Q: What are some good youth group trip ideas?
A: The answer to this question depends on how much money and time you have. The key is to not shy away from something – give everything a try. What worked/didn’t work with one group may work with another.
Some of the biggest hits with my youth were the zoo and aquarium, which were often ideas that were originally made fun of by my colleagues. They thought that the youth would be bored.
However, many youth don’t have the opportunity to do these things any more. With vanishing school budgets, field trips are almost non-existent, particularly for middle and high school aged youth and parents don’t always have the time, money or inclination to explore these places with their children.
Talk to your youth – find out what sort of things would interest them, but equally don’t be afraid to go out on a limb and try something that you think they might enjoy as well, even if it flies in the face of conventional youth work wisdom.
Below are some ideas to get your juices flowing – there are options for every budget:
|
|
Free (or almost free) |
Less Expensive |
More Expensive |
|
1 Hour |
A local park for wide games |
Meal at a restaurant |
|
|
2-3 Hours |
Hike in the woods or on the beach |
Bowling/roller-skating |
Organize a video game tournament at the local arcade |
|
4-6 Hours |
Museum or historic house |
Pottery making/decorating |
Zoo or aquarium |
|
1 Full Day (12+ Hours) |
Sporting tournament with another youth group/center in a nearby town |
Day trip to nearby historical sites (e.g. Washington DC or your state/country capital) |
Water park/amusement park |
|
2+ Days |
Stay at a local church/community center/ host homes and find free things to do in a nearby town |
Stay in a hotel and find free things to do in a nearby town or stay in local churches/ community centers or host homes and pay to do a few things in a nearby town |
Full service camp or youth retreat |
If you’re planning a trip, check out our list of 5 top tips for safe youth trips.
Question: What good youth group trip ideas would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.
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