Text chain

At a group gathering have everyone text three people telling them about the event going on or an event coming up.

• They can text absent group members, friends, eligible family.
  
• Don't get overly organized and try to make sure some one kid doesn't get 5 texts. That's just fine. Makes them feel wanted.
  
• Do this infrequently, maybe once a quarter.
  

Posters and other "inspirational" wall decorations in a youth room.

Posters are great but need to be changed regularly as in at least monthly.

Get Acquainted game: If you've ever/never

This is a broadly used game and I don't want to take the time to go over the details here, but basically the “it” is in the middle of the circle with everyone in a chair but no chairs left over. “It” makes a statement that is true for them (or untrue for them – different regions play the game positively or negatively. It is important to know which variant is being played). Then, everyone for whom the statement is true must change chairs with someone else. This can be quite chaotic, but fun (except for the time one of my kids broke her arm vying for a chair.) “It” tries to take one of the chairs that are temporarily vacated. Many groups have a rule that anyone moving must move more than one (or two) chairs over, which prevents two people just swapping chairs, preventing “it” from having a fair chance at their chair.
The main idea I have to offer is to forbid referencing clothing items. State this before the game starts. It is true that this eliminates some possibly embarrassing items, but the main reason for excluding clothing is that you don't learn enough about the kids. You can see what they wear, but which ones play soccer trumpet or go skiing or....

Get acquainted game: "Kent Guitar"

This is an old standard game, but in my group it came to be known as “Kent Guitar” because I always started the game with “Kent, Guitar.” We had two variations. Describing it in a minimal way:

1. “Mean Kent, Guitar”: first person give name and a characteristic, second person names the first person and characteristic and their own, eventually last person has to name everyone and their characteristic.
   
2. “Nice Kent, Guitar”: a sliding window where a person only has to name the 4 people to their right.
   

Get acquainted game: “Gunfighter”

The person in middle of the circle spins around and points to someone with right or left hand. Person pointed to has to name the person to their left or right before the person in middle can say “bang, bang, bang.” Oh, all right: the person in the middle can say “flower, flower, flower.”

Introducing a new song to a group

A contradictory pair of suggestions:

• If a group doesn't relate to a song, don't do it.
  
• However, some songs grow on a group and once they've sung it enough times it becomes “We've always done it” and then they'll keep it. Make sure such songs are worth the struggle.
  

Parent Forums

Try having parent forums that are centered on the parents and their sharing with each other.

• There needs to be a topic, something that can be publicized and draw people to the meeting.
• But it is the sharing part parents need and want.
• But they won't come to something publicized as a "sharing session."
• Have a few seed questions related to the topic to throw out to get things started.
• Intervene or instruct only when absolutely needed.  Save the instructions to other meetings.  
• Or start the meeting with data, then slide into open forum.

More “signature” events

I have mentioned “signature events” and gave a detailed description of one of mine, the Unknown Destination Trip. Here I'll explore the concept a little more and give more examples. As mentioned, the idea behind it is to establish a reputation in some aspect of ministry by having a unique activity that is associated with you or your church. In three of my churches not only was the Unknown Destination Trip popular within my group, the wider public were aware of them and they were associated with my church. Other churches tried to emulate them but didn't know the formula and they “weren't the same” because they weren't ours.
Another signature event that I inherited in my last church was a Confirmation ceremony that was distinct and moving. I cleaned it up a bit and fixed a few questionable practices associated with it, but the basic process was good and had a reputation for being special. This was worth keeping the tradition going.
Another signature event was a hand made coffee mug with their name and the Presbyterian seal imprinted in the mug which was given to the Seniors on Senior Sunday.
Another signature event that I inherited was a special Communion on the Beach at the end of our church camp.
These are not the sort of things you get out of a book or youth ministry manual, but are created by creatively thinking or rethinking what could be done in a unique fashion.

Parents as people

Have programs and casual discussions with the youth about a parent's perspective. Help them to see things as their parents do. Have a “Parents as People” session where they come to realize that parents have feelings also.
You might do a “quiz” to see how much they know about their parents: first date, jobs they've had, what sports did they play, were they in a band (of any sort), etc

Flying Disk Miniature Golf

Indoor or Indoor/outdoor Flying Disc miniature golf. Easy to set up, fund to do. Prior to the game have two sets of 18 sheets of paper marked 1-18, or one set marked “Tee 1,” etc and another set marked “Hole 1,” etc. If you are using regular frisbees the holes need to be all outside, if you are using “soft disk” (also know as playground spots) The can be indoor and outdoors. Make the holes challenging: around corners, on the backside of objects, etc. To spice things up a bit, have a couple of holes cross so players or teams are in each other's way. Holes can be vertical (taped to a surface) or horizontal. A player has made a hole of their disk touches, even briefly the hole. This can played individually but is more fun in foursomes. Teams can share disks.

Which group to introduce new ideas, programs and practices with:

Middle schoolers and Middle School youth groups are a good time to introduce new ideas, programs and practices.

• Like it or not High School youth are pretty set in their ways.
• Middle Schoolers will try things.

• If they don't like it they will be blunt about the feelings.

Music night

Have a “Music night” where everyone brings a song to play and discuss as to its meaning and value.
 Have kids “grade” songs on:

• Overtly Christian
•  Christian group, not overtly Christian song
• Non-Christian but supports Christian values
• Neutral
• Supports non-Christian values
• Explicitly anti-Christian

YAHB -- Yest another Human Bingo form

Just in case you don't have one I have put a template on the documents page.  You need a fairly large group for this to be effective -- or needed.  Depending on time Bingo can be a complete or a complete page.  Edit the form to be appropriate for your group ("has five or more tats; collects cat videos; ...)

Boring car rides...

Have a travel game or two to start such as the license plate game, the billboard alphabet game, 20 questions, etc. Start these randomly during a long drive as needed and appropriate.

Kidnap Retreat: The Transition:

This is the fun part. While everyone is at the public event one or more drivers will then go the youths' homes to pick up the gear that their parents have packed for them, after they left the house. All this gear is then taken to the retreat location. If these drivers can also set up the retreat site and have a snack ready to greet you, all the better.

At the end of the public event, activate the "escape hatch" for any youth that will not be going on the retreat. Without comment or explanation, drive straight for the retreat site. Once there, point out their gear, and state that they have been "kidnapped" with their parent's assistance, for the weekend.

There may still be one or two youth that have obligations that their parents did not know of, or who simply are not willing to go along with the program. It is generally best to take these home. If they cannot be easily swayed, they will be a detriment to the program.

Two Truths and a Lie

An oldie get acquainted game: “Two truths and a lie”

• I a small group this can be done altogether which is ideal, but in a larger group this needs to be done in groups of 4-5
  
• The participants are given three common questions. I use: What is your favorite TV show; your favorite music group or singer; your favorite sport
  
• Each person thinks of their answers, but one of the three is to not be true.
  
• Encourage them to have all three answers ready before you start (“Simpsons, Selena and … uh.... croquet” is not hard to guess).
  
• Going around the group, each gives their 3 answers and the rest of the group has to decide which is not true.
  
•  The game can be extended in a larger group by having one member of the small group introduce one of the others to the larger group and tell one of the true facts about them. Continue until the entire group has been introduced. 
•  The game can be theologized by adding a discussion of times in our lives when we hide the truth from others, etc
   
  

Game lists

Always have a list of tried and true games with you that fit your group, divided into categories: name games, passive indoor games, active indoor games, outdoor games, relays.   Add to the list regularly.  If a game really doesn't work with your group remove it.  Try to use a mix of group favorites and new ones.   If a game really doesn't work with your group remove it.  Try to use a mix of group favorites and new ones. 

The "Ins and Outs" game

Theologizing games is possible and worthwhile. Just give a little narrative before or after the game. My favorite, which comes from Gabe Campbell, is “Ins and Outs” a vigorous game where they divide themselves into groups based on a number shouted out by the leader.They mill around until they hear the number then they have to form a group of that number quickly  If a group is too large or too small they are eliminated. The process continues down to two people.  During the game friends and socially acceptable go by the wayside in an attempt to form the right number.  The debriefing discussion is “how is this like high school/middle school society?” (After this is an established game with a group it can also be used for randomly dividing a group -- ""get in groups of x; get in groups of y; get in groups of 6 -- now sit down together.")

Learning a new group's names

Rapidly, go around the room multiple times each person giving name and one particular piece of information (school, grade, favorite sport, favorite musical instrument, favorite food...).

Surprise Announcement Styles

Getting a group, especially a larger group, to listen to announcements is a real challenge. One way to tackle the problem is by varying the method by which the announcements are given.

What to avoid:

A style of presentation that attracts more attention that the actual announcements. I once did a video tape that caused so much discussion that no one actually heard the announcements imbedded in it.

Variations:

• If you serve a meal, use place mats with announcements written on them.
• Produce a newspaper with the announcements as advertisements
• Scribbled in Crayon and reproduced
• Video tape someone walking around, doing things while making the announcements
• Post the announcements on the ceiling, floor, walls, etc.
• Create a computer multimedia presentation with them
• Make a audio tape, overdubbing voice over music
• Do them DJ style
• Rap style or as an original song
• Give each announcement to a different youth, and have them make the announcements
• Make the announcements into a group song and sing them - turn them into a round???
• Do it Socratically as questions: I.e. "when is our Senior Retreat?" "What time do you think we are likely to leave?"
• Have an announcement scavenger hunt.