills and drills for the first few minutes of class allows everyone to arrive before you begin the lesson so you don’t have to repeat yourself. 

If you have a bookshelf or place that is accessible to your students, you can place the skills and drills in a basket or box there for them to choose as they come in. Or, you can pull out a selection of skills and drills and lay them out around the table.

Mesh zipper bags like these can be purchased on Amazon and are great for storing review games. Label each game so that students can easily choose one that interests them or one they have never worked on before! You can also make multiple copies of some of the more popular skills and drills depending on your class size.

Depending on how many skills and drills you have, consider organizing them by theme and labeling the different baskets, such as “The Bible,” “Bible People,” or “Old Testament.” 

Take a look at these featured skills and drills or click the button below to view the whole collection.

Skills and drills are not busy work, but effective activities that help students remember what they are being taught. By taking time to put together these activities and make them available to your students, you will help students prepare for class and get excited to learn about God and His Word!