JUNIOR HIGH GAME: HEART DARTS
There is a lot of talk around Valentine’s Day about hearts.
Did you know the Bible actually talks a lot about hearts too?
Use this fun Valentine’s Day Game to remind students that the very best version of love… is God’s love!
-Nick Diliberto, Junior High Ministry
JUNIOR HIGH GAME: HEART DARTS
Written by: Mike Sheley
Bible: Proverbs 27:19
SUPPLIES
- Nerf or similar blaster
- Darts/ammo for the blasters
- Black markers
- Tape (gaff or painter’s tapes)
- Sticky Notes – 3 colors (yellow, pink, and green)
GAME SET-UP
Using a wall, or another flat, vertical surface, create your target with the sticky notes as follows:
Use one color for the center.
To make it most difficult, just use one note.
To make it easier, make a grid of 9-notes (3×3).
Then, with a second, contrasting color, make the second “level” or ring.
You can put so many notes up that they form a seamless ring.
Or you can form a ring with some gaps to use less notes and increase the difficulty.
The size of this depends on how difficult you want to make it and how much space you have.
The farther students stand from the target, the larger you’ll want to make this.
If they are shooting within 8-10 feet, you can keep it close to a normal archery target.
Finally, make the third ring with the third color of sticky notes.
Again, make it seamless with more notes to be easier for students or leave gaps to use less notes and make it harder for students.
Next, use the marker to draw hearts on the notes – one per note.
You could get some people to help you with this – draw on them before you put them up if you have an idea how many notes you will use.
Using the tape, mark the line which will be where students will stand.
A suggestion is to mark it and then test the dart blasters you have.
You’ll be able to see how well they shoot and if you need to move the line forward or backward.
HOW TO PLAY THE GAME
Divide students into two even teams.
Each team needs to pick a captain.
Give each captain a marker and 10 sticky notes.
Read the following trivia questions, one-at-a-time, to both teams.
Teammates can help, but the only answer that matters is the one the captain writes on the note.
After going through all ten questions, go back and reveal the correct answers.
Captains are to throw away the notes that have incorrect answers and keep the ones that are correct.
Now the captain picks 3 people to be the team “shooters.”
Each person will get to take 3 shots.
The captain gets to take one shot.
Before shooting, the captains add their post it notes to the target anywhere they want.
They can put their note on top of an existing note, but they can not cover up a note from the other team.
The center is worth 100 points.
The second ring is worth 50 points.
And the third ring is worth 25 points.
The “answer notes” are worth double the points of their location on the target.
Then, line up the players so that each team alternates shooting at the target.
Be sure to have two leaders who can verify where the dart hits to keep score.
Add up the points.
Most points, wins!
You can choose to add more points by awarding 25 points per correct answer too, if you want.
TRIVIA QUESTIONS
What is the average number of heart beats per minute? (clue: 50-100)
- ANSWER: 72
True or False. Your heart is about the same size as your fist.
- ANSWER: True
Whose heart typically beats faster, men or women?
- ANSWER: Women (78 vs 70 bpm)
True or False. The heart does the most physical work of any muscle during a lifetime.
- ANSWER: True
In which century did Valentine’s Day become declared an official holiday? (Hint: 1300’s, 1500’s, 1800’s)
- ANSWER: 1500’s (1537)
True or False. All of the blood in your body travels through your heart once every five minutes.
- ANSWER: False (once every one minute)
What kind of flowers are traditionally given to celebrate love?
- ANSWER: Roses
In medieval times, which organ was believed to cause love? (Hint: heart, brain, liver)
- ANSWER: Liver
In a deck of playing cards, besides hearts, you have spades, clubs and this red-colored shape.
- ANSWER: Diamond
True or False. Conversation heart candy is the most-popular non-chocolate candy sold in January and February.
- ANSWER: True
TEACH
There is a lot of talk around Valentine’s Day about hearts.
Did you know the Bible actually talks a lot about hearts?
Before selfies, it was common to look for your reflection in water.
So, with that in mind, check out this verse from the Book of Proverbs:
Read Proverbs 27:19. (NLT)
“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.”
Here’s what the writer was saying: Look into water and you’ll see what you look like – no filters, no edits – just the real you.
Your heart is a symbol for your thoughts and emotions.
When you see how someone talks and acts, you can see the real person.
In our game today, you had to try to figure out the true answer.
Then, the shooters had to try to hit the best part of the target.
As we hear and see so much about hearts around us this time of year, let’s let those remind us to live in such a way that people can see Jesus through us.
Maybe we’ll help them see the very best version of love, God’s love, in the process.
(Close in prayer)
Like this Valentine’s themed game? Check out this…
Junior High Lesson for Valentine’s Day
Written by Mike Sheley, who is the Middle School Pastor (5th-8th grade) at Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Greenwood, Indiana.
He’s been in full-time youth ministry over 17 years with most of that time focused on 5th-8th graders.