When was the last time someone told you to “check your attitude”?
As a mature adult, you understand that your attitude speaks volumes for what is going on in your heart.
Preteens are still learning how to navigate strong feelings and emotions, while learning what it means to follow Jesus.
So, here’s a fun summer game, based on Philippians 2:5-8, that will start the discussion of what it means to have the attitude of Christ.
- Nick Diliberto, Preteen Ministry
PRETEEN GAME ON HAVING AN ATTITUDE LIKE CHRIST
Written by Stef Litzler
Bible: Philippians 2:5-8
Bottom Line: Have the Attitude of Christ.
SUPPLIES• Slips of paper and a pen
• 2 Buckets
• Bingo cards (use bingobaker.com or a similar website to create cards)
• Bingo markers (bingo chips, M&Ms, or Skittles)
OPENING GAME: ACT-ITUDE BINGO
Write each word in the “List of Attitudes” on slips of paper, fold in half, and place in a bucket.
LIST OF ATTITUDES• Encouraging
• Servant-hearted
• Selfless
• Sacrificial
• Innocent
• Discouraging
• Angry
• Humble
• Proud
• Obedient
• Disobedient
• Complaining
• Grateful
• Joyful
• Excitement
• Courageous
• Fearful
• Hopeful
• Hopeless
• Loving
• Patient
• Impatient
• Gentle
• Hurtful
• Rude
• Kind
Write each word in the “List of Summer Scenarios” on slips of paper, fold in half, and place in a bucket.
LIST OF SUMMER SCENARIOS• Your friend invites you to come over to swim, and when you get to the pool, your friend has also invited someone you don’t like.
• It’s raining for the third day in a row and your parents tell you that you can’t
have any screen time today.
• You’re in the middle of a 10-hour road trip and your brother or sister starts singing songs that really annoy you asking “Are we there yet?”
• All of your closest friends have left for camp or vacation and you don’t have any plans for the week.
• Your parents have decided that you’re going to clean the entire house from top to bottom. They want you to go through all your closets and room and give away or sell what you aren't using.
• You’re diagnosed with a terrible, contagious virus one day before you’re supposed to leave for your favorite summer camp.
GAME PREP
Before the game, create bingo cards with different “attitudes” listed in each space.
Use the list provided in the supplies or consider other additional types of attitudes for the game.
Find a website that allows you to create and generate your own bingo cards.
Gather the pieces you will be using for the students to cover their bingo boards.
If you want your students to participate in creating summer scenarios to act out, begin your meeting with that activity.
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Ask your students talk about different situations that they experience over the summer.
Some of these scenarios could be positive and others more challenging.
If you are using the students to create scenarios, provide an example to get them started and then have them write their scenario on a small piece of paper.
When the scenarios are completed, put them in a basket or bucket.
Explain that the goal of the game is to get a BINGO with five spaces filled.
After the initial winner, you can play a blackout version, or another version of your choice to continue.
Say: Today, we are going to play a dramatic version of bingo called “Act-itude Bingo.”
One at a time, students will come forward, choose an attitude of the bucket, and a summer scenario out of the other bucket, and act out the scenario with the attitude using the attitude that was chosen.
Everyone will hear the scenario, but only the person acting will know that attitude.
Players will guess the attitude portrayed and put a bingo marker over the space they think is the correct answer.
Let the students know that as the leader, you will be keeping track of the attitudes drawn and acted out for the students.
The summer scenarios can be placed back into the bucket, but the attitudes stay out of the bucket once they are drawn.
Play until a student yells BINGO, and then continue as time allows.
TEACH
Say: I’m impressed by all of the attitudes each of you were able to portray for our game!
Raise your hand if your parents have ever requested an “attitude check.”
Ask: Have your parents ever asked you to check your attitude when you are happy, helpful, complimentary, etc.? Why?
Allow a few responses from students.
Your attitude can best be explained by the way you think about things and how the way your emotions rise to respond to a certain fact or state.
By this point in the summer, your attitude has been tested over and over without a school schedule and with all of the free time you are spending with family and friends.
When we think about an attitude check, the best person to look to for the ultimate model of a perfect attitude is none other than Jesus himself.
Read Philippians 2:5-8.
“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Say: In our game today, we were able to observe some pretty ugly attitudes, and some attitudes that were Christ-like.
Seeing those attitudes displayed helps us think and act the way Jesus did and the way He desires for us to act.
Paul is very clear as to the kind of attitude we should strive for if we are following Jesus.
Ask: Can you help me make a list of the attitudes that are displayed in Philippians 2 that were also listed on our bingo game today?
Allow time for students to make a list.
Let’s take a look at the list together.
Examples: humble, servant-hearted, sacrificial, selfless, innocent…
These are incredible qualities.
We generally feel like we are succeeding when we stay positive, kind and composed with our attitude.
When we look at the attitude of Christ, we see that so much more is possible for our attitudes.
If we compare our attitude with Christ’s, we should put others before ourselves, even when we want our way.
If we compare our attitude with Christ’s, we should give up our own desires for the sake of others.
If we compare our attitude with Christ’s, we should be found innocent and without fault, even when others accuse us of doing something wrong.
If we compare our attitude with Christ’s, we shouldn’t hold tightly to positions, popularity or status.
So, let’s pray together and ask God to help us have a Christ-like attitude.
End lesson and close in prayer.
Note: If you used edible bingo pieces, now would be a good time to enjoy them together as a group and talk about their summer plans.