Children and Families - Scripture Union NZ

A few years back I returned from Israel determined to help my Bible in School's class grasp the daily reality of life in the time of Jesus. I created this game for that purpose. The kids in my class helped me modify it so that it worked well. We loved playing it! Be warned; it is noisy and slightly chaotic (as all good games should be). It takes a little time to make up all the cards, but once you have made it you can use the game over and over.  The aim of the game is to enter the first century market place and trade and sell your goods. The prices are accurate to what they would have cost in Jesus' day, based on what we know from the ancient texts; the Mishnah, the New Testament, and archaeological       discoveries.  However, it is hard to be certain about the exact cost of items. You can see ‘Daily Life at the Time of Jesus’ by Miriam Vamosh for more detail ( to purchase ).   So, when someone goes to the market place to...

I recently went to Disney on Ice with my 9 year old niece. I was surrounded by Elsa's, princesses dressed in sparkly blue gowns and fake diamond tiaras. It was a couple of hours of beautiful ice skating, which was great! We both loved it. It was also a couple of hours of fairytale accounts of how the world works. Beautiful princesses who captivate handsome princes on white horses.  Our children experience competing narratives about the world and how life works. Is it a happily ever after?  When it comes to the Bible they face the same challenge. At some point in their life the question will arise:  Is it real or is it a fairytale?  How do we help children navigate this question when it arises? How do we equip them with the tools they need to find the answer for themselves? Because it is not simply enough to tell them just to trust and obey.  “Whether the biblical story becomes primary in the lives of our children will be powerfull...