Middle School Monday: Game On

If your in youth ministry or any setting where your working with students, it's always good to have some games in your back pocket. Whether it's for your main programming, retreats, overnighters or at a school function games have the power to break down walls with students. Whether it's breaking down gender walls, walls created by going to different schools or have a wide spectrum of students with different personalities, games bring an element of fun, laughter and leveling the playing field for the worst or best athletic student.

As I look to the array of games that I've tried in youth ministry I wish that I could say every game was a success. There will always be those times when even the best game doesn't seem to connect. Here are some tips that I've learned from experience and from youth ministry friends and specialists like Kurt Johnston that I'd pass along.

1. Keep It Simple - Don't over complicate the game. Keep your instructions clear, concise and quick. If it takes to long to explain the game before it starts you run the risk of already losing before you start both in momentum and with your audience. Sometimes it is a worthwhile exercise to have other students or leaders that you've talked to beforehand to be a visual example as your explaining the game.

2. Vary Them Up - Mix up the types of games that you do. We'll try to mix up games styles from ones where everyone participates (at least for a time), group games, physical games, mental games and on-stage games that just call for a few people. The big thing with this is to keep the game moving quickly so that you don't lose momentum for any students who aren't playing or have been knocked out or eliminated. If students aren't participating their interest in the game will decline quickly.

3. Be Excited - If you aren't excited about the game your audience won't be either. Always go into a game with the mindset that it is the greatest thing since sliced bread. You need to be the salesperson for why this is the greatest game your students will ever play.

4. Tweak - Don't be afraid to take old games and re-tweak them a little bit. A few weeks back for our series we played 'Reverse Paper, Rock, Scissors'. Just a small twist to a common game with a visual slide to remind students of what would beat what with reversing the game and it was neat to watch the expressions of students who thought they won but then realized they lost. It added a great fun factor. Our finalist ended up being a guy VS. girl faceoff. The guy totally got blown away and of course we took advantage of it.

5. Always leave them wanting more - Always end your game on a high point. You've got to be aware of when to cut off a game because your audience is having a great time as opposed overdoing a great thing. Even a great game can become a bore the more and more you do it, whether it's from week to week or just taking too much time one night to play it. Be sure to end the game in time for students to groan a little bit because they want to play it longer. In the long run this will help you have a good game in your pocket that kids already know how to play and that they love at a time that you need to infuse a little excitement and energy.

6. The 'WOW' Factor - Whether it's a big event, an outreach, overnighter or just a regular night in your ministry, having a game from time to time that creates the "Wow Mom" factor is a great thing. Anytime you can get students to walk away talking about game saying "I can't believe they did that" you create a buzz amongst your students and a talking point for them with friends. Obviously you need to make sure that the game is appropriate, doesn't put a student in danger and won't cause illness. It doesn't have to be a fear factor type game where they have to eat insects to be fun and something that is completely unheard of so be creative. We did a game at our kickoff this year called "Ice cubes of Awesomeness" where we took everyday items that are in your fridge, froze the contents and asked blindfolded contestants to guess what it was. It ranged from coffee to milk to mustard and more.