How to Crush Games at Youth

At Youth, we’re on about making disciples. That’s our emphasis. That’s the main game. But youth are youth. They have a lot of energy and an appetite for fun. This isn’t a bad thing. This is a good thing.

Done well, games are a great way to foster community and friendship, create good vibes, and burn energy. Done badly, games can create chaos, confusion, frustration, exclusion, punch-ups, and even lawsuits (no joke—this once happened at a church I was at!).

It’s possible to run games that complement the main Bible teaching points. But even if they don’t, by burning energy and creating good vibes, they can help the youth get to a place where they are more ready to hear the talk and contribute in discussion groups.

So, even if we’re not directly sharing the gospel with the youth during games, games still deserve a fair bit of energy. Here are some tips on running good games.

1. Know Your Audience

Understand the age group, interests, physical abilities and concentration abilities of the youth in your group. This helps in selecting appropriate games that everyone can enjoy. How will the game work for your year 7 boys? The year 11 girls? If your group is 75% senior high girls, they won’t want to play fresh every week. If your group is 40% junior high boys, they won’t want to play sitting down games every week.

2. Set Clear Objectives

Determine what you want to achieve with the game. Is it for fun, community, physical activity, illustrate something from the talk? This will guide your choice of games.

3. Plan Ahead

Prepare all necessary materials well in advance. Don’t leave it until an hour before youth group starts. Make sure you understand the rules of the game thoroughly. If you don’t understand exactly what is happening, chaos will descend. I promise. Make sure you know exactly where you intend to play the game, and what needs to happen to prepare the space. Do you need witches hats? Do you need to clear the chairs? Who will put things in place? Who will move the chairs?

If you are unclear about how your team leader wants you to run something, make sure you get in touch with them with plenty of notice. They’ll be more than happy to help you.

4. Give Clear Instructions

Provide clear, concise instructions. Know exactly what you plan to say beforehand. Again, make sure you know all of the rules, all of the details, and all of the ways the game can go wrong (or as many as possible). Write it down word-for-word. This is the point at which a game ultimately succeeds or fails.

Clarity also means being able to be heard clearly. If running a game inside and you have a big group, make sure you have a microphone. Make sure the tech person is ready to unmute you. When the tech fails, you lose the kids.

If running a game outside, use a megaphone or a microphone. If they can’t hear you, the game will flop.

Remember, as the person running the game, it’s your responsibility to make sure the kids can hear you.

Also, it’s often helpful to demonstrate the game or have a trial run so everyone understands how to play.

5. Inclusivity

Choose games that allow for maximum participation. Avoid games that eliminate players early on, so no one feels left out. Adapt games to accommodate different skill levels and physical abilities as necessary.

6. Be Enthusiastic

Whether or not you’re running the game, be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is contagious. If the leaders are enthusiastic, the kids are more likely to be enthusiastic. And vice versa. You want the leaders to be the most enthusiastic players of the game. Obviously, this means playing the game too!

7. Discourage Non-Enthusiasm

Actively discourage negative competitiveness or any form of bullying. Convince the side-sitters to play the game. Occasionally, there will be a time when you need to sit with them. But as a general thing, discourage side-sitting.

8. Integration of Bible Stuff

If appropriate, you can incorporate Bible stuff into the games. This can work well. In my experience, it can often result in boring games, or superficial links between game and talk. I wouldn’t say always do it, but I wouldn’t say never do it.

9. Flexibility

Be ready to modify the game if it’s not working as planned. Sometimes, you may need to change the rules, switch games, or make accommodations for unforeseen circumstances.

10. Safety

The gurus sometimes say that you should do a full-on risk assessment prior to every game. It’s probably a good idea, but it never happens.

That said, you want to avoid injury, damange to property and lawsuits. Think to yourself: what could go wrong? How can we minimise the risk?

It’s also good to have first aid supplies handy and for all leaders to know where they are. Be aware of any allergies or health issues of the youth too.

11. Debriefing and Reflection

After the game, take time to discuss with the leaders how it went. Did it go well? If so, why? Was there anything that could have been improved? If so, what and how?

12. Get Youth Running Games

Involve the youth in planning and leading games. This gives them a sense of ownership and helps develop their leadership skills. They’ll need a fair bit of coaching though!