Bible games for children: an app and games to play as a family

An app with animated stories and screen-free games for learning the Bible as a family.

Children learn by listening, touching, repeating and laughing. That is why a good Bible game on a phone can open the way to the stories the family reads together, as long as the child has company and there are clear limits. And many of the best games don't even need a screen.

This guide introduces a well-known app for children, ground rules, agreed together, that help keep things balanced, and three activities to do at home with paper, voice and imagination.

Bible App for Kids: stories that come to life

To follow a Bible story together with your child, one option is Bible App for Kids, which YouVersion produced together with the organisation OneHope. It costs nothing to use, and the stories include scenes in which the child touches the screen and takes part in small activities. Try starting with one story and stay beside the child while they use the app. Afterwards, open the Bible you have at home at the same passage and read it aloud together; this reading can help you choose the next story.

The app is available in more than one language, and you can change the language in the settings. To install it, search for its name in your phone's app store and check the developer's name before downloading, because other games may have similar names. Official store pages: Google Play · App Store.

Three ground rules to agree on together before handing over the phone

1. How long: an alarm on the phone itself signals when the game is over.
2. Where: it is best to play in a shared space in the home, where an adult can keep an eye on things.
3. And afterwards: set aside five minutes for the child to retell the story in their own way.

Check the controls available for the device and for the child's account. On Android, Family Link lets you set usage limits and approvals for content from Google Play. On iPhone, check Screen Time and the Ask to Buy feature, depending on how Family Sharing is set up. Approvals come with conditions and exceptions; review the settings before handing over the device.

When the screen goes off: three games for the family

Choose from the activities below according to the age, interests and abilities of those taking part. Keep a Bible nearby to check the answers.

Questions and answers after the story

Read a short story together, such as the one about Zacchaeus or the lost sheep. Then each person writes or says two questions about what they heard: “Why did Zacchaeus climb the tree?”, “How many sheep did the shepherd have?”. Form two teams and keep score with beans in a jar. For the little ones, yes-or-no questions work well; for the older ones, ask them to find the verse in the Bible that proves the answer.

The fridge verse

Choose a short verse for the week and write it in large letters on a sheet stuck to the fridge door. At each meal, the family repeats the verse together. From the third day on, cover one word with a small piece of paper; the next day, another one. At the end of the week, the child who can say the whole verse chooses the next one.

Guess the story from the mime

One person acts out a Bible story without speaking, and the rest of the family tries to guess which one it is. Some that make good scenes: Noah building the ark, David facing Goliath, the boy Samuel waking up when he hears his name, Jesus calming the storm and the good Samaritan helping the injured man. After each correct guess, read the passage in the Bible and compare it with the acting.

To carry on with the topic, the family can sing a song about the day's story; the guide to worship as a family has ideas for this. And the adults can read the same passage, this time in full, in the Bible app.

Before installing another game

The stores have many other Bible-themed games, of very varied quality. Explore the game on your own before introducing it to your child, check the age rating shown in the store and see whether the stories are faithful to the biblical text.

Age and screen time

There is no single rule for every family. For the youngest children, recommendations from child health organisations range from little to no screen exposure; where there is some, it is best done with an adult. For older children, agree on usage time according to their age and the paediatrician's guidance, with breaks and activities away from the screen. If in doubt, talk to the paediatrician.

Common questions

Does the app cost anything?

Bible App for Kids describes itself as free and ad-free. Even so, check the store page before installing, because conditions may change.

What age are the games for?

It depends on the activity and on each child's abilities. Adapt the questions and the acting out of the stories to the understanding and interests of those taking part; those who can already read can look for the answers in the Bible and help prepare the next round.

In closing

Use Bible games as a starting point for talking about the story and checking the passage together as a family. With a good app, clear ground rules agreed together and a few screen-free games, learning the Bible can become shared fun.

Back to the guide to the Bible on your phone