COVID-19 has completely changed the ministry landscape, and more and more churches and ministries are moving to online programming. It’s a new day and you are probably feeling like the rest of us – completely overwhelmed. You don’t know where to start and you see that some ministries are moving to the “live model” using Facebook and Instagram live features to do their teaching and games. Others decided to use something like google hangouts or the Zoom app. In fact, the Zoom company reported over 2.5 million new users in the past two weeks. And since most are unaware of what the Zoom app offers, here at USMB Youth decided to give you some tips and tricks of using the Zoom app.
The Gospel can be preached almost anywhere. But with this new reality comes a whole new need for a new type of games, digital games. Dodgeball no longer can really work with digital programming. So we started collecting the best games to use with the Zoom app. We will be updating and adding to this list as we go. If you have any ideas or would like to add different versions please email us at info@usmbyouth.com. If you are looking for pre-made games or using the sidekick app with zoom we recommend going to downloadyouthministry.com. There is also some other great game ideas at stuffyoucanuse.org.
Why we choose using ZOOM over a social media “live model”:
- The Zoom app has a free feature (but you can only do a 40-minute video max) or a $15 a month feature which is well worth the investment.
- It is a more controlled environment with only people you share the link to can join (if you have the proper settings set up)
- It’s way more interactive than social media options
- Zoom allows up to 100 people in one video (better for smaller groups rather than larder ministries)
- You can mute all or unmute all (great for middle school boys)
- There is a poll feature you can make and launch in the middle of your video
- There is a chat feature that can be used to send everyone or just certain people a message
- MOST IMPORTANTLY: It has a “breakout rooms” option where you can have small groups at the end of your program
Other Tips You Should be aware of:
- If you are wanting your other leaders to use a meeting without you be on at the same time make sure you choose “enable join before host” when you schedule the meeting
- If you control who sees/gets the link no need to set up a “require meeting password”
- You cannot schedule meetings that meet at the same time with the same host (no overlapping)
- Most usually choose the “waiting room option” so they can control who joins or not.
- Tell your participants to put their username as their first name and grade so it’s easier to divide into small groups
- Adance settings: (under “settings” on the right-hand side)
- Turn on “mute participants upon entry” (worth it)
- Turn on”polling” (default is off)
- IMPORTANT – under “screen sharing” choose “host-only” so no-one will ZOOMBOMB you and join your meeting show inappropriate things when they screen share their screen
- Turn on “breakout room” feature (so you can use it for small groups)
There are many other options that you can use so feel free to experiment before you go live with your ministry.
If you need help learning the zoom app we recommend you CLICK HERE.
ZOOM GAME AND ACTIVITY IDEAS:
| Game Idea | How to Play | From | Supplies |
| Digital Charades | Send a private message to the person to act out the action without using words. First-person to guess it gets a point. First to 5 points wins! | AXIS student ministry | List of things to act out |
| Reverse Charades | Send the clue in the chat to everyone and then everyone acts out without talking. The leader on-screen (should not see the chat) has to guess the clue in 10 seconds or less. Have 2-3 leaders try to guess at the same time. | AXIS student ministry | List of clues to act out. |
| Bring It! | Share an object people can find around the house. They are to leave their phone and bring the item to their phone. First-person to do so gets a point. (example items: toothpaste, sibling, stuff animal, pet, something yellow,, etc.) Alternative versions: “boggle” style of saying a letter and find an object that starts with that letter | AXIS student ministry | List of items to collect |
| Wheel Unfortunate | Using the voting feature. Come up with questions everyone has to answer opinion based (like do you bite your nails). Before revealing the answer have 1-2 leaders write what they think the majority would vote for on a whiteboard. THen reveal both answers. If the leader gets it wrong they have to spin a wheel with “punishments” the leader has to do. Or they can just have a list of punishments they do. (examples: spoon full of mustard, pie in the face, 30-second karaoke, put makeup on, clothespin face, cell phone awkward text, lick afoot, redo hairdo, draw a mustache on your face, etc.) | AXIS student ministry | Wheel of punishments and supplies for it | questions for the poll feature |
| Pictionary | Using the whiteboard feature. Send a private message to the contestant they then draw the object while everyone else or in teams guess what it is for a point. Give them 30 seconds to do it. | AXIS student ministry | each person needs some paper and a pen |
| Leader’s Pictionary | Have your participants send private to another leader Pictionary ideas (can be with categories or just random) then one at a timeshare that to another leader who will draw on a whiteboard the guess. First-person to yell out the right answer gets a point. (You cannot guess the task you sent in). | AXIS student ministry | whiteboard and markers |
| Speak Out | Using the board game SPEAK OUT board game has leaders try to say words that the rest of the people have to guess. The first one to get it right gets a point. | AXIS student ministry | speak outboard game |
| Strike a Pose | (using screen share) Find 4-6 poses that students have to act out. Show all of them on the screen at the same time. Then each person has 3 seconds to pick a pose and do it. Then show one of the poses on the screen. if anyone matches that pose they are eliminated. (after a few turns show less poses available until you only have 2 shown until there is a winner). Alternative: use emojis or just faces they have to make | AXIS student ministry | Find 4-6 poses or faces | Powerpoint |
| Last on the Shelf | Blindfold 2 leaders. Then have one of them eat an object (hidden from the view of everyone, like have them turn backward to the camera) then that leader has to describe what they are eating in 30 seconds or less to the other leader who has to guess it. People watching can also use the chat feature to guess what it is. First-person to do so gets a point. | High School Ministry (Saddleback) | Food objects on a spoon on in a cup. About 5 in total. |
| Whisper Challenge | Have one leader wear headphones with loud music. The other leader has to whisper a phrase that the leader wearing the headphones has to guess out loud. | From late Night with Jimmy Fallen | headphones with music playing |
| Box of Lies | Have one leader take a box of objects you put together and only that leader can see what is in the box. That leader has to either lie and describe something else or tell the truth and describe what is in the box. The other leader and the people watching will guess if he/she is telling the truth. Feel free to use the poll feature. | From late Night with Jimmy Fallen | 2-4 boxes of funny weird objects |
| Jeopardy | use the free website to create or find a game of jeopardy and then play taking turns. Keep track of points off-screen | choose the game on jeopardylabs.com | |
| Masked Singer | Just like the tv show. Do a karaoke competition with one of the well-known leaders or adults in your church, the reveal them at the end of the song. Have students guess who it is in the chat during the song. | Masked Singer TV show | mask/costume and song |
| Trivia night | Use HQ Live or come up with your own trivia questions and then have students either use the chat OR write on paper and show the camera their answers. | Trivia questions and prizes | |
| Build a story | Pick an order and then each student adds one sentence to the story. Either verbally or using the chat feature. | Orange Student Ministry | pick a theme for the story |
| Tour My Room | Give students 5 minutes to go around their room and give everyone a tour. Have students use the chat to ask questions. | Orange Student Ministry | Pick a student beforehand so they have time to clean |
| Costume or theme party | Have everyone dress up for the camera and play games with that theme (like PJ’s, Halloween, tv character, etc.) | AXIS student ministry | costumes |
| Guess Where I am | Use the virtual background feature with one leader in front of the camera and the other leader asking leading but not direct questions (like the scene in who’s line is it anyways tv show). The leader on camera has to guess what the location is on the background. | AXIS student ministry | Requires the leader NOT to see their own screen so a camera facing them without a screen is required. and choose 5-6 funny backgrounds beforehand (try picking locations like office space, zoo, moon, etc.) |
| Virtual tours | Find a zoo, aquarium, or park that gives virtual tours. Then use the screen share feature to experience it together and discuss your experience. | Orange Student Ministry | a free virtual tour online |
| jackbox.tv games | Use the games that come with 1-5 packages either from amazon.com or steam.com | jackbox.tv | purchase several jackbox.tv games |
| zoom extreme bingo | Email everyone a bingo card. Then play a normal game of bingo but then add a task for every 4th ball called. (things like doing jumping jacks until your next ball, have to hold your pen in your mouth until your next ball, etc.) | AXIS student ministry | Bingo cards and a bingo machine |
| kahoot! | design a Kahoot and then do a screen share for trivia questions. (the only downside is people using their phone for both) | Kahoot | kahoot.com |
