Discussion Starters

78 Discussion starters,
1. Do you have a hero? Describe him or her.
2. Imagine a "best day ever." What kinds of things would you do?
3. If you could choose a vacation spot anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?
4. What's your favourite TV show? What do you like best about it?
5. What's your favourite movie? What do you like best about it?
6. Who's your favourite music artist or group? What makes you gravitate to him/her/them?
7. What's your favourite time of year–winter, spring, summer, or fall? Why?

Plaster Party

Plaster of Paris, watercolor paints, and plaster molds can be purchased rather inexpensively at craft stores for this unique activity. Encourage your youth group to get creative, by hosting a Plaster Party at your youth club, church, or weekend camp. You can advertise the event with posters that say "Get Plastered!" and possibly charge a small admission to help cover the costs.

Opinion poll icebreaker

As you open this Sunday's meeting , you can get your kids to share their opinions. Hand out photocopied papers that have questions that will evoke strong opinions, but rather than having essay answers, use boxes that say "Strongly Agree" "Agree" "Don't know or Don't Care" "Disagree" and "Strongly Disagree." You should have three or four adults who can quickly gather the polls and tabulate the answers into one sheet for you. By the time you finish your opening songs, the adults should have the sheets' final tallies so that you can read them aloud. Some of your questions could include:

Me Am What Me Am!

Give everyone in the group one paper clip, before the meeting begins. Preferably, before structured activities begin, instruct them that for the duration of the meeting, if they use the word "I" their clip will be taken from them. If they hear someone say the word "I" they may take the paperclip and attach it to their own. Throughout the evening, kids (and adults) will catch others using the word "I" and may add more clips to their own. Even if they have a nice chain of clips, they could lose them all, if they are caught using the word "I".

Personal Parables

Game Summary: Kids will use objects found in the room or in their possession to tell stories about themselves.
Game Supplies: No supplies are required.
Ask kids to form groups of five or six based on whether they're "pack rats" or "throw-it-out types." Then tell group members to introduce themselves to each other (if needed) and tell one thing they own that they'd never throw out.

Common Ground

Game Summary: Teams will race to create lists of things that all the team members have in common.

Game Supplies: You'll need paper and pencils.

Take As Much As You Think You'll Need

: Props: M & M's, peanuts, a roll of toilet paper, Skittles or anything else with lots of pieces (choose one) and small cups.

Scavenger Hunt

Have each participant write down their name and an obscure fact about themselves that few people know about. These are then typed up on a sheet of paper, but with the names left blank. Hand out the sheets to all the participants and tell them that they are to match the obscure facts with everyone's name. This could be done in two ways, one way is to have everyone just guess and see how many they get right. Afterwards they could discuss first impressions and stereo typing.

People To People:

Everyone is directed to pair off and an odd number is needed so there is one person left standing in the middle of the group. The person who does not have a pair then calls out directions for the partners such as nose to nose, finger to forehead, ankle to shoulder, etc. (body parts to body parts.) The partners will do whatever the person in the middle calls out (like Simon Says).

Youth Work Resources

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