Fall is here which may mean for you youth group Christmas Party planning season has arrived! You might already have the decoration, theme, and party ideas for your youth group’s Christmas party (and if you haven’t, grab this FREE party planning pack here!). But how will you engage and excite your students to make this party memorable?
Don’t worry, we got you covered. We’ve come up with several Christmas games to play at your youth group Christmas party. And trust us, they won’t disappoint!
1. Music Bingo
Engage in a thrilling round of Music Bingo! Teams will be provided with large-scale bingo cards featuring Christmas songs. The host will play 30-second snippets of Christmas songs until a team achieves Bingo!
Instructions:
Spread teams out in the room with multiple copies of their bingo board
Have the host explain how the game will be played.
Play the first song, after 15-20 seconds state the name of the song and after 30 seconds switch to the next song.
When a team yells ‘bingo!’, continue to play the current song and be ready to stop the playlist before the next song/ begin the song again if more time is needed.
1st – 3rd place go to the first 3 bingos.
To extend the game play until a team gets double bingo or covers the entire board
Adaptations: For groups of 200+ or small groups of 5+, this game can be played as teams or individuals. Ensure unique boards for individuals or provide the song list for students to fill in their own boards.
2. Christmas Scavenger Hunt
Send your students on a merry hunt around your space for a list of items that may or may not have anything to do with Christmas, the Olympics, rubber duckies, etc.
Instructions:
Crete a list of items and quantities students will need to search for.
Decide how students are marking that they have found the item? Bringing it back, having a leader keep track or leaving slips with the item they can collect and bring back are all options.
Create a start/finish area so students know where to come back to when they are done.
Have candy or some other item for all students participating and prizes for your 3 fastest teams.
Adaptations: For a very large group we recommend hiding very unique items throughout and students have to write down the location they found each of these items in. you could purchase Christmas rubber duckies and hide them throughout your stage, decorations, game space, etc. For a small group, we recommend playing with everyone all together at the same time.
3. Gift Wrap Relay
Teams will have to select a gift, a box, wrapping paper, wrap the gift and present it to a leader before the other teams.
Instructions:
Select 4 students to act as the relay and the other students will be a part of the team wrapping the gift.
Line the students up for the relay and designate the area they need to run to get their items.
Use a fun whistle, horn, jingle bells to signal the beginning of the relay.
The designated student will run to the other side of the area to collect their item and bring it back to their team, the next student in the group will begin their turn when the previous student returns.
The first team to collect all of their items, wrap their gift and present it to a leader wins.
Adaptations: For a smaller group instead of teams each student could play individually. For large groups utilize the entire room by having the table with items in the middle instead. You can also make it more difficult by having the students’ hula hoop before they retrieve their item or some other task.5558
4. Wrapping Paper Murals
Who said the Olympics were just for sports? Students will give their inner artists a moment to shine as they create a Christmas Wrapping Mosaic.
Instructions:
Set up the stage area with a table for each team. Place the materials, including the wrapping paper scraps, glue sticks or adhesive tape, and scissors, on each table .
Divide the participants into teams of 3-4 people each. Assign a team leader for each group
Explain the objective of the competition: Each team has to work together to create a mosaic design using the wrapping paper scraps. The mosaic should be made by cutting and arranging the paper to form a larger image or pattern
Hand out a large sheet of white paper or poster board to each team. This will serve as the base for their mosaic
Announce the time limit for the competition. For example, say, “You have 2-3 minutes to complete your wrapping paper mosaic
Start the timer and allow the teams to begin. Encourage them to work quickly and efficiently to utilize their time effectively.
Remind the teams to communicate and collaborate effectively. They should assign tasks to team members, such as cutting the wrapping paper, arranging the pieces, or applying glue/tape.
During the competition, you can play some upbeat music to create an energetic and engaging atmosphere
As the time limit approaches, give periodic updates to the teams, such as “You have one minute remaining” and then countdown the final 10 seconds.
When the time is up, instruct the teams to stop working and step away from their mosaics.
Ask each team to present their completed wrapping paper mosaic to the audience. Give them a chance to explain their design choices and any symbolism behind their creation.
If desired, you can involve the audience by having them vote for their favorite mosaic or ask judges to determine the winning team based on creativity, execution, and presentation.
Announce the winning team and recognize their efforts with applause or small prizes if applicable.
Adaptations: If your group is very large this can be turned into a stage game, make sure to have some sort of activity happening for the students in the audience during the section where the teams are working on their murals. Have markers and sharpies available as another role for students to add some extra designs to their murals.
5. Record Breakers
Become World Record Breakers! Get ready for an exhilarating challenge as students come together to achieve extraordinary feats. They will collaborate to break world records, setting new benchmarks in various creative ways. From forming the longest humming skipping line to making the most sandwiches by 89 individuals, or even establishing the longest line of continuous coin flips—the possibilities are limitless! Embrace the spirit of teamwork, fun, and achievement as you embark on this thrilling journey of record-breaking success.
Ideas for your record:
Largest human cross: Attempt to break the record for the largest human cross formation. Gather your group in an open space and arrange yourselves in the shape of a cross. This record typically requires a large number of participants and can be a fun group activity!
Longest human chain: Try to break the record for the longest human chain. Form a line holding hands or linking arms and see how long your group can stretch. This record often requires coordination and teamwork.
Most sandwiches made in a minute: Challenge yourselves to break the record for the most sandwiches made in one minute. Set up stations with bread, fillings, and condiments, and have your group assemble sandwiches as quickly as possible. Make sure to follow the guidelines and rules for this record.
Largest collection of donated items: Organize a donation drive within your church community and aim to collect the largest number of donated items for a charitable cause. This record can involve gathering clothes, food, toys, or other needed items and can make a positive impact on your community.
Longest continuous line of coins: Attempt to break the record for the longest continuous line of coins. Gather as many coins as possible and line them up in a straight line. Measure the total length of the line and compare it to the existing record.
Adaptations: Choose a record that best fits the number of people in attendance. As not everyone may be excited about a record-breaking stunt, choose one that will include everyone but won’t require anyone to stand on their head, hold something for a long time, etc. If you have a small group 5-10 give them some ideas for the record and decide together which record to pursue!
We hope these fun Christmas party game ideas get you excited for an awesome youth group party. Be sure to grab your FREE Christmas party planning download here!
P.S. If you are just starting to think about your Christmas party this blog, Five Filters to Consider When Planning Youth Group Christmas Party, is insightful as you think through different aspects of the party. And if you need more budget friendly ideas we’ve got you covered here: Three Budget-Friendly Christmas Party Ideas.
