I’ve almost chosen Group’s VBS several times over the last few years, and why not? They have built a strong reputation for producing excellent Vacation Bible School curriculum. But each time other VBS themes seemed to fit our church just a little better.
This year Group has done something that might finally earn them my business. Here is my preview of the Crocodile Dock VBS for 2009. Be sure to visit my Vacation Bible school resource page and my theme reviews for VBS 2009.
Be sure to check out our new VBS forums. That is a great place to share ideas or your opinion about this year’s Vacation Bible School themes. Stop by and leave me some feedback about this theme.
First Impressions Of 2009 Crocodile Dock VBS
- Bible Content: Very promising focus on God and the Gospel.
- Theme Appeal: Not a great first impression, but it works.
- Supporting Materials: Excellent, Group makes VBS easy.
- Music: Limited samples available (as of 8/2008), but what I’ve heard so far is good.
- Overall grade: A -
Crocodile Dock Theme
The setting for Group’s 2009 Bible school is the bayou (aka the swamp). This location shows some original thinking and will capture kids attention. Don’t confuse it with Crocodile ROCK vbs – which doesn’t exist and reminds me of Elton John a little too much.
The reaction on the Group VBS forum was a little mixed. The theme is outside the box with its location, but the field test videos helped people picture the theme in action. They do admit the inaccuracy of having crocodiles instead of alligators in the bayou. But when animal characters talk, it’s easy to overlook.
Crocodile Dock Bible Teaching
[ad#kids-links]I was really excited and pleasantly surprised with the daily Bible points listed on Group’s website. Everyday offers a rock solid God-centered lesson. This is something that few major VBS curriculum publishers have been able to do. Four of the five lessons are from the book of Exodus and directly speak to God’s character. Plus on day four they jump to the New Testament to cover Jesus’ death and resurrection. Here is the day-by-day breakdown of Crocodile Dock.
- “God is with us” is based on Moses and the burning bush.
- “God is powerful” is taken from the God’s judgment plagues upon the Egyptians.
- “God does what he says he’ll do” is based on the first Passover.
- “God gives new life” recounts the death and resurrection of Jesus.
- “God cares for us” is based on the miraculous crossing of the Red Sea.
The Easy Vacation Bible School
Group has marketed their VBS materials as “the easy VBS” for several years. This is something I’ve grown to appreciate. It’s not that I want to promote low commitment ministry, rather less stress for VBS volunteers means more energy to actually minister to the children.
The Crocodile Dock VBS forum at Group is filled with practical advice and help to make Crocodile Dock even easier to use in your church. I’m always amazed at the fan base Group’s VBS has earned. You can visit Group’s Crocodile Dock VBS website here.
Music and Video From Crocodile Dock
I’ve always thought Group was ahead of the other curriculum publishers when it came to media. I really like the way they mix original VBS music with kid friendly praise songs. These repackaged songs can become a part of your ongoing mix in children’s church.
The DVD led worship rally is also appealing to smaller churches. Having the video playing, even behind your music leaders, is a great idea.
Concerns About Crocodile Dock
Too many churches doing Group VBS. This is a constant concern for churches that choose Group VBS. They are almost too popular in some towns. Since many kids make the rounds for Bible school, doing the same theme more than twice is generally a let down.
Some churches might not go for so much Old Testament. In the past I’ve been critical of curriculum publishers who seem to avoid the Old Testament. This year Group has gone the other way, which I think is wonderful. However, many theologically liberal churches avoid the hard parts of the Old Testament. The plagues, passover, exodus, and the crossing of the Red Sea are all stories that offend theologically liberal Christians. I applaud Group for their bold use of the whole Bible and am praying that Crocodile Dock VBS will help many children come to know God.
What do you think?
Please share your opinions about Group’s Crocidile Dock VBS Theme in the comment selection below. My comments are just one opinion, so let me know what you think.
Need More Help? You can find even more practical ideas on my Vacation Bible School ideas page and my Vacation Bible School crafts page.
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I am looking for the Bible Bayou portion of Crocodile Dock. I have the rest of the program but this one piece. Does anyone have it that is willing to lend, sell or donate.
Where can I find sheet music for Group “Crocodile Dock VBS” and “Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Palace”?
It may not be available anymore. You should check with Group to see if they have any left, or maybe search eBay.
I may have the sheet music for Josephs Journey I will have to look. I believe I also have the music for Crocodile dock.
I am looking for a DVD that would have music that would lend to a theme on “creation”. Would you have any suggestions?
Thanks!!!!
We love the song I will Not Be Afraid? How do we get the music?
Check with Group for the CD, or browse for ebay for “Crocodile Dock VBS music”
Due to our financial situation, we have decided to do an “old” VBS. We are planning to due Crocodile Dock in 2010. I thought we had all of the curriculum, but after checking closer today, I am missing a lot of the stations information. If you would have any that you could give us, or that I could purchase from you, please let me know. We are in Harrisburg PA. Group is no longer selling Crocodile Dock.
Patty,
You might be able to find it used from different placed online. Try the Kidology.org or Group’s forums.
I have directed VBS in three churches over 15 years and used several differenct curriculums. We used Group the last 6 years but because we have a large number of preschool age children and non-church families, we thought the Exodus passages were too much for the context. We chose to go with Gospel Light (which I had hoped to do for some time) and did Amusement Park from 2008. The kids LOVED it and I had no problems not having Chadder for the older kids. Gospel Light is Christ centered and Biblically based. A bonus for small budgets is that Gospel Light has last year’s materials available at big discounts–and were not out of anything. So, we spent half as much money! I will admit the decorating is easier with Group–but only if you’re not artistic like me. And while Group’s music DVD is usually better, Gospel Light’s songs go with the stories so the kids learn the stories when they memorize the songs–my kids are still singing about the 10 men who were changed when they called on Jesus’ name (the Lepers). We had to make some changes, but not because the curriculum was lacking but because we had used Group for so long and had a routine. I’ll probably use the 2009 Gospel Light for 2010–this year’s budget is even tighter with the economy as it is.
@ Kellie, I’m glad other churches are also using older curriculum. We also did SonWorld and loved it. i had the same issues as you did, like the music!! This year we partnered with a church who did Crocodile Dock and we will be doing it in 2010. I just wanted to say thanks for sharing. We have a very small budget and always being the “new” VBS curriculum is not possible. Church sharing is also helpful!
Summer is almost over, so don’t know if my review is of value as most have made their VBS selections now. I loved Group’s VBS theme (though bayou and ALLIGATORS are a better match – not crocodiles). Our church looked awesome, and the VBS characters (firefly, etc.) were very cute.
I was so excited I could hardly wait to take a 7 1/2 yr. old family member who was visiting our home during the week of VBS. However, the passover story went over the edge. The darkness, mention of animal sacrifice, blood, angel of death, and killing of firstborn traumatized her. There was mention during the sound effects of fathers crying from the loss of their children. This was followed by a snack of ritz crackers covered with pizza sause and shredded cheese. The children were told that the pizza sauce represented the blood of the passover. At this point, my visiting child began to cry as never before. We had to take her home – ultimately back to her own home with her parents. It was heartbreaking to see her so upset. I hope Group thinks more about the sensitivities of young children before writing their scripts next year.
I am using Group’s VBS this week and I love it. I happen to be the Director and teacher of three of the stations. This is our second year to use Group, and I have to say that it is by far the easiest and best for our church. We have a congregation of many elderly and ill adults who want to help but can’t so, about 5 of us get together and pull this off. We also have a couple of teenage girls lead the songs – I had a blast just watching them. Last night one of the dads came to just see what this Vacation Bible School was all about for his kids and got so caught up in it that he stayed the whole time. We was so excited that he can’t wait to come back tonight. I just hope his girls are that excited.
My children attended Crocodile Dock VBS at our neighbors’ church and LOVED it. They were so excited to do the same theme at our own church’s VBS. My children loved it the second time around, as well, because each church has a slightly different style – one church had used live actors, the other used puppets; crafts were different, etc. All the children absolutely loved the music and enjoyed the lessons. They were sad when VBS ended.
OK, I’m shocked. My niece and nephew are attending Crocodile Dock and they had juice-filled gummy bears to represent boils! The various plagues were represented by tasty snacks! Of course the kids love snacks, but doesn’t anyone else see a disconnect here? I mean, should we roast marshmallows over a campfire to teach kids about hell? This stuff is not funny, it’s very serious. You can’t say boils are terrible and then hand them the gummy bears–you are messing with their minds. God forbid we should have a plague of boils in this country and those kids will remember the gummy bears at VBS. They will feel that the church was trivializing the horror of the plagues and they’ll be very angry.
We have used Group for the last few years and before that many years of lifeway and even Gospel light. The thing about group is the way they present the Bible stories, if done properly they are unforgettable. It is great when they can remember the stories even the next year. I love the Bible points, I don’t care much for their crafts, kind of costly for small churches.
Crafts are easier to come up with, than creative Bible story telling ,at least for me.
My church is having out last night of crocodile dock tomorrow night. Our kids LOVED IT! I was a crew leader so I got to watch the kids get all excited every night. Even the kids that had gone to over churches for the same themed VBS still loved it for the second (and in one case THIRD) time. I thought the curriculum was easy for the kids to understand but also a valuble lesson! FEAR NOT!
We are in the process of using Crocodile Dock in our church for VBS and I think that it is awesome! The music is uplifting, the lessons have been great and the kids love it. We have completed three nights and it has truly been a blessing.
I’m in the process of teaching this material for out VBS. I highly recommend it to any church who care about the spiritual condition of their children. It was a pure delight for me to see “the lights come on” for the kids when they make the connection between the passover lambs blood on the door posts…and Jesus the Lamb of God. Truly the death angel passes over because of the blood! These kids have learned something that they will hopefully never forget this week. They have been so responsive and into the lessons. Teaching this VBS is one of the most important things I’ve ever done in my life.
We live on a US military base overseas. Before last year, we had done a combined Christian VBS and it was Group’s programs (2004-2007). My kids loved it every year. Doing the combined (all Christian denominations) VBS showed our children, who live together, go to school together, and see each other at the Chapel every Sunday (even though we attend our own denominational services) see that we are all Christians. Last year, the decision was made to do separate Catholic and Protestant VBS curriculums during two different weeks. Many children attended both. Many of the volunteers were the same both weeks. Neither curriculum was Group’s. My children were disappointed in both curriculum’s and were overjoyed when we arrived at my Mom’s and the church near her was using the Group curriculum. It was my nephew’s third VBS week last summer – and we were able to extend my niece’s stay so she could attend. They all loved it. This year, we are happy to be doing Group again this year. My twelve year old son had basically said that if they didn’t choose Group, he didn’t want to go. Next year he will be old enough to start volunteering. A mixed denominational group may seem odd to some, but most families take vacation very soon after school ends, VBS is always the next week and last year some families shortened trips to visit Grandparents to stay for the second week, while others just skipped VBS. We will be back to our prior high attendance this year.
We are a small church and we have been using Group for a number of years. The mixing of the age groups works really well for us. Some of our older children serve as the crew leaders and the younger children look up them and are asking, when I grow up will I get to be a leader. Our church does not give us a budget, but personally I too feel that we were spending too much money on gimmicks and crafts, so this year, we are using Crocodile Dock, but we are going to have one craft that we will work on every day and then take home the last day of VBS, instead of making all those little things that fall apart before we go to the finale assembly. Our children love the VBS designed by Group – they love the music – the opening assemblies, the Spotlight drama, the games, they are very engaged in the interactive Bible lessons and they always look forward to Chaddar.
We just did our Crocodile Dock VBS last week.
I was the Bible Bayou person.God moved & we got 5 kids
giving their lives to Jesus & 1 filled with the Holy Spirit.That happened on Day 4 “God gives new life” recounts the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This is my second Group VBS that I am part of & I must say,Crocodile Dock is the best for me.
Thank you so much for sharing. Hearing about God’s work is always encouraging for me!
We have used Group for years. We like the format and the themes are usually good. We usually have 300 children for our VBS and it works well with our volunteers. My only criticism is the gimicky and expensive nature that group VBS is becoming. Bible buddies, bracelets, mission craft, etc. I feel that Group has lost touch with the fact that many churches are on a tight budget. Also, now we are in some difficult economic times. We have modified over the years. We come up with our own crafts that are much more affordable. They are more “craft” in natures and so much toy oriented. We have found ways to effectively do VBS with out the bracelets and the gimicky things. Our give aways this year is a nylon napsack with the imprint of an alligator, VBS 2009, and our church name that came out to be less $$ per child than the bible buddies. We love Group VBS, but we hope they reevaluate their prices and be more sensitive to give options for churches that have small budgets.
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