YOUTH MINISTRY GAMES…BASED ON SIZE AND ROOM

I had a friend recently ask me what my high school ministry does with games and how we create atmosphere.  I thought about my answer and realized it would be worth writing about for the world.

Games are a staple of the all American youth group and can go a long way to provide atmosphere and even set up your topic and teaching.  Some groups do games outside or in another room (a gym), or games that involve setup, while others just do up-front games involving screens and trivia.

I have always seen value in the different kinds of games.  There are games that are sports-like, games that are large group games, and games that are up front games.

As HSM has grown and changed over the last couple of years our games have too.  We used to be in our sanctuary (gym) and playing anything we wanted, with all the room we wanted.  Many times we were unable to provide atmosphere and connection with so much room it was too big.  Now, we are in a room that we so blessed to have. A 1-year old 150 seat state of the art interior decorated, audio/visual pimped out, student ministry oasis, but to be honest because of our growth in many ways we are limited in games.

Even in the last month, our gaming reached the tipping point and brought me to the realization that we are headed toward being a “large” group.

When we first moved into this room we had some wiggle room and could still do your average youth ministry games like hitting each other with wadded up newspaper.  More and more have to do games that are “up front” games.  A couple weeks ago we did a game that involved volunteers up front trying to eat pudding with pantyhose over their heads.  We also did an up front game where we had volunteers try to toss Frisbees in trashcans that went up the center aisle.

We are still able to do some games that involve everyone but they tend to be ones that everyone can do in their seats.  Last week we handed everyone a piece of newspaper and had them wad it up.  The game was everyone throwing their paperball to the other side of the room and seeing which side had the most at the end of 1 minute.  This week we are doing one where we will freeze a penny in a bunch of ice cubes and the audience will have to get the pennies out by rubbing them on the carpet.

Our gaming has shifted away even in the last year as we outgrow our room from traditional musical chairs type large games to ones that still involve others but are in seats. 

To answer the questions after explaining the back-story, I think the involvement of people even if you leave them in their seats is key.  Up front games where you watch something funny can happen sometimes but they cannot work every week.  Here are 2 keys no matter what your setting or size.

One key is having a great emcee who can explain the game and drive it with their presence on the microphone, this doesn’t always happen with high schoolers leading.  Another key you cannot underestimate for atmosphere is graphics and sound.  Atmosphere is made with what is on your screens and the way you use music. When the game is taking place you have to turn music up and set the tone for the room. 

Hope this helps.