Christmas with students is one of my favorite times of the year! It's the perfect season to celebrate, connect, and serve together.
Here are some fun and meaningful activities you can try with your student ministry or small group this year.
1. Cookie Decorating and Gingerbread House Making
Nothing says Christmas like frosting-covered fingers and graham crackers glued together with icing! Cookie decorating and gingerbread house making are always a hit-and even more fun with friends. Turn it into a friendly competition for an added twist!
Tips for a competition:
- Divide students into groups to work as teams.
- Offer multiple prize categories (e.g., most creative, most festive, etc.) along with a grand prize.
This activity is not only fun, but also a great way to foster creativity and teamwork among your students.
2. Caroling
Some of my fondest memories in student ministry involve caroling. Growing up, our youth group sang for staff members at church, surprising them with heartfelt (albeit sometimes off-key) renditions of Christmas favorites. It was a highlight of the season and a simple way to show appreciation.
Caroling is a great tradition to start with your students-it doesn't matter if no one can carry a tune! It's all about spreading joy and spending time together.
Tips for caroling:
- Decide who you'll carol to: church staff, small group leaders, or even elderly members in your congregation.
- Plan your route in advance and confirm people will be home.
- Wrap up at a final location with a small Christmas party for your group.
- Be flexible! Plan extra time in case someone invites your group inside-but have a time limit so no one is left out.
3. Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt
Driving around to see Christmas lights is a personal favorite! A few years ago, I organized a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt with my students, and it was a huge success. You can adapt this for small groups or entire families.
Check out the Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt for easy-to-follow instructions, whether you're playing as one team or dividing into multiple teams.
4. Christmas Service Projects
The Christmas season is the perfect time to model generosity and compassion with your students. Here are three meaningful service projects.
Buying Christmas for a Family
Partner with your church or a local organization to find a family in need. Students can raise money, purchase gifts, wrap them, and deliver the joy of Christmas to a family.
Tips for this project:
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Inform parents and invite them to help students raise funds. You can also organize a small fundraiser.
- Plan a Christmas party for the family where some gifts can be opened, but leave others for Christmas morning.
- Label gifts with only the recipient's name so parents can present some as their own.
Canning Hunger Challenge
Partner with Canning Hunger for a fun and meaningful outreach opportunity that engages your students in serving their community. Work as a team to collect non-perishable food items from neighbors, which are then donated to a local food bank. It's a great way to represent your student group while addressing hunger in your area.
Tips for this project:
- Organize student teams of 2-4 and assign each team a volunteer driver.
- Map out specific neighborhood routes in your community.
- Coordinate with a local food bank and invite a representative to speak at the wrap-up celebration.
- Incorporate friendly competition with prizes for the team that collects the most food.
This activity can be incorporated into a regular youth group service or scheduled as a special event-and it's impactful enough to become an annual tradition!
DIY Gifts for Teachers
Support teachers with handmade gifts and heartfelt notes! Host a Christmas party where students can craft simple gifts and write thank-you cards. Then, deliver the gifts as a group.
Tips for this project:
- Identify teachers to bless (e.g., those at local schools, daycares, or your church).
- Announce a designated pick-up time if you're gifting church teachers.
- Choose gender-neutral DIY gifts like:
- Hot cocoa mix
- Spiced tea
- Chex Mix
- Soup mix
- Ornaments
- Cookies
These three ideas are a wonderful way to for your students to practice generosity and compassion with your community during this season.
Make Christmas Memories
Whatever you choose, I hope you make lasting memories with your students this Christmas season. Let's celebrate the joy of the Savior together!
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Krista Michelle is passionate about Girls Ministry. With 10 years of experience in church leadership, she loves equipping teenage girls to grow in their relationship with God and make their faith their own. Her goal is to inspire and empower both students and leaders to impact their generation for Christ. This article was first published on the KM Ministries blog.