Who says being a youth pastor has to be all work and no play? While it’s true that you’ll have to put in some time and effort to make your youth group successful, there are plenty of fun activities you can do with your students. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Sometimes after a serious Bible lesson or a long week at school, young people just need to have some fun in their youth group.
Run and scream: Activity for Youth Groups
Have students stand in a line in a large playing area. On signal, all students will shout as loudly as possible while running as far as possible across the playing area, stopping when air runs out. Middle School students will love this one, but you’ll be surprised how many High School students love to cut loose too.
Hankie yank: Game Idea for Student Ministry
Have each student in a group begin with two scarves, one in each pocket. The object of the game is to yank the scarves out of other students’ pockets, without losing their own. Students cannot carry more than one scarf at a time (in addition to the pocket scarves). If an additional scarf is grabbed, it must be dropped, but can be “rescued” by another player. The winner is the final player with scarves.
Rock, paper, scissors tournament: Activity for Teenagers
This is mostly self-explanatory, but can be enhanced by having players “advance rounds” to heighten excitement. This one works great on a long road trip with teenagers.
Apple ball: Youth Ministry Game
Grab a few tennis rackets or baseball bats and a lot of apples. This activity can be made into a game similar to baseball, or can simply be a fun way to blow off steam and burn off energy. Have students take turns tossing and hitting the apples (note: this game is definitely best played outside!).
“David, Goliath, and Bathsheba”: Youth Group Activity
Split players into two teams and line up facing each other. Each group will decide whether to be “David”, “Goliath” or “Bathsheba.” Create an action for each character (for example, “David” could throw a rock, “Bathsheba” could flip her hair, “Goliath” could tower over). In this game, David beats Goliath, Goliath beats Bathsheba, and Bathsheba beats David. The winning side will chase the other side to a designated line, attempting to tag them. Players who are tagged join the opposing team.
Conclusion: Make Youth Group Fun
Don’t be afraid to let your youth group have some fun! These activities will get them excited about coming to church and learning more about God. There are plenty of fun activities you can do with your students that will keep them engaged and help them learn more about their faith. Have you tried any of these ideas? What other activities do you enjoy doing with your group? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to share this post with your fellow youth pastors!
fun games for youth groups, fun youth group games for teenagers