Type: Active Tag Game (Blob Tag)
Time: 10 minutes
Group Size: 6+
Materials:

• None.

Purpose

To provide a highly active physical illustration of a “fishing net” growing larger and catching more people, directly tying into Jesus’ call to be “fishers of men.”

Setup

Ensure the room or playing area is clear of obstacles. Choose two children to be the starting “Net.”

Exact Instructions

1. Have the two starting children link arms. They are the “Net.”
2. The rest of the children are the “Fish” and they can swim (run) freely around the designated ocean (play area).
3. Say: “Ready, Set, FISH!”
4. The Net must work together to run and tag a Fish. (They must keep their arms linked!).
5. When a Fish is tagged, they must join the Net by linking arms on the end. The Net is now 3 people wide.
6. The Net continues chasing Fish. Every time a Fish is caught, the Net grows wider and wider.
7. Rule for Safety: The Net cannot stretch out and “clothesline” people. Only the two people on the very ends of the Net are allowed to use their free hand to tag a Fish.
8. The game ends when the massive Net catches the very last Fish!

Discussion

Ask: “Was it easier to catch fish when the net was small (2 people) or when the net was huge?” “Did the fish try to run away? Do you think people try to ‘run away’ when we tell them about Jesus?”

Connection Back to the Bible Story

Explain: “Jesus told Peter that instead of catching normal fish, he was going to catch PEOPLE. Being a ‘fisher of men’ means telling people about Jesus’ love so they can be brought into God’s family. Just like our net grew bigger and bigger as more people joined, God’s family grows bigger and bigger every time we tell someone about Jesus!”