Want to have a great time with your small group? Looking for the perfect thing to do together? Well, you’ve found the right place. From board game nights to a night on the town, to Nerf Gun battles, we’re covering it all in this ultimate small group activity guide. Broken down by budget categories from free to one hundred dollars a person, we lay out tested ideas and plans that will be sure to put a smile on everyone’s face and creating a memory they will never forget. Get ready to take your small group up a notch on the fun o’ meter!

We’re going to start off with activities that are free and take a small amount of time, then we’ll work our way up to small group activities that require a little investment and take more time. Not only are these progressively covered, but we’ve also placed scores and estimated prices next to each activity for quick reference. Have a great small group activity not listed here? Tell everyone about it by commenting below. Be sure to include a rough cost per person and estimated time the activity took.

Free & Fun

Games

Board Game Night

• Board games are cheap and simple and it seems there is always someone in the small group that is a board game freak and has a large collection. Be careful not to pick games that are too complicated to learn, or that require everyone NOT to talk while playing. Here are three of our favorites:

• Code Names – It’s a boxed game that plays out like spy vs spy. Check it out. 
  • Mafia-  Pick someone to be the moderator. Count the number of people playing. Create that many notes. On one-third of the notes write ‘mafia’. One one of the cards write ‘doctor’. One note detective. On the rest of the notes write ‘Citizen‘. Fold them in half so no one can see what they have written on them and have the moderator pass them out. The recipients can look at their note to see what character they are, but keep it secret. The moderator will announce it’s nighttime. Then the moderator announces the mafia wakes up. Those players quietly look up and vote who to kill. Then they go to sleep. The moderator announces the detective wakes up, he tries to guess one person that is mafia. If right, that person will be arrested when everyone wakes up. The moderator responds to the detective with a thumbs up or thumbs down. Then the doctor wakes up, and points to some they want to heal. Then the next part is everyone waking up, and the moderator telling the story of what happened. This continues until either the mafia is arrested, or has killed all the citizens or the detective. 
  • Four on a Couch – Here is a link to an article on how to play it: Four on a Couch by Great Group Games 
• Unknown Name Game – More of an activity than a board game. Each person is assigned a name and placed on their head so that they can’t see. They have to walk around and ask people yes or no questions until they successfully guess who or what they are. People are usually given an allowance of two questions per person and one guess.
• Hide & Seek – Silly and fun. Unless the person hosting is really comfortable with people hiding in their closet, this is best done outdoors. If you want to play it at night with a twist check out “Ghosts in the Graveyard” which is a spin on this classic and can make it a lot of fun. 

Active Activities

(aren’t all activities active by default?)

Bike Ride

• Look up local trails and invite everyone on a bike ride. A nice three-mile trail seems to be the perfect distance that anyone can ride even if they don’t bike much. And if people want they can always do a second round. 
• Another idea is to go downtown and rent bikes. Most cities will have sidewalk bike rental and often have great bike paths.

Candlelight Bike / Ski 

• Turn it up a notch and do it at night after the sun goes down! There was a state park that recently hosted a candlelight trail for visitors to take advantage of. Check to see if something like that is available near you. 

Night Hike

• Like the previous one, but without the candlelight (so it’s better to walk slowly so you don’t crash). In most parts of the country, the sun goes down early at times in the year. Take the opportunity to go hike a trail when it’s dark. It’s different, and something you don’t think of. But it’s fun and refreshing and breaks the norm. 

Musical Activities

Caroling–

• Best done around Christmas (but your choice), get your small together, print off some lyrics, and hit the neighborhood signing. You don’t have to be a good singer, but it does help to have at least one musically talented person in the group. If you want to bless someone’s neighbors, compliment these events with baking and handing out cookies. Add a Christmas card signed by your small group with an invitation to church to really top off the outreach. 

Band Contest

• Form teams and use anything available (including real instruments) Take five minutes and make up a song and then play your sound in front of the rest of the small group. Pass out voting cards, and have everyone vote for their favorite performance. 

Food

AdLib Picnic

• Without any prior food planning, everyone grabs something out of their kitchen that they already have and bring that to a picnic together to share. What you end up with is a real hodgepodge of goods that make for a funny meal, but really brings people together in a sweet and special way. It’s really hard to explain until you try it.

Learning

History Tour

• If you live by a historic town what you can do is draft up a list of places that have a cool story to them, and assign one place per small group member. Each member creates a unique character that lived or worked at that place. They study the history of it and prepare something to share. You plan a time to carpool together and take your tour from one place to the next. When you arrive at each place, everyone gets out and gathers around. Then the person assigned that place acts as the historic character and tells their story. When we did this, we all chipped in and rented a limo (it was worth it). 

Scavenger Hunt

• We haven’t tried this yet, but it’s next on my list. There are some articles on how to create a scavenger hunt for a group. 

Combine a couple of these events and mix them up to really create a special event. For example, combine a bike ride and an AdLib Picnic. Or a board game and a Band Contest. Although food does go well with everything, so maybe mix that in with whatever you do. 

Crazy & Cheap

Battles

Nerf Gun Fight

Cost = $0 – $30 / Person Fun O’ Meter = 3.8

• What about running around shooting each other with foam arrows? Doesn’t get any better. There is always someone in the group that has access to Nerf guns. The fact is, this is going to get crazy and a lot of darts will not be recovered. Ask people to bring what they have, pitch in a little cash to replenish lost darts, and then setup furniture as barricades and forts. Setup a couple teams, usually a Red Team and  Blue Team. Create a safe zone base or room for each team. Create a red flag and blue flag or something that can represent that. Now when you say go, each team tries to capture and bring the other teams flag to their base. Upon successful delivery, that team wins. If someone gets shot, they have to say they’ve been shot, hold their gun up in the air, and go to a designated closet or area as the medical unit to recover. While there they need to count to thirty slowly. Once they’re done they re-enter the fight! May the most aggressive team win.
  This activity provides lots of exercise, emotion, and character. My favorite part is to see peoples character rise above the temptation of shooting someone. This game works on the honesty system when you’re shot. So anyone who isn’t honest is exposed pretty quickly.

Airsoft War

Cost = $0 – $55 / person Fun O’ Meter = 4.0

• This is like the Nerf gun battle, but up a few notches. The rules of the game are the same as the Nerf Battle but we’re going to need eye protection for this one. Usually performed outside, or in a barn as airsoft bullets can penetrate sheetrock and break the glass. Best played in colder climates so members can layer up to help absorb the shot. The game still relies on the honesty system. That comes up pretty quick, because if you don’t honestly say you’ve been shot – you’re going to get shot again! Airsoft weapons can be found for cheap at any retailer, and nice guns can run around $50 all the way to a few hundred. Make sure you include eye and face protection as part of the budget. This can be done as cheap as a dollar by getting safety glasses from a hardware store. This is intense and exciting.

Food

Dinner Out

Cost = $20 – $50 / Person Fun O’ Meter = 3.5

• Want a nice relaxing time together? Nothing hits the spot like a dinner out together. Pick a place that has a table that can seat the whole group comfortably and call ahead to pick a time and day of the week they can accommodate everyone. Also, try to pick a restaurant that allows you to take your time and not feel like you’re in a hurry. I enjoy Mexican restaurants for these events because they typically have free tortilla appetizers and a fun family atmosphere. 

Host a Mystery Dinner

 Cost = $45 / Group Fun O’ Meter = 4.4

• Bring the dinner home by hosting a mystery dinner. Instead of a night on the town, you can have an immersive mystery experience by hosting your very own mystery dinner. If you’re creative and have the time you can plan it yourself. Or can purchase a ready to go package online for around forty-five dollars. This set comes with the agenda, the characters, and the story with instructions. Just hand out all the characters to your small group members, tell them to read their script and dress as their character. You’ll want to either have everyone pitch in for food or bring part of the meal as it’s usually several courses stretched out through the evening. 

Classes

Yoga Instructor

Cost = $35 / Group Fun O’ Meter = 2.1

•  Jump onto craigslist and under the ‘service’ category look for ‘Yoga Instructor’. Everyone chips in a little bit of cash and open up their mind to a fun night of doing something different than they usually do. This can be a lot of fun, it’s healthy, and usually, there is someone in the small group that knows at least a little bit about it and they will feel honored. 

Another service you can find on CL is massage. Look for one that can bring their massage chair to the small group. Everyone pitches in a little money to the massage time can be divided across all the members that want it. 

Be careful of some CL services that can really wreck the party, like fortune telling and card reading.

Indoor Rock Climbing

Cost = $12 – $18 / Person Fun O’ Meter = 4.6

• If you can find an indoor rock climbing gym near you, you’re in for a great time. It’s exciting and active and you have to put your trust into your small group partner! You’ll be exhausted at the end, but it will be exhilarating and fellowship building.

Painting Class

Cost = $30 / Person Fun O’ Meter = 3.7

•  A recent event that has taken off is a painting class at a local restaurant. Many of these do the lesson while people enjoy wine, so check with your small group about their convictions. I’ve seen amazing artwork that kids have created at some of these events. It’s a relaxing time full of fun and good friends. 

Expensive & Unforgettable:

Dinner Tour

Cost = $20 – $100 / Person Fun O’ Meter = 4.3

• Instead of just going to dinner, do a tour! The way to do this is breaking the small group up into three to five groups. Have one group choose three to four restaurants (or just places to find food), and then hand these places out to the other groups. Now each group takes their destination and chooses food off that menu to be ordered and shared. It will typically be a couple appetizers, or two entrees, as this will be shared by everyone. You’ll be visiting multiple eateries, so having a little at a few places will fill everyone up. Don’t overeat at the first place.

The night the event, carpool and visit the first place on the list. The group responsible for that destination will order the food and everyone shares it. Pay the bill, jump back in the car and go to the next place. Continue until you’ve hit all the places on the list.

This can be a lot of fun and there are so many components fo this that make it a great group activity.E

Comedy Show

Cost = $30 – $55 / Person Fun O’ Meter = 4.8

• If you’re like me and think seeing others laugh is funnier than the joke itself – this is for you! There are some great comedians that are totally appropriate for people trying to honor the Lord in what they watch and listen to. Some great comedians you should check out are:

• Ken Davis
• Tim Hawkins
• John Crist
• Thor Ramsey
• Jonnie W.
• Michael Jr.

Our small group recently watched Tim Hawkins and had a BLAST! I head sounds come of people I thought I knew, that I didn’t think humans could make. At one point I was concerned we should remove someone so that they could breathe. Afterward, we went out to dinner together and everyone was still laughing and having a great time sharing their favorite jokes.

Mystery Dinner

Cost = $20 – $30 / Person Fun O’ Meter  = 4.3

• A mystery dinner is a fully immersive experience in which you, the audience interacts with actors as the story unfolds. There are ‘acts’ followed ‘investigation times’ when you can try to answer the questions and figure out clues. This all takes place over a meal, usually multi-course.

This takes it up a notch from hosting a mystery dinner. You’re trading money to have someone else host it at their place instead of yours. No cleanup, no fuss, and it’s done at another level. They bring the game up a bit. I feel like people are more relaxed and focused on the game at a Mystery dinner vs a hosted dinner where people tend to be more focused on their character than interacting and solving the mystery together. 

Go-Kart Racing

Cost – $45 / person Fun O’ Meter = 4.5

• If you like going fast, and a love competition than this is for you. Racing go-karts is a blast and bring out the kid in all of us. Personally, I think do think it’s a little expensive for what you get. These sessions can be shorts as ten to fifteen minutes. But if you do a couple racing sessions and get some food afterward, it will be a time to remember. 

Escape Room

Cost = $20 – $30 / Person Fun O’ Meter  = 4.8

• Typically ranging from $200 – $300 this event is at the top of our list. Sometimes there is something similar called a puzzle room, and that is just as much, if not more fun. The event can take an hour to an hour and a half. These rooms have restrictions on how many people they can host due to building codes but often can have as many as twelve people or more. The average price of two-hundred dollars divided over an average of ten people in a small group will cost about twenty dollars a person. That’s a very small investment for an hour and half of strong group building time and amazing entertainment.

So much creativity and work have gone into these rooms. From secret doors to puzzles that need to be solved to unlock a secret, they are all out the best way to have a collaborative entertaining time.

Personal Story:

Recently we were invited to a puzzle room with a small group. We were pleasantly greeted by the ‘game master’ hosting. The game master explained how the puzzle room worked, what to expect, and asked us not to rip things off the walls and pry things open (I bet there is a reason he had to explain that). We welcomed to go back to the lobby and chill on the couches at any time. This was really nice because if someone had any phobias or didn’t like the game they could come and rest and then rejoin at any time. After that let us in and wished us luck. Everyone quickly jumped into action trying to find hints on how to open a door with four locks on it. Each lock had an image on it that provided a hint towards its source, and each lock was unique by the type of code it required. One required letters, one numbers, one had images… This helped us not confused which hints were related to what locks. One the door was open it unlocked the rest of the house and the puzzles kept unfolding. I think my favorite part of participating in this small group activity was seeing people excited and under stress and how this accentuated their character traits. Traits that might normally be hidden or suppressed were on full display. I witness a wive take total control of her husband by telling him exactly what to do, it was hilarious. I also watched men yelling that was otherwise quiet. Every once in a while we did slow down solving a puzzle, and the puzzle master would provide hints and help us along. Oen and half hours later we completed the puzzle that was really a story. Everyone celebrated, clapped, hugged, high fived, yelled, hooted and hollered. There is no doubt everyone had a great time and become closer to each other. I highly, highly, recommend this as a small group activity.

Cabin Retreat:

Cost = $50 – $100 / Person Fun O’ Meter  = 4.9

• When you get away to a remote cabin you’re separated from the responsibilities and chores that come with normal daily life and you’re able to relax, unwind, and really enjoy friendships. That’s why a cabin retreat is at the top of my list for ultimate small group activities. With a little planning, and investment from everyone, this will foster a time of amazing friendship growth and your small group will never be the same.

I’ve experienced three main challenges in putting together a cabin retreat:

1. Availability – It can be hard to pick a time that everyone has available. Ideally, this retreat will last two nights. To help with this plan about three months ahead of time. One way to do this is right after Christmas, start planning a late spring cabin retreat. This is also beneficial because it’s before the summer high demand season for cabin rentals.
2. Money – It seems like there is always some people who don’t have a problem investing the money, and some that are consistently challenged. This can be a tough one, because of the expense, it’s hard to cover the cost for that can’t afford it. Some options are asking people if they are willing to pitch in a little extra as someone can’t afford it. Be careful not to name the person. Another option is pricing the rooms accordingly. Most places will have big rooms with a master bed and a view, and another room with a bunk in the basement. What I’ve like to do, is start the small group cabin retreat planning with talking to the person least likely to be able to afford it first. Approach them with the idea, and just ask them opening if that’s something they think they could do in about three months? This gives them time to plan and budget and makes it more comfortable to present to the whole group.
3. Children – If your small group has members with children, this is something you’ll need to address. To be up front on the topic, it’s most ideal if children don’t come. The goal here is growing in fellowship together and as much as we all love children, having them along does distract from this goal. It’s alright to take a little time away from parenting to focus on the small group. With that said, it can be difficult for people to find someone to care for their children for two nights. And if a member is nursing, it’s out of the question.

If you are able to pull of scheduling a cabin retreat, the next step is the planning the agenda for the weekend. Check out our article totally focused on planning and executing a small group cabin retreat. For now consider the meals, the games and activities, worship, prayer time, and a group study and sharing time.

Article: Guide on How to Plan a Small Group Retreat

Conclusion

Nothing beats a night of fun to bring the small group together. Sometimes it’s hard to plan an activity time because you’re so focused on the material and hte schedule ahead. But when we slow down we remember the purpose of the small group is to grow in fellowship together so that we grow in faith and our love for Jesus. 

Having an activity day or night supports this. It really drives relationships together as people aren’t focused on the material and instead relax and are more themselves. Their laughter, quirks, and originality shine through and add a flavor the relationships and fellowship you might have otherwise missed out on. 

So take a look at the schedule and put a reserve a time to do a fun activity together. Let us know what activities your small group has done and how much fun they were below in the comments.