Planning Effective Activities

I. Set goals for your youth group.

A. Establish what part activities will play in meeting those goals.

  1. Define the scope of your youth group in relation to the total church ministry.
  • Ages of youth participating
  • Christian school

1) Some kids in school go to other churches.

2) Some kids in church do not go to your school.

3) You probably have little contact with public school kids.

4) The school calendar is usually quite full.

  1. Make sure the type and time of the activity result in meeting your goals.
  2. Answer the question: Why do we have activities?
  3. Set general goals for all the activities and specific goals for each activity.

A. Know what a teenager is. What are his physical, emotional, social, and mental characteristics and needs? He is a person in the difficult process of growing to adulthood, which is not a state of perfection.

II. Ask and answer practical questions when planning activities.

A. What are the parents’ desires and goals?

  1. Safety
  2. Influence on teens

B. How frequently will we have activities?

C. Will this activity help to meet one or more youth department goal?

D. What kind of environment will youth be exposed to?

  1. Living in the world
  2. “Woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!” (Matthew 18:7b)

E. What will the cost be?

  1. Youth department budget
  2. Cost to teen/family

F. How much time and labor will be necessary to prepare for the activity?

  1. Your time
  2. Youths’ time
  3. Volunteer helpers’ time

G. How much time and labor will be necessary at the activity itself?

H. What are the transportation requirements?

  1. Safety
  2. Drivers
  3. Cost

I. What are the advertising and promotional needs?

III. Use these general principles for planning effective activities.

A. Know your goals.

  1. Remember the evangelism goal.
  • Personal soul-winning among friends
  • Visitation program
  • Activities

2. Try not to divide the sacred from the secular.

  • Do not just tack on Bible time.
  • Do not have a pious attitude.
  • Deal with real issues.

3. Have an activity that is full of excitement, adventure, and fun.

  • Something that is exciting just because it is new will probably not be exciting tomorrow.
  • Keep all activities moving and end them at a high point.
  • Use the old stand-bys.

1) Disneyland

2) Sports

3) Water

4) Camps

5) Parties

  1. Do not make every activity a “big” activity.
  2. Avoid the bigger and better syndrome.
  3. Variety is extremely important, but some activities work well when repeated.

B. Consider the teens.

  1. Get the teens involved in the planning and execution of activities.
  • Use your inner circle and officers.
  • Keep veto power.

1) Make it clear.

2) Explain yourself.

  • Give them responsibility, but you be accountable.
  • Do not let it flop!

2. Do not try to entertain the teens.  Provide a means for them to entertain themselves.  (Christians are to serve others,  not be served.)

3. Provide time for kids to fellowship and look for “loners.”

  • Slack times
  • Bus rides

4. Discourage dating to most activities.

  • Pairs do not usually participate.
  • Never plan a junior high dating activity (Example: Valentine’s Banquet).

5. Do not expect every teen to come to every activity.

  • Other plans
  • Family
  • Emotional ups and downs

C. Make your plans.

  1. Have something for everyone throughout the year. Plan an activity for your worst losers!
  2. Never cancel an activity.
  • Canceling causes teens and parents to lose respect for you and the youth department.
  • Do not officially announce anything you doubt.

3. Plan, organize, lead, and evaluate (Murphy’s Law).

4. Use some key parents as activity sponsors.

  • Deacons
  • Unofficial leaders

5. Plan activities to attract boys.

6. Divide your youth group (junior high, senior high) as much as possible.

7. Make sure your activity calendar does not conflict with overall church calendars.

  • Get your plans on the calendar early.
  • Ask for written calendar rules if problems develop.
  • Plan around major events such as revival meetings, graduations, Christmas holidays, camp, and Vacation Bible School.
  • Reveal your calendar gradually.

1) 12 months—you and church leadership

2) Six months—you and youth leadership

3) Three months—you, youth leadership, and all youth

4) One month—you, youth leadership, all youth, and all church

D. Enjoy the activity.

  1. Control the environment as much as possible.

Do not be surprised by what is at the beach, roller skating rink, Disneyland, or any other place you choose to hold an activity.

  1. Provide food—something sweet, salt, and wet.

“Good” activities are necessary because:

  1. Young people enjoy laughing, having fun, being around friends, and stretching themselves physically.
  2. Although we know that activities do not make a youth group successful all by themselves, all “successful” youth groups have good activities.

Creative activities

Creative activities should have the following constants:

  1. Fun
  2. Participation
  3. Food
  4. Safety
  5. Flexibility
  6. No calendar conflicts
  7. A focus on glorifying God

Creative activities should have variables with something for everyone, such as the following:

  1. Socially exciting vs. boys/girls only
  2. Competition vs. no pressure
  3. Educational vs. fun only
  4. Physically challenging vs. sedate
  5. Cost vs. free
  6. Go vs. stay
  7. Physical only vs. mental challenge
  8. Daytime vs. nighttime
  9. Spiritual only vs. little spiritual value
  10. Self-serving vs. serving others