Creating a Skit for a Youth Group-in Need of Ideas

If you literally have to create the skits from scratch, have the kids write them. Brainstorm topics with them, break them into groups and have each group choose a topic and write their skit. Don't be too fussy about the quality of their skits, they don't have to be perfect -- the most important thing is that the kids are engaged in writing and performing their skits, and they will probably come up with some pretty good skits. You can monitor and assist when necessary.

I had a lot of success with a book called 111 One-Minute Monologues by Janet Milstein. There are updated versions of this book. It has comedic and dramatic one-person monologues, however, you may be looking for group skits only.

Talk to them about what they are dealing with in life and come up with ideas and solutions to those issues. If you don't involve them in any way in the process you run the risk of creating something they just won't relate to. For instance bullying/gossiping might work for the younger crowd but in my world the big kids would find it lame.

I'd also stay away from drug/drinking topics for the older ones. If my daughter has to attend one more school assembly with a guest speaker whose (brother, sister, cousin, aunt) is an addict she's going to scream.
Kinda looses impact after the million lecture.

Look to current issues that kids will relate to, texting/driving, technology overload, dealing with pressures of entering adult world, showing kindness in everyday life, thinking and acting in a healthy way, making a positive impact on the world, following your dreams...

I agree with involving the youth. Have them brainstorm topic ideas with you. They can also help to write the skits. Our youth have helped to write a week worth of skits for our VBS for at least the last 5 years. I've been amazed at their creativity and ideas.

I liked KBell's suggestion of talking to the kids and having them help craft the script/story. We've done this before when I was involved with church groups as well as drama classes--- the stuff the kids feel ownership of, they care more about. You can also google 'crafting skits with kids' and a lot of ideas pop up.

my go-to tactic for creating skits for kids it to make it theirs. give them an idea (rewrite romeo and juliet as a comedy, or hamlet from ophelia's point of view, can you tell i'm a shakespeare teacher?) and then let them create it. do have a mental outline in case they get stuck, and do keep them moving or they'll obsessively rewrite one scene forever. but they love having creative freedom and owning the result.
and since i'm not much of an original thinker, i love seeing what they do with remakes. you can go to fairy tales, norse myths, popular tv shows, or yeah, causes du jour like bullying or fat-shaming or gender sensitivity of whatever.
khairete
S.

I would check out YouTube.

I googled skits for kids about bullying. These have resources more than some of the other sites that came up.

http://www.skits-o-mania.com/AntiBullyingSkits.html

http://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/toolkits/activiti...

http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3748823

http://www.teachablemoment.org/elementary/bully_puppet%20...

http://bullyingnoway.gov.au/national-day/for-schools/clas...

http://nobullying.com/anti-bullying-assembly-ideas/

http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/shows/transcript_bullying.html

http://www.teachpeacenow.org/antibullyingroleplays.html

https://nextstagepress.net/uploads/How_to_Succeed_Preview...

http://bullyingnoway.gov.au/national-day/for-schools/clas...

My oldest are in HS and I have an entering 2nd grade-r. The things I have heard the most are not direct bullying but making fun of others. My 2nd grader recently has complained that some older boys have been making fun of her shoes. Just to get to her. One of my older girls has told me about others saying stuff about her because she looks different. She just has her own style. She is a straight-A student, cross cournty team, always puts others ahead of herself. So you could go along those lines versus direct bullying.

I think Disney used to have commercials about bullying. Maybe it was Nick. Anyway, kids were in school ,usually at the lockers, and one would come by and hit the books out of another's hands or make fun or somethiong like that . Some of the commercials were about not being afraid to tell someone and ask for help. Others were about making others feel bad.

http://www.thesource4ym.com/skits/

i googled that not sure if it's what you want but pinterest and google could probably save you from reinventing the wheel

I think you would have a far better impact if you have the kids make the skits. It will open up good conversation. I think that you should just be there to facilitate and help guide, but be as hands off as possible.

Why recreate the wheel?

Try this book:
Big Book of Bible Skits: 104 Seriously Funny Bible Teaching Skits

or perhaps
The Humongous Book of Bible Skits for Children's Ministry

Tons of ideas already mapped out for you and your group.