How to Make Sunday School More Fun

One of my favorite quotes of all time is “It is a sin to bore a kid with the Bible“.  I don’t know who originally said it, but I saw it long ago used in an ad for curriculum.  I completely agree.
We have the most exciting story of all time to tell, yet Sunday School does not generally have the reputation for being fun.  How can we change that?  Here are six steps to help bring more fun into your Sunday School.
1.  Be prepared.  Let’s be honest, listening to someone read straight from the teacher’s guide and watching them have their nose buried in the book is not very exciting.  The better you can know your lesson ahead of time, the more freedom you have to lead the fun.  You can’t make the class the very best experience for the kids if you aren’t ready when you walk in.
2.  Have fun yourself.  Remember the old Jerry Maguire quote from that little kid, “Did you know dogs and bees smell fear?”  Kids can smell fear and can also smell out if you don’t want to be there.  Ask God to renew your joy for being in the classroom.  Model for your kids what it looks like to truly live Psalm 122:1… “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.”
3.  Laugh a lot.  Along the same lines, your classroom should be a place of lots of laughs.  Laughter is the language of fun for kids.  Yes, the Bible is serious, but God is a God of great joy.  Kids are attracted to laughter, so seek out ways to get them giggling.
4.  Keep it active and moving.  Kids are kids and sitting still is not fun for them.  Use lots of variety in your lessons.  There are appropriate times for kids to sit still and listen, but they just can’t do it for an hour.  Look for ways to incorporate games, movement, drama, and other activities that get them out of their chairs.  Remember, kids’ attention spans are about one minute for each age of their lives.  So for six year olds, you should aim to change up what you are doing every six minutes or so.
5.  Make sure it is relevant.  Help your kids connect what they are learning to their real lives.  When kids can’t see why what you are teaching is important, they will quickly label it as “important”.  Help them see that God’s Word is “living and active” and help them specifically see how your lesson can impact their lives.
6.  Connect kids.  Kids have a need to feel like they belong.  Use their names, include each one in activities, and get everyone involved.  Some kids are more reserved than others, but the more you can get everyone involved, the more they will have fun.  Also, concentrate on connecting kids to one another.  The fun factor greatly increases when kids make friends.