Old Testament and New Testament Sorts can be fun for kids to do as they first arrive and are waiting on other kids. For the sort, have students sort books of the Bible into either New Testament or Old Testament.
If your kids are unsure of their answers or need to check their work, have them use the Table of Contents in a Bible.
If this is too easy, you can have them sort the books of the Bible into more detailed groups. For the Old Testament, kids can sort the books of the Bible into law, history, poetry, major prophets, and minor prophets. For the New Testament, kids can sort the books of the Bible into gospels, church history, Paul's letters, other letters, and prophecy.
Sorts can be done in a variety of ways, so if your kids get bored with doing a sort one way, you can try a different way. Below are some different ways you can have students sort the Books of the Bible.
Printable Old Testament/New Testament Sort
Download this free printable sort to use with your students.
You can use this to have students sort the books of the Bible into Old Testament or New Testament, or the more detailed sort described above. You can use these cards different ways to vary up the activity for your kids.
- Gift Bag Sort - Print out the Cards. Glue the labels “Old Testament” and “New Testament” on two gift bags (or use the more detailed sort headings and glue them onto 10 gift bags), and then have students put each of the cards in the appropriate gift bags.You don’t need gift bags – you could also have students sort the cards into large bowls or cups.
- Pocket Chart Sort - If you happen to have two pocket charts, you could have children sort the cards on the pocket charts – one for Old Testament and one for New Testament. Children could also put the books of the Bible in order for an added challenge.Pocket charts could also be used with games involving Scripture, so this might be something worth buying for your class depending on your situation.
- Sort on the Ground - If you have enough space, you can also have the kids sort the cards on the ground, using the New Testament and Old Testament labels. Or, your kids could use these cards to put all of the books of the Bible in the correct order.
Other OT/NT Sorts (Require More Prep)
A quick search on Pinterest can help you find other fun games that teach. These usually will require a little preparation ahead of time, but can be used repeatedly. Below are some ideas I found on Pinterest.
Helping kids be better able to navigate the Bible will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
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