Not all youth activities are created equal. Some are entertaining but forgettable. Some are well-planned but spiritually flat. Some have a great lesson but lose the group halfway through. So what makes a youth activity more than just “a thing we did”? What makes it forged in faith? It’s not about being perfect. It’s about…

Object lessons are a staple of youth instruction—simple visuals or metaphors used to teach gospel principles. You’ve probably seen or used them before: These have their place. But what if we went further? What if instead of just showing a principle, we let youth experience it? Because the most powerful object lesson isn’t something they…

When you think “youth night,” what comes to mind? Those are fine, but if we stop there, we’re missing a key opportunity. Because one of the most overlooked areas of the youth program is this: “Gain knowledge and learn to use it.” That means teaching youth how to do real things. How to fix, build,…

Church activities aren’t meant to just fill time—they’re meant to prepare youth for life. Yes, we want to help them feel the Spirit. Yes, we want them to connect with each other. But if we stop there, we’re missing something huge. Because the Savior didn’t just teach doctrine. He taught how to live. He taught…

We get it. You care. You want things to go well. You want the activity to be meaningful, organized, and on time. So you: Meanwhile, the youth? They show up… and watch. And while it might feel like you’re helping, you might actually be holding them back. 🧠 Why Doing Less Helps Youth More Leadership…

Every youth group has invisible walls. They form silently. No one means to build them, but before long, they’re there: It’s not always mean. But it is exclusive. And if left unchecked, cliques can make youth night feel more like high school and less like Zion. 🧠 Why Cliques Are Dangerous in a Gospel Setting…

One of the greatest gifts the gospel offers is the chance to belong to something bigger than yourself. We call it the body of Christ—a unified group of disciples with different strengths, stories, and struggles, bound together by faith. But here’s the truth: That kind of unity doesn’t just “happen” in a youth group. It…

Every youth group has them. As a leader, your job isn’t just to “run activities.” Your job is to create belonging—to forge a space where every teen feels like: That doesn’t happen by accident.  It happens by design. 🧠 Why Belonging Matters If youth don’t feel like they belong: But when they feel safe and…

When you ask youth to describe Nephi, certain traits always come up: That last one often gets overlooked in spiritual settings, but it’s a vital part of his story. “I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know the mysteries of God…”(1 Nephi 2:16) Nephi wasn’t just…

In today’s world, teens are used to comfort. Instant answers. Streaming content. Heated seats. But growth—real, lasting growth—doesn’t happen in comfort. It happens in challenges. That’s why physical challenges are such a vital part of the youth program. Not just for health, but for character. When paired with gospel purpose, fitness becomes more than movement.…