I am text block. Click edit button to change this text. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
The simple step-by-step process for finding and equipping volunteers
Sometimes it’s nice to mix things up and let students sit and watch something. Up-front games are great because they let you put the spotlight on kids who may not get as much attention, or use some of the strong personalities in the room to your advantage.
Some up-front youth group games may involve playing a trick on the participants (where the audience knows what’s happening and the players don’t), and some may involve tricking the audience. Either way, it’s important that you know your students well and pick kids who will enjoy the game and be successful with it.
Cost: $
Prep time: a couple hours
Messy?: Yes
Supplies: long table with a hole on one side, big tablecloth, stopwatch, watermelon, wig, baseball bat, a couple random items (such as a shoe, a ball, or phone), a few large boxes
This is a game that tricks both the participants and the audience. To start you’ll need to cut a hole in a table that’s big enough to comfortably fit someone’s head through from underneath, and a tablecloth (with a matching hole) that’s long enough to conceal a person under the table.
Before you set up the game, call up three contestants. Two of them can be random, but one should be a kid you can trust to ham it up and be a little crazy. Ideally this person should be a baseball or softball player, but it’s fine if they aren’t. Take these kids aside to where they can’t see the setup or hear you explain the game to the audience.
Arrange the tablecloth on the table, place the random items on top along with the baseball bat, and cover them with the boxes. (The bat should be the last item before the hole.) Have a leader put the wig on and crawl under the table with the watermelon, put their head through the hole, and cover them with a box.
Here’s what you’ll tell the audience:
“Our contestants think they’re racing to identify the items we’re going to put under the boxes on this table. I’m going to time them, and they’re going to flip over the boxes one at a time to guess what’s underneath. [Flip the boxes to show them.] But when they get to the last box, this is what will happen. [Flip the last box and have the leader yell.]”
(Make sure the leader is facing the contestants, not the audience.)
Here’s what you’ll tell the contestants:
“You’re going to go out there and when you hear, ‘Go,’ flip over the first box, shout out what’s under it, and move to the next one. The person who names all four items the fastest wins.”
As each contestant comes out, repeat these instructions and remind them that you’re timing them.
When you get to the pre-picked contestant, you’ll give them their own separate instructions, and something different will happen. Have the leader put the wig on the watermelon, and put the watermelon through the hole instead of their head. When the pre-picked kid removes the box, the leader will still yell, the kid will pretend to freak out, grab the bat, and smash the watermelon.
Pro tip: Make sure the leader keeps their hands on the very bottom of the watermelon, and that they don’t raise the watermelon too high so that the audience doesn’t see their hand. Also, pick a big crazy wig that will cover plenty of the melon.
Cost: Free
Prep time: 0 minutes
Messy?: No
Supplies: One chair
For this youth group game, it’s extra important that you know your students and choose ones who will thrive under the attention. You can choose any number of kids, but 3–5 is probably ideal. Pull these kids aside to a place where they can’t hear the person leading the game and the audience can’t hear them. Have another leader assign each of your volunteers a scene they’ll have to act out using the chair. You’re welcome to come up with your own ideas, but here are some that work well:
Encourage them to really get into it so everyone can tell what they’re doing.
But here’s what you’ll tell the audience:
“We’ve asked each of our volunteers to show you how they go to the bathroom.”
After each student acts out their scene, tell them, “Wow! That was really interesting! Thanks for showing us how you use the bathroom.”
Cost: less than $20
Prep time: less than one hour
Messy?: Yes
Supplies: clear and flexible tubing, eggs, funnel, garbage can
Band kids and athletes tend to do well in this gross test of lung capacity and stamina, but anyone can participate in this fun activity. Choose four students and pair them up for 1v1 matches. Put the funnel into the clear tubing and crack an egg into it. Hold the tube so that the egg settles into the middle, and then have the first pair of kids each take a side, and put the garbage can between them.
When you give the signal to start, they’re going to try to blow the egg into the other person’s mouth. If the egg reaches someone’s mouth or they bail and dump it in the garbage, they lose. After each pair goes, have the winners face off to determine the champion.
Note: Any non-toxic clear tubing will do, but make sure the diameter is wide enough for the egg to easily fit ( ¾ inch clear vinyl tubing should be easy to find at a hardware store). If you have to buy a long tube, you’ll probably want to cut in. A few feet should be plenty.
Cost: $10
Prep time: less than an hour
Messy?: Yes
Supplies: enough cans or bottles of soda for each contestant to have one, garbage can
For this game, you’ll want a handful of brave students who think they can handle something gross. When they come up, have them remove a sock. Open a can or bottle of soda for each kid, and have them put their sock on top of it (the top of the can or bottle should be all the way at the bottom of their sock). Tell them they’re going to have to drink the soda through the sock, and get ready to start the game. Right when you’re about to say go, stop the game and say:
“Wait, wait, wait! This is too easy. Pass your soda to the person on your left.”
And then the game actually begins. Whoever finishes first wins. (Keep the garbage can close.)
Youth group isn’t all fun and games. It’s also an incredible opportunity to help students explore, understand, define, and practice their faith. As you strive to teach kids how to live out the gospel, serving is a great way to invite them to share Christ’s sacrificial love with others. These serving opportunities may be special events you schedule for times you wouldn’t normally meet, or you may want to just keep it at your usual time to make it more convenient for everyone.
Visiting a nursing home is a wonderful way for your youth group to serve together because everyone can do it, and it shows your kids that sometimes attention and conversation are profound gifts we can use to love others.
Your students will be nervous about talking to strangers, and they may struggle to find common ground. So, before you go, talk to your group about ways they might start a conversation, or encourage them to play a boardgame with someone. You may also want to caution them about some of the things they might see or experience. Equip them to be successful. Give them tools to show the residents and staff that they are loved and that they matter.
Pro tip: Call the nursing home you plan to visit in advance. Talk to them about the ideal times for a large group of visitors. It will also help to get a heads up about their specific guidelines and any recommendations they have about what to bring (games, books, small pets, etc.).
Public parks are for everyone in your community to enjoy. They can also be difficult to maintain and keep pristine. In just a couple hours, your youth group can bless your community and serve your neighbors in a tangible way by cleaning up this shared space.
You may even find that it creates opportunities for conversation too. People will be curious why so many kids are picking up trash and cleaning up the area, and some of them may even want to join you. Make sure you help your students understand the connection between acts of service and their faith in Christ, so, if anyone asks, they’ll be able to talk about why this park and this community matter to your church and why you see this as an act of love.
You could also talk to your city council or parks and recreation department to find out about projects where they could use volunteers. This could allow your students to do some more interesting jobs (like landscaping), and if your parks are already pretty clean, this is another good way to have a visible impact.
If you can, try to take before and after pictures to help kids feel a stronger sense of accomplishment. Pile your trash bags together so your students can see that they’ve made a difference.
Pro tip: Have your students and leaders wear matching shirts that communicate what church you’re from. This will help others visually connect your act of service to a church that cares about the community, regardless of whether or not neighbors talk to you.
Parents know it’s hard enough to get teenagers to help take care of their own yards and homes. So it really says something when they’re willing to give up their time for free to help their neighbors. And regardless of whether people are able to do their own yard and house maintenance, many people will appreciate the gift of a cleaner yard.
Depending on the season, where you live, and what equipment you or your neighbors have, students could do jobs like:
The point is to find needs that people don’t have the time, energy, or desire to take care of themselves.
Pro tip: Make sure your teams of students and leaders tell people that you’re looking for work people would like help with for free. If you don’t make a point of saying that, most people will assume you’re doing a fundraiser or something, and some will say no simply because they don’t want to pay for help. And that’s not the point of this.
Every youth group game or activity you ask kids to participate in should have a larger purpose. Maybe it’s to help give your students opportunities to take baby steps toward building relationships with each other and with leaders. Maybe it’s to make unseen kids feel like the star of the show. Or to create an experience students will want to share with their unchurched friends. Maybe it’s an opportunity for your teenagers to live out your church’s mission in your community.
Even if you feel like you’re scrambling to pull something together each week and struggling to come up with new and interesting youth group games and activities, remember that this is all about creating opportunities to point kids to Christ, loving them well, and showing them that you care enough to plan something for them.
Now that you have lots of youth group game ideas, it’s time to plan, schedule, and communicate these activities with your people. With a church management system, you’ll have access to a Group Management feature that can be extremely helpful for you as a youth leader. This feature allows you to:
These are just some of the things you can do through this Church Management System to make your life as a youth leader much easier. Get started with a demo and learn more.
How do I pick church activities that fit my youth group?
Start with your goal for the event: fellowship, outreach, or spiritual growth. Match the activity to group size, leaders available, and room or outdoor space. Rotate formats—games, service, bible study, worship—so different churches and personalities feel included.
What are easy church event ideas when prep time is tight?
Three fast winners: karaoke night: bring a small speaker and lyric videos; bible trivia: write questions by age band; church picnic: potluck, lawn games, simple devotion. Each scales for a large group or a handful of students.
How do I keep church events fresh through the year?
Plan a quarterly rhythm: outreach in fall, worship service emphasis in Advent/Lent, outdoor activities in spring, and VBS or camp-style nights in summer. Sprinkle in one “up-front” game each month and one youth group activity that serves your local community.
What makes a successful church event for teens?
Aim for clear invites, simple rules, short run times, and visible leaders who participate. Every participant should be known by name, have a role, and hear a short bible verse or story that ties the night to Jesus Christ.
How long should activities run in a church service or youth night?
Most fun church activities work best in 8–12 minutes. End while energy is high, then pivot to prayer, worship, or teaching.
How can I connect games to spiritual growth without it feeling forced?
Bridge with story and scripture: “Tonight’s relay required trust; let’s read a bible story where trust mattered,” then discuss. Finish with a one-sentence takeaway and a short prayer.
What are safe messy games for church buildings?
Choose easy-to-clean options: marshmallow “snowballs,” painter’s-tape lines, or water-safe stations. Protect floors with tarps. If you’re smashing fruit, do it outside and set clear boundaries for attendees.
Any ideas for low-cost outreach events?
Try a service-then-supper format: clean up a park, serve at a food bank, or host a free car-wash, then debrief with a bible study group. Provide invite cards for next week’s worship service.
How can I blend worship and play?
Host a worship dance party: upbeat praise playlist, lyric projection, and student-led motions. Follow with quiet reflection, a bible verse, and prayer stations.
What’s a good balance of spiritual activities and games?
A simple 60-minute flow: welcome and icebreaker (10), activity or team game (15), worship or bible study (15), small-group discussion (15), next steps and prayer (5).
How do I adapt activities for mixed ages and different churches?
Create tiers: basic rules for everyone, optional “challenge” rules for older teens. In bible trivia, use color-coded question stacks by difficulty so biblical knowledge grows at each level.
What are quick ideas for indoor nights?
Top picks:
Bible character charades: act and guess with a verse clue.
Human knot: teamwork and laughter.
Minute-to-win-it stations: fast rotation keeps energy high.
What are quick ideas for outdoor activities?
Go-tos:
Wide-game capture the flag: clear boundaries and safety zones.
Ice-block relay or scooter relays: fun and simple.
Photo scavenger hunt around the church building: require one picture with a neighbor to boost community engagement.
How can we use bible study without losing momentum?
Think micro-study: one bible verse, one question, one action. Example: “Luke 10:27—how can our youth ministry love our neighbors this week?”
How do I make sunday school feel engaging for teens?
Use stations: discussion, creative response, and a service planning corner where students design next month’s church outreach ideas.
What’s a good first-time guest plan?
Three touches: greet by name; pair with a student host for the event; send a same-night message with next week’s plan. Share ways to join a bible study group or childrens ministry helper track if appropriate.
Any tips for running large group games smoothly?
Use these anchors:
Clear roles: emcee: explains; timer: keeps pace; referee: safety; photographer: stories later.
Visible scoring: whiteboard or screen.
Music cues: start/stop transitions.
How do I incorporate fellowship without extra budget?
After the activity, set a 10-minute “linger” time with free snacks, round tables, and one conversation prompt on the screen. Relationships grow in those margins.
What are safe platform games for up-front moments?
Choose games that keep dignity intact: guessing boxes with silly items, charades, or egg-blow with proper sanitation. Always brief students privately and ensure consent.
How do I measure if an event worked?
Track three things: attendance count and new church members present, one story of impact, and a next-step sign-up (small group, serving, or prayer request). Adjust future church events based on what you learn.
How do I follow up after an outreach event?
Send a same-week text with photos and a thank-you, invite attendees to next week’s fun church activity, and ask one question: “How can we pray for you?” Close the loop during the next worship service.
Can church management software help youth ministry?
Yes. A ChMS makes it easy to schedule events, message your church community, track attendees and follow-ups, and collect sign-ups for VBS, sunday school, and ministry teams. It also centralizes notes from leaders, so pastoral care and discipleship don’t slip through the cracks.
What are good themes for a church event calendar?
Try quarterly anchors:
Winter: bible trivia tournament: teams by grade; small prize.
Spring: church picnic: outdoor games and testimonies.
Summer: vacation Bible school: youth help lead songs and skits.
Fall: neighborhood serve day: yard work, prayer walks, and hot-chocolate station.
How do I weave Jesus Christ into game nights naturally?
Tell a brief story tied to the theme, read a short passage, ask one reflective question, and offer prayer. Keep it honest and accessible, not preachy.
