Sukkot Activities for Kids

Parents, let us put your mind at ease: your kids are going to love the Feast of Tabernacles. In fact, after 10 days of creek splashing, campfire s'mores, new friendships, and outdoor adventures, they are probably going to beg you to stay longer.

Here is everything your children will experience at our Sukkot gathering at South Harpeth River Retreat near Nashville, Tennessee.

Creek Splashing and River Adventures

The South Harpeth River flows right through the 70-acre property, and kids gravitate to the water like magnets. Shallow creek areas are perfect for younger children to wade, splash, and explore. Older kids can go tubing, kayaking, or canoeing with supervision. Bring water shoes and extra towels because your children will be wet and happy every single afternoon.

Crafts and Creative Activities

Our dedicated children's programming includes hands-on crafts tied to the themes of Sukkot. Kids make their own decorations for the sukkah, create leaf art projects, paint rocks, build shofars, and more. Each craft is designed to teach a biblical concept while keeping little hands busy and little minds engaged.

Trampoline, Sports, and Field Games

Got energy to burn? We have got you covered. The venue has a trampoline that kids swarm from morning until dark. Open fields are perfect for flag football, soccer, frisbee, and tag. Organized volleyball games draw kids and teens alike. There is archery for the adventurous, and group field games that get entire families involved in friendly competition.

Bible Stories and Children's Services

While the adults are in morning services, kids have their own age-appropriate programming. Engaging teachers bring Bible stories to life through interactive lessons, songs, acting, and discussion. Children learn about the meaning of Sukkot, the wilderness journey, YHWH's faithfulness, and how to walk in His ways. These sessions plant seeds that grow for a lifetime.

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it." — Proverbs 22:6

Making Friends That Last

This is the part parents do not expect, and it becomes the most meaningful part of the Feast for many families. Kids who meet at Sukkot form bonds that carry through the entire year. They video-call each other, count down the days until next year's Feast, and pick up right where they left off when they reunite. In a world where it can be hard to find like-minded families, the Feast provides a community where your children fit right in.

Campfire S'mores and Nighttime Fun

When the sun goes down, the fun does not stop. Kids roast marshmallows over the campfire, eat s'mores until they are sticky from head to toe, and run around with glow sticks in the dark. Campfire karaoke, storytelling, and stargazing round out the evening. For many kids, falling asleep in a tent after a full day of outdoor adventure is the most peaceful sleep they get all year.

Games, Competitions, and Special Events

Throughout the Feast week, we host special events that kids and teens look forward to: scavenger hunts across the property, talent shows where kids can perform, ice cream night, fireworks, hayrides, and glow-in-the-dark activities. There is always something happening, and kids are never bored. The hardest part is choosing which activity to do next.

Building Sukkahs Together

One of the highlights for kids is helping build and decorate the sukkah. They gather branches, hang decorations, string lights, and make the family's temporary dwelling their own. It is a tactile, memorable way to connect with the biblical command to dwell in booths and gives children a sense of ownership over the Feast experience.

What Parents Say

Every year, parents tell us that the Feast is the highlight of their children's year. Kids who were nervous about camping come alive within hours. Shy children find their tribe. Teenagers who spend most of their lives on screens voluntarily put their phones down because the real-life adventure is better. And families leave with a deeper bond, having shared something truly meaningful.

YHWH commanded us to rejoice at the Feast with our sons and daughters (Deuteronomy 16:14). When you see your children laughing in the creek, worshipping with lifted hands, and sitting around a campfire with new friends, you will understand exactly what that command looks like.