Engage Socially Distanced Youth with this Instagram… | UMC YoungPeople
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24
March 2020

Engage Socially Distanced Youth with this Instagram Fun

By Leigh Contratto

Let’s be real, we’ve all been trying to meet our students where they are for a while and before this pandemic it was hard to meet our students with their ever-changing, busy schedules. With schools are shut down and our in-person Student Ministry programming shut down, we’ve got this beautiful opportunity to join them on social media in new, exciting ways.

They have the time and energy now to sit and scroll on Instagram, and I am all here for exploring fun ways for them to still have “youth group” via Instagram! Instead of just posting a picture of you working at home, you can create a daily opportunity to engage and have a little bit of fun. This daily plan will help do just that!

Monday Meditation – Make a post every Monday morning that encourages your students to spend time with God. Provide a scripture verse with short words to wonder or even make a video that would lead them through a prayer prompt.

Tik Tok Tuesday – Each Tuesday, complete a Tik Tok challenge (one that has clean, appropriate lyrics) and post on your Instagram page. Students would then get challenged in return, and you can feature the Tik Tok of anyone who participates on your Instagram story.

Wednesday Worship – Create a Spotify playlist of 5 worship songs to share on Instagram. Encourage the students to spend time in worship at some point during their day.

Throwback Thursday – On Thursday’s, have students DM us their favorite trip/memory (in a picture) from youth group so far. Feature everyone. who participates on your Instagram story.

Friday Family Fun – Post a video of what you’re doing for fun with your family (jumping on the trampoline, playing board games, walking around the block, etc). Ask students to post a picture or video on their personal Instagram page of how they’re enjoying time with their family. Have them tag you in the picture and use the hashtag #fridayfamilyfun

Scavenger Saturday – Create a list of 20 random household items. The object is to gather as many of the items as possible and include them in a single picture. If students participate, their picture gets featured on your Instagram story.

*Don’t forget, too, that Instagram allows you to connect to your Facebook page. So not only will you be hitting your students on Instagram, but you can connect with them and their parents (to provide family interaction) on Facebook as well.
Leigh graduated from Auburn University with a degree in human development and serves the Associate Student Minister at Christ United Methodist Church in Mobile, AL. She is married to her best friend, James, and enjoys taking walks with her 5 year old dog-child when she is not doing ministry.