For many, summer is a time of relaxation and joy – so why not bring that energy into your youth group and take full advantage of the season in your games and activities?
Many churches take a break from their usual children and teens ministry over July and August, but not everyone does. In fact, the summer months can be the best opportunity to really bring your youth group together and create memories.
Here are seven ways that you can make full use of the summer in your youth group games and activities, and suggestions of how they can be used to fit with a theme or teaching point.
To find any of the games suggested below, use our item search tool here.
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When the sun is out, splashing about with your youth group will help you cool down and have fun. Incorporate games involving water balloons, water pistols or buckets and sponges. There are so many ways you can do this – dividing the young people into teams for a balloon or pistol ‘fight’; competitions to see how far they can throw balloons or sponges; an egg-and-spoon-style race where the aim is not to pop the water balloon. You could even make it a summer fete-style game where they take it in turns to throw water at you! You could use competitive games like this to teach about community and teamwork. Balloon-throwing games can help illustrate concepts of sin and ‘missing the mark’ or aiming to be like Jesus.
If you need more inspiration, there are a bunch of games on Energize such as Water Race and Water Throw! Make sure to let parents know in advance to bring spare t-shirts and towels.
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Everyone loves a summer BBQ. Food can draw everyone together, and it can also be an opportunity for delicious activities and competitions. See who can decorate the best burger or hot dog, who can build the biggest s’more, or make the tastiest mocktail/smoothie. You could ask each young person to bring a piece of fruit of their choice and make a giant fruit salad to demonstrate how we are all different.
Some examples of games on Energize that use BBQ food include Hamburger Challenge and Beach BBQ.
SportsYounger children are already geared up for sports day but taking advantage of the good weather to be more active is fun at any age. Races – relay, sprint, sack or obstacle variety – can be used to demonstrate the concept of faith being like a race, found in Hebrews 12:1. Or, incorporate games using their favourite sports like football or basketball, rounders or cricket to ignite their enthusiasm (See games on Energize like Football Frenzy for a bitesize game rather than a full match).
You don’t need to limit yourself to sports activities to enjoy the great outdoors. Not everyone is sporty, but there are plenty of activities that can make use of larger outdoor spaces that are more usable in the summer.
Treasure hunts are more exciting when there’s a bigger area to cover, and can be used to demonstrate God’s searching love, or anything that is hidden. Games involving larger objects such as parachutes, inflatables or garden game props (like giant Jenga) are perfect for the summer months too. Check out similar games on Energize like Parachute Ball.
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NatureWhilst we’re exploring the outdoors, why not encourage the young people to interact with elements of nature as reflective tools? Take a trip to a local park, woodland or other green space and take part in these activities:
You could host a scavenger hunt, making a list of things frequently found in nature and getting the young people to search for them -or you could let them go wild and see what they collect. Similarly to the treasure hunt, this can demonstrate God’s love and the wonder of creation. Rock or tree climbing is a lot of fun, though you will need to have safety precautions in place. You can also get the young people involved in a project such as planting bulbs or creating a shelter for wildlife – a great way to demonstrate care and stewardship of the environment.
Try searching for Box Scavenger Hunt on Energize.
Depending on where you live, a day or evening trip to the beach might be more viable. From sandcastle
building to rock pooling, volleyball to paddling, there’s plenty to do on the beach. If this isn’t a viable option for you, why not bring the beach to your youth group? In a nice warm venue, invite everyone to come in t-shirts and flip-flops, bring ice cream and cold drinks, a beachball, maybe even throw down some sand… see the activity Did You Pack Everything You Need? For more inspiration.
HolidaysNear the end of the summer, you might want to organise a youth group that is more chilled out and doesn’t involve so many high intensity activities. This is the perfect time to have a more reflective and discussion-based session, and what better to discuss than their recent holidays and summer activities – whilst they are still fresh in their minds? Start a discussion on the following topics: