This passage is sometimes called the 10 virgins or the 10 bridesmaids: what we know about this is that they were young girls. A gaggle of girls waiting with the bride would probably be quite a fun, if not exhausting, way to spend an evening, it’s not surprising they fell asleep. Here is a selection of games that tie into various elements of the story, choose the one that would best suit your group, age range and setup.
Hidden light
Under 7’s
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
Play ‘hide the object’ with use a torch or glow stick. How easy was it to find? Was it easier to find when the room was brighter? Did its light make it easier to discover?
Bridesmaid Search
All Ages
Small group
Requires setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
A printable pairs game available by clicking on the image. Play classic pairs or use the scoring system written out on the page to try to beat your opponent.
Running out of oil
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
If you have access to a water friendly space, this is a fun game. The aim is to float a candle in a container by filling it with water. You may not touch the candle, though you can blow it off the top of the container. Give each child a cup they can fill with water and have them run back and forth from the water source. Make it a bit more challenging by making a few small holes in the base of the container!
He’s arrived
All Ages
Any size group
No Setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
When the music stops, someone knocks on the door and the groom arrives, but don’t let him find you sleeping. Each pair of kids shares a dice, taking it in turns to roll. If they roll a 5 or 6, they fall asleep — sit/lay down. A roll of 1 or 2 wakes both people up — kneel/stand up. Make sure you have a third person to randomly stop the music or set a timer if you only have 2–3 kids. As a group game, all those asleep are out for the next round.
I Packed My Bag
Ages 7+
Any size group
No Setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
This classic game, also called “when I went to grandma’s” is a memory game listing all the things you’d take with you. Take it in turns to recite the whole list of items in the bag before listing a further item. How many can you remember?
