YOUTH GROUP GAME ON FATHER’S DAY
Bible: Proverbs 3:12 (NLT)
Bottom Line: Fathers will guide, and sometimes correct you, in an effort to lead you in the right way.
SUPPLIES
• Balloons
• List of “Dad Jokes”
• Slips of paper and a pen
GAME PREP
Write or print the “Dad Jokes” on slips of paper.
Each joke has two parts (as indicated on the list of jokes).
Inflate balloons and place one slip of paper inside each balloon.
Spread balloons all over your youth space.
Divide students into two teams of equal size.
For each of the following jokes write each half on a separate slip of paper.
The second half of the joke is marked as bold and italicized.
“DAD JOKES”
MOM: "How do I look?" "DAD: "With your eyes."
Don't trust atoms. They make up everything!
KID: "Dad, make me a sandwich!" "DAD: "Poof, you’re a sandwich!”
Why couldn't the bike stand up by itself? It was two tired.
What time did the man go to the dentist? Tooth hurt-y.
When you ask a dad if he's alright: "No, I’m half left.”
Can February March? No, but April May!
Why did the crab never share? Because he's shellfish.
You know what the loudest pet you can get is? A trumpet.
Did you hear about the circus fire? It was in tents!
WAITRESS: "Soup or salad?" DAD: "I don't want a SUPER salad. I want a regular salad."
How does a penguin build its house? Igloos it together.
Why did the coffee file a police report? It got mugged.
Want to hear a joke about a piece of paper? Never mind... it's tearable.
What do you call a lonely cheese? Provolone.
What do you call a fish with two knees? A “two-knee” fish.
What do you call a fake noodle? An Impasta.
How many apples grow on a tree? All of them.
What do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho Cheese.
Dad, can you put my shoes on? No, I don't think they'll fit me.
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Say: We're going to play a quick game called "Dad Jokes."
Raise your hand if you know someone who tells “dad jokes.”
Dads are infamous for corny jokes and puns that they expect others to laugh at…whether they are funny or not.
So, in this game, you will have the job of matching up all of the knee slappers that are contained inside of these balloons.
In each balloon, is one half of a “dad joke.”
When I say GO, each person will pop one or more balloons until all of the balloons are gone.
Read the slip of paper that was inside of the balloon – it will be half of the dad joke.
You will gather together with your team and see if you can match your half with the slips of paper that your teammates have.
After you have matched as many as possible, there will be halves that don’t match up.
That means that the other half is held by someone on the other team – who will have also realized which halves also don’t match.
Everyone who is holding a leftover piece will then step forward so everyone can seen who remains.
At this point, I will choose a team to start this next portion of the game.
One person from the designated team will walk to someone on the other side, which is holding a leftover piece.
If they choose the person who is holding the other half of their joke, they can take their piece of paper.
If they choose the wrong person, they will give their piece of paper to someone on the opposing team, and their turn is over.
Then, the other team will take their turn.
This will continue until all of the dad jokes are accounted for.
The team with the highest number of matched dad jokes – wins!
TEACH
Say: In the United States, we have been celebrating Father’s Day since around 1910.
A woman named Sonora Smart Dodd, suggested a holiday to honor men like her dad.
William Jackson Smart was a Civil War Veteran and a single dad who raised six children.
His daughter considered him to be a man worthy of honor.
In fact, the holiday is recognized on the first Sunday in June because Sonora suggested that it should be celebrated on her dad's birthday, June 5th.
“Father’s Day” was created as a complimentary holiday to Mother’s Day, which had become a recognized holiday a few years prior.
Moms are pretty great – think of all they do for you and contribute to in your life.
So, it’s no wonder that they were given a special day first.
But dads play a very vital role in our lives too.
Throughout history, men have provided, protected, cared for, and raised families.
Not every dad has done a great job and if you are fortunate enough to have one that has, be sure to show him love and respect for all he’s done.
One of the roles of a father, or parent, is to discipline his children.
The word “discipline” comes from the word disciple, meaning that parents are teaching their children how to act by leading with their own actions.
That’s not always true in every family, but let’s see what the Bible has to say.
Read Proverbs 3:12.
For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
In this verse, King Solomon, the author of Proverbs, likens our Heavenly Father to our earthly father in how they “correct” their children.
Let's face it; it's not fun to be corrected.
No one likes to have their faults or what they are doing wrong exposed to others, but often that’s how we experience the most growth in our lives.
Ask: Can someone share a time that one of your parents gave you “correction”?
How did you react? Did it help you?
Allow a few responses from students.
Share a personal experience with students about a time when one of your parents corrected or disciplined you in a certain area, and what you learned from it.
Believe it or not, but when you receive correction, it’s because your parent is trying to keep you from making some of the same mistakes they may have made.
If your dad is tough on you about finishing things that you start, it might be because that was an area he struggled with at your age.
If your parents warn you about certain relationships, it could be that they have experienced hurt from others that they don’t want you to experience.
The beginning of the verse, we read said that "the Lord corrects those he loves."
God knows the beginning, middle, and end of your life, and He loves you.
He desires to guide, and sometimes correct you, in an effort to lead you in the right way.
The second part of the verse says, “just as a father corrects a child in whom He delights.”
That means that the basis of correction from your dad also comes from his love for you.
When you understand that the people in your life generally correct you because they love you, you might be more willing to accept and grow from it.
If you don’t have a great relationship with your dad, you need to know that you will always have unconditional love from God.
And you can pray that God will send people into your life that can show you the same kind of love that God has for you.