Summer is widely accepted as the time when people start to unwind from working through Autumn, Winter and spring. Our summer months ought to be life-giving, vibrant and get us ready for the next academic year.
No doubt, your church programs take a different turn as people find ways to escape and switch off for 6 weeks across July and August.
Whether you are planning major events, community projects or social items, summer is a unique chance to build substantially strong connections with your young people. Some youth groups like to cut the program altogether and spend time solely building relationships. Whatever your motive, I’d encourage you to come up with some fun ways to spend the summer weeks with your young people and use it as a chance to refresh your youth team.
Whatever your usual focus, can I encourage you to make sure that you have some form of connection, whether you are keeping the weeks filled or going for a light-touch approach. Our young people need spiritual parents across these weeks just as much as any other week of the week year.
Our approach is to keep a high sense of relational connection and find summer activities that we can do alongside young people. This takes away the intensity of meeting in a closed group, gives a chance for those growing into the youth to get to know other youth and for us to have different types of encouraging conversations.
Below are just a few ideas for you to try across the summer weeks.
1) BIKE TRAIL
Free
Potentially low-cost to no-cost, bike trails are a great chance to get outdoors and use the journey to open up some meaningful conversations.
Appeal to the church for someone to lend bikes if you are struggling, or even ask around friends, family and businesses to see if they will support some outdoor time with your youth group.
It’s a great chance to explore the outskirts of your cities and towns. Some incredible trail apps will help you plan FOC where to take them. It’s something different from the usual program, and even if it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, it will be memorable!
2) PARK PICNIC
Low cost/Free
Another low-cost option is to go to your local park with football, a good old English Rounders bat, drinks and a few snacks. They could bring their own pack up, or you could provide a few instead. Don’t forget to pick up an enormous Frisbee for one of the best outdoor games!
Fairly easy to pull together, and the only major requirement is semi-decent weather. You can weave in a reflection time if you want to keep things grounded or use the time to help everyone get to know each other better.
3) GIANT TREASURE HUNT
Free-low cost
For little to no cost and a few hours of your time, you can set up an incredible 1-2 mile treasure hunt. Use the local common fields, park, city or town. You can either hide physical items, such as wrapped chocolates, or provide a list of items they need to find.
Our best ones have been setting challenges in between: Get a photo behind a shop counter, or find the most unusual object. These should be guided by leaders going along the route with them to keep everything safeguarded.
It also gives them a chance to explore areas that they might not usually visit.
4) THEME PARTY
Mid Price
Get ownership from your young people by asking them to pick the theme. Whether it’s a 2010s night, movie themes or some unusual theme like Old School Disco night, you can really pull together an unusual social.
For example, for a Hawaiian theme, you could have limbo dancing, island theme soft drinks, light touch volleyball, hula hoops, and anything island theme-related.
Use Google and your local party shop, and with a bit of creativity, you could be spending very little to pull together a great summer party.
5) BOWLING
Low Cost
Ah, this old favourite.
Who doesn’t love a bowling night? Hire a few lanes, play 3 games with all the high scorers competing in the final game!
Why not offer up a prize for the most spectacular strike, split pins and most unusual bowling technique.
6) BEACH TRIP
Low Cost
Depending on how far inland you are, a small cost for petrol and snacks can get your young people seaside in no time.
Try to aim for good weather and take a few active outdoor games. Bodyboarding, sea swimming, sandcastle building and any other beach game that comes to mind.
Again, keep safeguarding in mind, but have fun with it.
7) TAKE THEM ON A HIKE
Low Cost/Free
Again, it depends on how far you want to travel. £10 gets you a good level of fuel contribution and an ice cream en route.
In the UK, Peak District, lake district, wolds, Welsh mountains (ranger route is our favourite), Mam Tor, Dove-dale, Black Rocks, and tons of other places offer incredible, likeable landscapes.
If you want to use it as a discipleship exercise, stop at breathtaking rest spots to reflect on Psalm 19
8) THROW A BACKYARD BBQ
Mid Cost
This one will always go down well!
Find someone in your church with a massive garden… there is always one. Ask them to host the youth for a BBQ. Even invite their families if you feel comfortable enough.
Again, you could ask the youth to contribute or straight up buy the food out of a youth budget (for those blessed few that have such a thing!).
BBQ food, Garden games and dessert always go down a treat.
9) MOVIE MARATHON
Low Cost/Free
Maybe they are yet to taste the sweet joy of the original Star Wars films or the extended cuts of The Lord Of The Rings.
Movie Marathons are a classic, and you can pick a range of titles for your youth to choose from. Whether it’s just a few hours or an entire day, serving popcorn and pizza is the best way to create memorable moments with your youth group.
You can bookend events like these with movie quizzes, get them to come in fancy dress and/or get them to share their favourite movie moments after the event.
10) CAMPING OVERNIGHTER
Mid Cost £15 pp
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of places to camp overnight in the UK for around £5 per person. Throw in a little for fuel and food, and you have yourself a cheap Youth event!
Scout Campsites are usually favourable to church youth groups and come with the added benefit of building a fire on the ground, helping create the perfect atmosphere.
Use these times for group activities, games, challenges and some story swapping over the fire. Ask some of your youth to share one thought from the Bible and create some lasting memories out in God’s gracious green outdoors.
11) GAMES NIGHT
So simple. So obvious. So good!
Board games, computer games, old school youth games, and throw in a handful of pizza and snacks, and you have a games cafe vibe.
If your group is the competitive type, give prizes for each game, or break the group into teams and set points for each game, which can be accumulated by everyone for a joint win!
Find ways to have fun, celebrate and encourage as you play alongside your young people.
What are some of your ideas? Let us know in the comments below, and it may even make it into the next update of this article.
