If you’re anything like me, you’re already knee-deep in planning for next year. And as we all know, one of the biggest ongoing challenges is partnering with parents in meaningful ways. After all, they’re the primary spiritual influence in a teenager’s life. But the question is: how do we get them more involved without it feeling forced or like another meeting they “have to” attend?

Here are five parent-student event ideas that just might do the trick. These events are designed to create shared memories, open the door for real conversations, and make it easy for parents and teens to connect over faith and fun.

1. Family Feud: Ministry Edition

Imagine this: teams of parents versus students, battling it out in a classic Family Feud-style game show! This is a fantastic way to break the ice, have a ton of laughs, and bring out everyone’s competitive side. Gather survey answers from your youth group and some questions specific to your ministry, like “What’s one thing every youth pastor says?” or “Name a food you would never eat on a youth retreat.”

Bonus Tip: Wrap up the game with a few discussion questions that encourage parents and teens to talk about what they think is most important in faith and life.

2. Faith & Film Night

Host a movie night where parents and students can come together for a film that sparks meaningful conversation. Pick something thought-provoking (but not too preachy) that has themes you can dive into afterward. After the movie, break into smaller parent-student groups for guided discussion.

Movie Suggestions: Consider something like Inside Out 2, IF, or The Wild Robot. Each has powerful themes on identity, purpose, and relationships.

Bonus Tip: Provide a guide with discussion questions or key takeaways so parents can keep the conversation going at home.

3. Serve Day Together

Nothing brings people together quite like serving side-by-side. Plan a service project that teens and parents can work on together. Whether it’s serving at a food bank, participating in a neighborhood cleanup, or putting together care packages for a local shelter, these experiences are unforgettable. Plus, it lets parents model what serving looks like and gives teens a chance to bond with their parents outside of their usual context.

Bonus Tip: End the day with a “debrief” time where each parent-student pair can share what they learned about each other and what it meant to serve as a family.

4. The Amazing Race: Parent Edition

Set up an “Amazing Race”-style scavenger hunt around your church or in your town, where parent-student teams compete in a series of fun (and sometimes funny) challenges. You could have Bible trivia stations, physical challenges (think mini obstacle courses), or even “secret tasks” they have to complete (like finding a random church member to pray with).

Bonus Tip: Have each station include a reflection question that encourages parents and teens to talk about their faith, fears, or dreams. You’ll be surprised at the depth of conversation that can come up in between the laughs.

5. Parent-Student Worship & Prayer Night

Sometimes, the simplest ideas are the most powerful. Plan an evening dedicated to worship and prayer, specifically designed for parents and teens to experience together. Start with worship, then move into a time where parents and students can pray for each other. You can guide them with some prompts like, “Ask God to show you a way you can support each other this year” or “Thank God for one thing you admire about each other.”

Bonus Tip: Make space for students to pray over their parents. It’s incredibly moving to see a room full of teenagers praying for the adults in their lives—and it’s a reminder that faith goes both ways.

Wrapping Up

Each of these events gives parents and teens a chance to connect in ways that go beyond a traditional “talk” about faith. They’re interactive, memorable, and fun—perfect for breaking down the barriers that sometimes exist between teens and their parents. Plus, they make it clear to parents that they are valuable partners in ministry, not just sideline supporters.

Planning events like these takes some work, but trust me, the impact is worth it. When parents and students are connecting and growing together, it creates a culture in your ministry that just can’t be beat.

Let’s make partnering with parents a highlight next year! Have other ideas or something that’s worked well? Drop a comment below!