How to Do an Itinerary for a Youth Lock-In
A youth lock-in is an event put on by churches, youth organizations, recreation centers or schools. The event begins sometime in the early evening and continues on through the night and into the morning. It is called a lock-in because young people are not allowed to enter or leave the premises once the lock-in begins. A lock-in typically has a theme or goal, providing youth with an opportunity to socialize with their peers in an adult-supervised environment. A lock-in also keeps kids off the streets and out of trouble. If you are planning a youth lock-in, create an itinerary to keep the kids occupied and busy throughout the event.
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Things You'll Need
- Sports equipment
- Craft supplies
- Board games
- Video games
- Audio and visual equipment
- Movies
- Books and magazines
- Food and drink
- Computer
- Printer
Instructions
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Form a planning committee for the youth lock-in. This committee should consist of parents, youth workers, teachers or church members, depending on the organization sponsoring the event. The planning committee will have input in developing the itinerary and gathering supplies for the event.
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2
Create a rough draft of the itinerary with pen and paper. Decide on a theme or goal for the lock-in. A theme will give your lock-in meaning and purpose and also help you determine the appropriate activities for the event.
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Plan an ice-breaker or a group strengthening event as the first event of the evening. Ice-breakers will help young people get to know one another. Group strengthening events will reinforce bonds among people that already know one another.
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Plan active games and sports second in the evening. This will give youth a chance to socialize and get their energy out. Once their initial energy is out, kids will be much more focused for discussions, missions-related projects or lessons.
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Plan missions projects, Bible study, discussions or lessons as a mid-way event in the evening. This will ensure that youth have the focus for participation but are not yet too tired. Substitute a craft or group activity in lieu of a lesson if your lock-in is strictly for fun and leisure.
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Plan quiet activities later in the night, such as board games, video games, movies or reading. This will give kids who want to rest or catch some shut-eye the chance to do so in a relatively quiet environment.
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Determine food and drink for the event. Decide if snacks will be available throughout the lock-in or if you want to serve a meal. Work the serving of food and drink into the itinerary accordingly.
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Revise the itinerary and make changes as needed. When a final draft is decided, type up the itinerary on the computer and print it out. Make enough copies for each adult and chaperone at the event to have one.
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Tips & Warnings
Your lock-in itinerary will depend largely on the budget and what the facility or venue has to offer. Have everything set up and prepared before the kids arrive; that way there is little prep time once the event begins.
Over plan your event. It is better to have too many activities than too few. If kids become bored during the lock-in, there is a greater chance they will get into trouble.
References
- Photo Credit Chad Baker/Ryan McVay/Digital Vision/Getty Images
