It’s only November, why are you talking about VBS? The short answer is you can’t start planning too early. For the longer answer, you should listen to this podcast. In this episode I talk with Shannon Velasquez who plans VBS training all across the country. She was the one who invited me to attend their PandaMania field test last summer. It’s … More Children’s Ministry Resources
In churches across the nation, this year’s Vacation Bible School is quickly becoming a memory. There are many people out there who think that VBS is an outdated program whose time has come and gone. Fresh off of the excitement and exhaustion that is the controlled chaos that is VBS, here is my list of the top ten reasons to … More Children’s Ministry Resources
This is the time of year when churches all around the country are either wrapping up their VBS for this summer or getting their VBS in before the school year starts again. All the planning was done months ago, volunteers were recruited, supplies were purchased, skits were rehearsed, games were planned, and VBS went off without a hitch. Everyone breathes … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Your VBS has come to a conclusion. After all the “de-decorating” has occurred one may think all he or she is left with are some traces of hay or sand, that yellow tacky left behind on the walls from posters, snack crumbs under the chairs, and all that leftover craft supplies that seem to always accumulate in that same corner … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Most of our readers (and all of our writers) are from Protestant churches. I am happy to hear many Roman Catholic friends find our website helpful. We do have some major differences on doctrine, but when teaching directly from scripture we find much more in common. One frequent question we get is about where they can find Catholic VBS materials? Here … More Children’s Ministry Resources
A reader recently emailed me asking for advice about her VBS schedule. I thought it was a good question so I wanted to share a few quick thoughts here on the website. This is not an exhaustive discussion, so please share your ideas in the comment section below. You can also check out a helpful conversation about this on the Kidology forums. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Spark interest in your event by promoting these popular VBS themes. These favorite themes are ideal for drawing kids who may never have attended church or your church before. Utilize these ideas to create a VBS your kids will be proud to attend and tell their peers about. Archaeology Archaeology is a subject that interests kids and adults alike. Use … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Vacation Bible School is so much fun when you use a special theme. With a little research, you can find an appropriate theme that will set kids up with the opportunity for a true God encounter. Themes help teachers plan their lessons, crafts and games. We have got more creative ideas for you to use at your next VBS. Here … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Summer is quickly approaching and that means one thing, VBS! As the VBS organizer, it is up to you to select the curriculum, organize the event and your volunteers. Let us face it, without volunteers, VBS would not be possible. These tips and ideas will help you gather volunteers and keep your helpers happy. Keeping your program simple will go … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Are you searching for ideas to liven up your Vacation Bible School this year? Look no further! This post is jam-packed with fun games that can be played indoors or outdoors, with or without fancy supplies. 🎲 There are even some that are super active to get those wiggles out, and some that are a little quieter to help with … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Vacation Bible School ministry season is quickly approaching. This year, expand your vision to a cool theme perfect for building teamwork and the concept of God’s army. Try army-themed VBS ideas that will rock the socks of kids and stir their desire for a deeper spiritual life. Use army-themed VBS ideas to teach kids of all ages and excite your … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Vacation Bible School is an exciting time for a church or ministry. The opportunity to meet new children and adults is always exciting for volunteers and the leadership. Choosing the right VBS theme for your event is important to your success. There is nothing wrong or amiss with using VBS kits. These are good resource tools perfect for some. For … More Children’s Ministry Resources
At a relationship level, VBS brings communities and churches together. Spiritually, a Vacation Bible School helps children and adults mature in the knowledge of God and His word. Having a fun theme attached to your VBS will draw new faces to your program and keep them coming back. A baseball theme is perfect for girls, boys and adults. A baseball … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Using themes for kids’ ministry excites kids, teachers and volunteers. An Olympic theme is an especially good theme because it is a topic of excellence and endurance. Use an Olympic theme over an entire quarter or just a few classes in your kids’ ministry. Teach kids about what God thinks about sportsmanship, working as a team and the importance of … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Do you need a large group game for your children’s ministry? Then watch this video as I explain the game we call “North – South – Central.” It has been one of the most popular with the kids at our church and it is really simple to play. This game would also be a handy idea to use for a … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Hosting a VBS shoulnd’t break the budget for small churches! That’s why we created these 7 free vacation Bible school curriculum. This material is all free download and includes lessons, activities, directors manual, craft ideas, and more. Bible Boot Camp VBS This was our first free VBS curriculum and is based on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6). Use the … More Children’s Ministry Resources
The last few days, I’ve been tracking some of the comments on Twitter about Vacation Bible School. In case you’re wondering, Twitter is like a big public chat + instant messaging website. Twitter makes it easy to connect with people who share your interests. One big interest of mine this time of year is VBS and I use my @TonyKummer … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Over the past year, I’ve been reaching out to VBS and Christian Education publishers. This has led to some cool giveaways and given me an inside look at the industry that creates children’s ministry curriculum. I’m excited to share my interview with Michael Aulisio. He is the Marketing Manager at Cokesbury and has always been very helpful to me when … More Children’s Ministry Resources
The Christian Resource Center was founded by Carlton Harrison and Dennis Somers who have each worked in Christian publishing for more than twenty-five years. Using their expertise and relationships with Christian publishers, they are able to buy in bulk and pass the savings on to you. They specialize in church orders for Vacation Bible School , Sunday School Children’s Church … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Most churches commit a set amount of their children’s ministry budget to pay for vacation bible school. The main expenses are VBS curriculum, craft supplies, advertising, and decorations. But this year, many smaller churches are facing hard times and mid-year budget cuts. How will they afford Vacation Bible School material? I just found a few new Vacation Bible School ideas … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Let’s be honest – there are very few churches that do a good job with Vacation Bible School follow-up. If you’re like me, your church struggles to be effective in reaching VBS prospects. In this article, I want to talk about some common challenges and strategies for VBS follow-up. Then I’ll share some ideas to help your church be more … More Children’s Ministry Resources
How Can I Find Volunteers For Vacation Bible School? One constant struggle in children’s ministry is finding the right workers. Here are some tips for getting the right volunteers for your VBS program. 1. Start early Most people are more willing to commit, and even work around their vacation schedule, if you ask early. I try to start recruiting in … More Children’s Ministry Resources
Here is the letter we sent out last summer to the children who attended our vacation Bible school. There was another mailing to their parents, but this one was targeted specifically to the children. We included a registration form for our Upward soccer league in the same mailing. Feel free to use this as a template for your VBS follow-up. … More Children’s Ministry Resources
It’s that time of year and everyone is working on planning VBS. In this article, I’ll give you a simple 9 step process for organizing vacation Bible school. Then I’ll share some of my best practical tips about vacation Bible school. As always, you can leave a comment and help me make this resource better. Update: This article was first … More Children’s Ministry Resources