Youth Activities
by Steve Damron (1993 Graduate, Youth Pastor, Fairhaven Baptist Church)
Fun activities are exciting times for a teenager. Many youth ministries have "shied" away from using fun activities because the neo-evangelicals have ruined "fun." We should not over-react, though. We can have the right balance by having standards and separation, and yet, have fun, too.
When I am working on an activity, I try to gather my workers together about a month or two in advance to start thinking of ideas for the event. Fun activities come in many shapes and sizes. I narrow the field down to an indoor or outdoor game night, a scavenger hunt, a water night, a seasonal activity such as Christmas or July 4th or an all-day event. Once we have that direction figured out, we can then start to work on games. I am including a sample activity to show you what a final product can look like.
Medieval Mayhem
Schedule:
6:00-6:05 - Collect $$$ 7:30-7:40 - Ball & Chain
6:05-6:15 - Split teams 7:40-7:50 - Lance Relay
6:15-6:35 - Giants, Dragons, and Elves 7:50-8:00 - Jousting
6:35-6:40 - Water 8:00-8:10 - Joked-out Joker
6:40-7:00 - Archery Competition 8:10-8:20 - Crash the Castle
7:00-7:30 - Eat 8:20-8:30 - Can Castle
8:30-9:00 - Preaching
1. Giants, Dragons, and Elves
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A creative team variation of "Rock, Paper Scissors"
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Teach everyone the following three characters:
Giant - Tip-toes, raise hands above head, curl fingers, growling sounds
Dragon - Crouch slightly
Elf - On haunches, hands cupped for big ears, shrill screeching noises
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Give people plenty of practice by calling out the characters and having them instantly become that character - offer lots of positive encouragement for dramatic effort.
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Form two teams - each team convenes to decide on a character.
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Teams then line up facing each other (use a rope on the ground to separate teams). Have 4 feet between teams.
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Facilitator dramatically announces "1....2.....3.....", then teams adopt their poses, revealing their identity.
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Immediately, the winning characters (team) must chase the losing team and try to capture (tag) as many as possible.
Giant wins by ‘squishing' an Elf
Elf wins by ‘outwitting' a Dragon
Dragon wins by ‘zapping' a Giant
Identical characters are a draw
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The losing characters try to reach a "safe zone" (e.g., over another rope) about 30-60 feet away without being captured
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Teams then reconvene and decide on their next character
Continue until one team entirely consumes the other.
Equipment:
A large space (60-120 feet wide), rope to mark the central line and the safe zones
Variations
: A less physical version involves participants using the character "dying actions" in place of running. Make these rather dramatic and embarrassing if you can - increases the motivation to "win." Instead of one team chasing and absorbing the other team, keep score. First team to 5, wins.
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Giants are electrified, frazzled and then freeze in motion (or drop to ground)
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Dragons clutch chest, struck by pain in the heart
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Elves shrink and shrivel up, moaning
2. Scheduled Water Time
The servants bring water in black buckets and they are able to drink using a ladle.
3. Archery Competition
4.
Food: Vegetable Soup, Potato Wedges, Chicken, Lemonade
Note: Everything must be eaten with their hands.
Food Setup: Set up a long banquet table with candlelight. You can also have your workers dress in medieval clothing. You can find all kinds of costumes around October 31st. Make a dessert that only the winning team eats.
5. Ball & Chain
Make a circle of people. Then spin the ball on the rope. Start slow, then go faster, slowly lifting the ball and rope. The people must jump over the ball. First person to miss goes out. Last one standing is the winner.
Supplies: rope, tether ball
6. Lance Relay
(Boys)
Make a pop stand with 2x4s. Ride piggy back on your partner. Use your lance to knock the cans of pop off the stand. Team with most hits in certain amount of time wins.
Supplies: two PVC pipes, four soda cans, four 2x4s
7. Jousting
(Boys)
Each player on a team has a pillow and the players try to knock off the opponent on the other line. The first one to fall off their line is the loser. You eliminate players until there is only person left.
Supplies: 4 pillows, 2 ropes (tape) or 1 can of spray paint
8. Joked-out Joker
Mime or Gestures ~ The last idea not figured out, the joker stops.
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The Inquisition · William the Conqueror
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All for one and one for all · Bloody Mary
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Gauntlet · William Tell
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Robin Hood's Merry Men · Guillotine
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Joan of Arc · Burning at the stake
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William & Mary of Orange · Long live the king
9. Crash the Castle
Each team has two castles built that they must stay behind to protect their king. The king must wear a jewel (an egg); if stolen (broken), it will result in the team losing the battle.
10. Can Castle
Get the teens to bring in 2-3 cans apiece. Each team tries to make the tallest, most unique, creative castle with cans. You can vary the game.
11. Preaching