Youth group retreats are a time when teens come together to learn more about their faith, and learn to be open about their opinions regarding their beliefs.
Teens enjoy getting away from mom and dad every once in awhile and Christian retreats are often the best way to do so. Parents know that retreats such as this are safe and well planned. If you are in charge of planning a teen youth group retreat for your church, here are some tips to get you started.
Planning Stages
The first thing you will want to do is to put together a team of adults and teens to help you make decisions. This team will not only help you find a place to have your retreat, but will also help you advertise and come up with activities. It is a great idea to have teens to help because they can offer valuable input on what they would or would not want to do. You should also start planning well in advanced. You need to do this for several reasons. First of all, you have to secure a location and many times, these can fill up fast. Next, you have to make sure that the teens can plan their time accordingly and that parents have enough time to save money for the retreat.
Checking Out Facilities
Once you have your team in place, you can begin to look at facilities. When planning on a location, you will want to make sure that it can accommodate your teens (and chaperones), and is safe and equipped. Think about the sleeping arrangements. A 13-year-old is very different from a 19-year-old, so you may need to find a place that will allow you to place younger teens in one area and the older teens in another. Boys and girls will need to have their own space, too. Visit the facilities and make sure that the cabins can accommodate those types of sleeping arrangements. You will also want to think about meals. Will you be responsible for planning meals for a week? Or, can you find a facility that will take care of this for you?
Planning Activities
After you have chosen a date and a location, start planning activities. Christian youth retreats should be fun and educational. Teens want time together, but they also need some down time, too. You might want to fill the day with age-appropriate outdoor activities, such as swimming, boating, archery, crafts and sports and have a worship service after lunch. The evening is a great time for everyone to get together near a campfire. Dedicate the time to talk about devotions, testimonies, prayers and singing. The teens will enjoy spending this time as a whole group and will walk away every evening feeling inspired and devoted to God.
