An Easy, Active Game for St. Michael's Day (with a Free Printable)

Luke as St. Michael Last Year in the Frugal Costume He Helped Make

Next Sunday is St. Michael and the Archangel's Feast Day, so today I thought I would share a quick and easy game we played last year during our homeschool Co-op's All Saints Day party, which could just as easily be played at home with your children.

The game is easy to set up and includes climbing and throwing, plus some running if you wish, thereby encouraging lots of motor skill coordination and proprioceptive input.

The set up of the game, as we played it, was super simple.   

We draped the top of a ladder with a "heavenly" blue fabric and placed both a stuffed snake and a stuffed dragon on it, as well as a game challenge card. Further away on the floor, we placed some dried stalks to represent brambles.

Get this here.

 With each group that rotated to the game station, we looked at the image on the game challenge card, used it to briefly discuss what we knew -- or could figure out -- about St. Micheal, read the Scripture verse on it, and, then, one by one, let the children climb to the top of the ladder to select either the snake or the dragon (as symbols of satan) to throw as far as they could into the brambles.

We selected children whose turn it was not to be our "runners" and "markers", either getting the stuffed toys for the next person in line or marking where previous throws were to see if the next person could out-distance them.

It was simple, but fun!  Children asked to play again and again. 

If you'd like to play the game, too, or to simply use the sign for it for a picture study, please feel free to download the sign here.

Nina Playing with Our St. Micheal's Symbol Cards Last Year

You may also want to check out our Resource Round-Up for Planning a St. Micheal's Tea, which is chock full of ideas and links for St. Michael's Day decorations, foods, prayers and activities, and, if you haven't grabbed them yet, print out a free copy of our St. Micheal's Symbols 3-Part Cards.  I made them for my children last year, and they loved them!

What are your favorite games and motor activities for celebrating with the saints?

 

(If you receive this post via email and cannot see the linky, be sure to actually click over to the blog to read browse the rich catalog of ideas there.)

This post is also being shared at Upsidedown Homeschooling Hearts for Home Blog Hop.