Activities for mixed group

[CNYScouter]

This may not be the right place to post this but there seems to be enough wisdom here that I could find some help.

 

Due to a rash of high school age drunk driving deaths and drinking and drug related incidents a local church has started to offer a Friday night Social. They decided to start with younger kids and want to start moving to older kids as the program catches on. This runs from 7 to 10PM on Fridays as an alternative to hanging out at the mall.

 

This routinely draws 40 to 50 5th to 8th graders.

One of the problems they are having is things have been unorganized and it has gotten out-of-control on nights when larger groups show up (60+ kids). Nothing too bad, kids jumping on furniture and getting into places where they shouldnt and we are having trouble keeping track of all the kids.

 

We are looking for ideas for more organized activities to do.

I know what t do if we had all boys or all girls but not sure what to do with this mixed group.

We have suggestions to do BINGO and BUNKO nights with prizes.

We tries to organized games such as volleyball and gaming nights but have not had much luck.

 

Any ideas for activities to do with 5th to 8th grade girls and boys?

I plan to be active in this next year as I will have 3 kids in the age group and attending this.

 

I have suggested starting a Venturing Crew for the older kids next year.

 

 

[John-in-KC]

Shows the aims and methods at work...

 

The youth appear to lack adequate adult supervision (2 deep rule, supportive leaders).

 

Have the youth jelled into formal or informal groups (patrol method)? If they have jelled, their activity path seems to be not focused on constructive approaches.

 

For the older youth, I would indeed recommend a Crew. For the younger youth, consider BSA and GSUSA units.

 

[SemperParatus]

Running a successful youth group is very hard - much harder then a scout unit because you have no pre-established model, training, resources, etc. The upside is that you can do just about anything you want.

 

It sounds like some folks thought it would be a great idea and opened the doors, without giving detailed thought to the mission, purpose and activities that would drive this 'community service'. Adults definitely need to be involved big time (especially at the middle school age) and not just as supervision, but as long-range visionaries and activity directors. You need a core team of committed adults that will be willing to spend an inordinate amount of time planning and executing a program that is supportive of the 'mission' of this endeavor.

 

General ideas -

Sports nights

Craft nights

Service Projects

Challenge Games (mind and body)

Talk nights

Dances/mixers

Field trip nights (bowling, movies)

 

It is not clear from your post if this 'youth group' is intended to have a church message or is meant to be purely secular. If a 'church youth group' there are some purveyors that have excellent programming material.

 

Good luck with it.

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

You don't say what kind of facilites you have or the types of resources available to you.

 

They have to stop just "winging" it, put together some kind of plan, and recruit more adults. You might think about separating into 5-6th & 7-8th age groups. Smaller groups will be more managable.

 

Some activity ideas:

 

Basketball

Movies

Excersise/Workout/Gymnastics

Local Bands

Board games

Skate Boarding (is there room to build a mini skate board area outside?)

Talent Night

Twister

Maybe mini classes on things like tie dying, crochet, bike repair, paper making, cooking, orienteering, photography. Depending on your resources.

 

Also - Ask the kids! Put out a suggestion box where kids can tell what they are interested in doing.

[madkins007]

Your local largish church supply store will have a section or department on youth group ideas, supplies, and books. While some of them will be very religious in tone, the bulk of the ideas can be used with any group.

 

If the venue allows, try to create different activity zones, with a mixture so you don't have to please everybody. Sports over here, RC car races here, a movie being shown over here, a snack bar and band in the other corner...

 

 

 

On a vaguely related note, I have often wondered what would happen if the BSA decided to try to run summer activity programs for non-Scouts. We have a ton of resources and such. I think we could do a really wonderful thing in that area, especially for the age groups most at risk.

[cajuncody]

I would add a suggestion to check out a local Boys and Girls Club if available. They do a wonderful job with mixed groups using things such as "Power Hour" (study time), games, sports, and other activities.

Kristi

[orennoah]

A local church in our area sets up a portable skate park in their parking lot. It's a HUGE draw.

 

They even grill hot dogs and have drinks for the kids. All gratis.

 

- Oren

[ozemu]

Perhaps try to run a sequence of activities that start whole group, expell some energy and then divide down to interest areas with a mix of learn and play in small groups. Then return to large group but with less energy to end the evening.

 

A bit like parade, Troop game, Patrol activities (skills development and games), Troop activity, SM minute, Troop parade.

 

I think the rough sequence may help but only if the core mission etc is recognised down to the youngest person attending.

 

Divide and conquer always works. If they will not do this then I suggest that you stop the show or get yourself out of there.