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For more connection, sharing, and fun on Zoom calls and studies, try these 5 Zoom games. Great for children, youth, and women’s ministry in small churches!
Interactive Ideas For Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry, & Women’s Ministry In Small Churches
We have all had to stretch our digital footprint during the pandemic of 2020; we are thankful that the Lord has provided us with this technology to stay connected. Even the smallest of churches can have access to these online resources like Zoom, Facebook, and more for little to no cost.
Why Add A Game To Your Zoom Calls And Studies?
- The ideas here help facilitate your group in getting to know each other better.
- A game puts people at ease who are not as ‘technologically comfortable’ as others.
- A game adds an element of joy to your meetings –– one of God’s best gifts: laughter!
All 5 of these games are easily adaptable to any size group and/or age. Be sure to think about your audience and make it relevant to them. For example, in the Personal Points Game, when I have used it for kids, I have done categories like give yourself a point if …
- you brushed your teeth today
- made your bed
- ate at least 1 kind of veggie
Have fun using these ideas to build your connections in your small church!
1. Personal Points Game
For this super simple game, make a list ahead of time of things you’ll award points for. Make up your own categories and items depending on the theme of the night or study. Have fun on this and make it specific to children, youth, or women’s ministry!
It Looks Like This:
Give yourself a point if …
- You were born in this state
- You were an only child
- Give a point for every sibling you have
You get the idea! Throw in some off-the-wall categories too to liven things up!!
This is a fun way to learn more about people in your group.
3 Steps To Play The Personal Points Game
- Make your list.
- Read through the list and let each person add up their points.
- At the end, read back over the questions, and have each one raise their hand who responded to that question so others can see.
2. Search & Find Scavenger Hunt
This game’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
*Make sure your group is able to be mobile during this game.
- Before the call, make a list of items for them to find.
- Give them 2 minutes to go find and bring back to the camera to earn points.
- You decide how many points and what items.
Some examples of what you can include on the list:
- Find a picture of yourself.
- Find a pickle.
- Find an earring.
- Find something with the church name on it.
Use your imagination. Look around your own rooms to spark some ideas as you make the list.
For Extra Fun:
To be real fancy, download a ‘jeopardy’ type countdown song to play as they search.
3. Share-It Bingo
This is a great variation of classic bingo that helps everyone go deeper in relationship as they get to know each other better.
Prepare Ahead Of Time
For them, the participants:
- Create your bingo sheets.
- On the top of the sheet, it should say “SHARE” (in place of bingo).
- Fill the squares with items related to your theme or just things to get to know each other.
- Send them out to everyone before your meeting. (Digital PDF or print & deliver)
For you, the leader:
Make your call cards with simple, copied sheets of all the categories cut into pieces and placed in a basket or paper bag.
Steps To Play
- Pull a prepared call card out and call it.
- If someone fits that category, mark off your sheet.
- Regular bingo rules to win (across-down-diagonal).
- Have fun!
Extra Tips:
I always print my own bingo sheets at a kidmin site: DLTK’s Site For Kids: Growing Together.
Possible Bingo Categories:
- Traveled to another country
- Spent Christmas in the hospital
- Have a secret talent
- Can speak another language
- Has had a broken bone
- Married my high school sweetheart
4. Heads Up Art Gallery
Prepare Ahead Of Time
Make sure that everyone has a cheap white paper plate and a marker or crayon ready for this game.
Steps To Play
- Have everyone place their plate on top of their heads & hold it. With their other hand, they will be drawing a ‘masterpiece’!!
- As you describe things, have them draw on their plate. (i.e. draw a flower with a stem, draw the field that the flower is in, draw a bee flying to your flower, draw a beautiful sun in the sky, etc.)
- Then everyone turns their artwork around at the same time to reveal the Art Gallery
- Applause is given! (Maybe a winner announced, that’s up to you!)
- Snap a screenshot for future use!
5. Look Closer Now
There are many sources online for this game that use super close-up pics of normal items for you to try and guess what they are.
I found several on YouTube after searching “close-up picture games for families.” Here is a couple that I have used with all ages. You can use share-screen to show to the group:
- Zoom Out Guess the Pic
- Close-Up Quiz w/Answers
You Could Also Make A Simple PowerPoint Presentation:
- Download a photo.
- Crop it to one section
- Enlarge
- Do another slide with the same pic, but do a larger section.
- Enlarge
- Give them 30 seconds to make their guesses. (They can do it in the chat section.)
- Then make a slide with the complete picture (answer).
- During the Zoom meeting, just share your screen to play.
What Now? Put It In Action!
Maybe you’re like me and are being stretched (pulled and ‘dragged’) into the digital scene, but we can do it … and we can do it with joy.
God has put all of these tools into our hands, so let’s use whatever means possible to minister to our churches.
I know that God has probably already placed a woman in your life who is gifted in these things and would love to share and teach you; please, connect with them! I have also discovered a treasure trove of people in the Creative Solutions for Small Churches Facebook community who have blessed me with their shared knowledge –– that’s how it works!! Come join us there!
Join our free Facebook community for Creative Solutions for Small Churches.
Read More
A Look Into The Impact Of Youth Ministry On The Church
Thank you for these ideas! I wish we could of done something like these when we were having our annual meeting. It would have made a huge difference to just laugh a little. I got off a social call with some of my coworkers and we decided to play a little game at the end and I was so glad we ended that way. It just leaves everyone is such good spirits. I will use these for future gatherings on Zoom.
Yes! Becky is really creative – such great ideas for next time, Ilona!!