Books of the Bible Card Games

Looking for new ideas for teaching the books of the Bible to your class? These Books of the Bible Cards are a great way for kids to interact with and learn the books of the Bible.

Download your free Books of the Bible Card Pack here. Print them on cardstock and be ready to play with your students!

Here are some fun Books of the Bible Cards Game and Activities Ideas:

Matching

Required: 2 decks (can also be played with more decks for a really large group)

Best played with a larger group i.e. 10+ children

Goal: To be the first person to run out of cards

1. Shuffle decks together and then deal out all the cards to everyone. (Not everyone will get the same number of cards. That’s okay. If you deal out extras, the people with the most cards should go first).
2. On their turn, the player calls out the name of one of the books of the Bible displayed on a card in their hand. Everyone searches their hand for that card and the person who has an exact match gives their card to the person who called for it. Both cards are placed in front of the caller and they earn a point.
3. The person who gave up their card goes next, calling out the name of a book of the Bible.
4. Play continues until one person runs out of cards. (Hint: It’s not always the caller!)

Trade

Required: 1 deck (can be played with more decks)

Recommended: for older children

Goal: The goal is to run out of cards.

1. Shuffle the deck and then deal out an equal number of cards to everyone. As soon as you cannot deal out an equal number of cards, put the rest in the middle, face-down.
2. Play proceeds clockwise: On their turn, players can choose 1 of three actions: (1) exchange a card with one of the face-down cards in the middle of the table (2) trade one card with any other player at the table as a blind trade (3) call out “all trade” and everyone must place one card face-down on the table and give it to the person on the left.
3. Each player attempts to collect a run of at least 4 books of the Bible (i.e. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers. A run that bridges Old Testament to New Testament is also acceptable, i.e. Zechariah, Malachi, Matthew, Mark). Note: Depending on the number of players and their skill level and the number of decks you are using, you may want to adjust the goal. Make it easier by getting a run of 3 books or make it harder with a run of 5 books.
4. When a player achieves a run, they can place it immediately on the table. Players who have a run are able to add to their runs or any other run laid down on the table as soon as they have a card (not as an action on their turn).
5. The first player to run out of cards wins.

Charades

Required: 1 deck and an egg timer

Goal: To get the other team to name the book of the Bible

Set-up: Divide the class into 3 or more teams

1. The teacher shuffles the deck but keeps the cards all together and face-down in front of them.
2. A team is chosen to go first and a team member chooses a card from the teacher’s deck at random.
3. The team with the card decides on actions with the goal of getting the other teams to correctly guess the book of the Bible. Like charades, the actions must be silent and should not include letters or numbers or mouthing the name of the book. And, the actions should aim to include all members of the team (for example, they can all perform the same action or they can work together for a quick and silent “skit”). For example, if a team draws the book of Exodus, they might have a character play Moses as he raises his hands, and the rest of the characters as Israelites crossing the sea.
4. The team acts out the name of the Bible book. When the book is correctly guessed, the team that guessed AND the team that acted gets a point. If no one guesses in the allotted time, no one gets any points.

Note: A teacher might need to help the children identify a correct story in the book (encourage the children to check in their Bible) and provide guidance on some of the minor prophets or epistles.

Find the Bible

Required: 1 deck

Goal: To have the kids cooperate to find the books of the Bible and arrange them in order

Set-up: Hide the Books of the Bible Cards around your classroom

1. Have the children locate the cards and put them in order. Older children may work from memory; younger children can consult a Bible’s table of contents.

Bible Book Relay

Required: 1 deck of Books of the Bible Cards per team

Goal: To be the first team to correctly order their cards.

Set-up: Divide the children into teams. For each team, shuffle the deck and put 5 cards face-down in front of the team. Place the rest of the cards on the other side of the room directly opposite the team face-down in a messy pile. Repeat with a new deck for each team.

1. On go, each team will turn over their cards and start putting them in order. At the same time, each team may send one player at a time to the other end of the room to pick up one card and bring it back to the team. Each team will send one player at a time until they have all their cards. Meanwhile, the rest of the team puts the cards in order. The first team to organize all their cards correctly wins.
2. Encourage teams to strategize. For example, they can split up into Old Testament and New Testament mini-teams in order to organize their cards faster.

Books of the Bible Go Fish!

Required: 2 or more decks of Books of the Bible Cards

Goal: To have the most matches at the end of the game

Best Played With: 2-6 children

Set-up: Choose a testament or division to focus on (ex. New Testament, Major & Minor Prophets, Epistles). Remove the corresponding cards from the decks and set the rest of the cards aside. Shuffle the cards and deal 5 cards to each player. Place the rest of the cards face down in the middle of the table.

1. Before starting the game, all of the players put any pairs they happen to have in their hand down in front of them.
2. Choose a player to go first.
3. That player will ask another player if they have a particular card. For example, “Hayley, do you have the book of Romans?” If the player asked has the card, they must hand it over. If they do not, they say, “Go Fish.” (The player must have the card they are asking for in their hand.)
4. If the player is told to “go fish,” they must pick a card from the deck in the middle of the table.
5. Whenever any player gets a match, they lay the cards down on the table in front of them.
6. If a player runs out of cards, they pick up 5 from the pile in the middle.
7. Play continues until all cards are gone from the middle. The player with the most matches wins.

Find the Match

Required: 2 decks of Books of the Bible Cards

Goal: To find as many matches as you can in the allotted time.

Best Played With: Younger Children

Set-up: Choose Old or New Testament. Remove those cards from the decks and put the rest of the cards away. Tape the cards from one deck to the walls of your classroom. Shuffle the other deck and spread the cards out on the table or floor.

1. Children will choose one card from the pile and find its match on the walls.
2. They can keep any matches they find.
3. Children can only match one card at a time.