• Leader Resource 1, Memory Match Game – Homemade Cards

• Make the Memory Match Game cards, either one set for the whole group, or sets of 12–16 cards for each group of four (the sets don’t have to match). See Leader Resource 1, Memory Match Game – Homemade Cards.
• Optional: If your RE program already has Memory Match Game cards, locate them for this session.

Children play the Memory Match Game, a homemade version of the game “Concentration.”

Start the Memory Match Game by showing some of the cards to the children. Show the cards of the minister, the religious educator, the music leader, and other staff, and ask, “Who is this?” Show cards of familiar locations around the building and ask, “Where is this?” Show cards of the chalice and other objects and ask “What is this?”

Lay out the cards in pairs, face up, so the children can identify the pairs. As you lay out each card, talk about what it means, for example:

The minister gives the sermon, helps people get married, and helps us all say goodbye when someone dies.

We open the front doors on Sunday.

We light the chalice in worship.

Once all the cards are laid out, ask the children, in turn, to locate a particular pair, for example:

Karina, can you find the class picture pair?

Duncan, can you find the chalice pair?

Then, have the children play the Memory Match Game. You could try playing cooperatively, with the whole group working together to match all the pairs together. If your group is large, you can separate the pairs into several groups so that the children can play in groups of four.

If some children would prefer to continue practicing the finger play “This Is the Church,” offer that option as well. You can either have both games going at the same time, or have the group do one and then the other together.

Ensure that all children can see and reach the game cards. Partner a child who cannot see with one who can; you may wish to have all the children work with a partner.