It can be such a blessing when you end up with more kids at youth group than you know what to do with. Unfortunately, it can also be a huge hassle if you don’t know how to manage them all efficiently and effectively.
The bigger your group is, the harder it is to keep everyone both entertained and under control. Here are 3 youth group games that are sure to be a hit with even the largest of youth groups.
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1. Capture the Flag
Capture the Flag is a classic outdoors game based on strategy and teamwork. To start, you will divide your youth group into two teams. Be sure to give each team some kind of identifier; with 50 or even 100 kids, it can become nearly impossible to remember who is on your team!
Each team will start on a different side of your playing grounds (an open field would not be advisable in this case). Each will get 5 minutes to hide their ‘flag’ on their side. Then, the game will begin.
The objective is to find and steal the other team’s flag and bring it back safely to your own team’s base. If you are tagged by a member of the opposing team, you are sent to a designated jail- with the potential to escape, of course. For extra fun, try playing CTF at night.
2. Water Wars
Water games are always crowd favorites, especially in the summer, when it gets to be ridiculously hot. For this game, you will also divide your youth group into two teams. Each player will receive a necklace with an Alka-Seltzer tablet attached to it.
Each player will also receive a water gun; you can either purchase these cheaply at your local store or allow the kids to bring their own. Place a bucket full of water at each end of the playing grounds.
The winner of the game is determined by elimination. As the game goes on, the water will cause the tablets to dissolve, and the team with the last tablet remaining wins.
3. Hostage
Hostage is a bit like Capture the Flag, but it will require either finger darts (preferably) or Nerf guns. It will also require both an indoor and outdoor playing area.
One team – the ‘bad guys’ – will have 5 minutes to hide a ‘hostage’ (any object of your choice) indoors, while the ‘SWAT’ team strategizes. If the SWAT team can safely find the hostage and bring it outside, they win. However, if the bad guys can ‘eliminate’ all members of the SWAT team before that happens, they win.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to give a massive youth group a great time. These are just a few of many ideas that you can tweak in any way you need to in order to make them a reality. All teens love a good competitive game, and any of these options will find them having a blast in no time.