5 Essential Things for VBS Planning!
VBS is such a great way to invite kids & families to your church and share with them all about the love of Jesus! VBS could end up being your church’s biggest event of the year – bringing in kids and their friends from all over your neighborhood & town! VBS planning for a large group can feel daunting…but it doesn’t have to be! Our goal is to provide you with tips & tricks to help you along the way.
We all know that VBS is TONS of fun – full of games, crafts, snacks, music, and most importantly, Jesus. We also feel that VBS should also be safe – You want to make sure that you and your volunteers are prepared, and that parents feel comfortable dropping their kids off at your church that week. With that, here are 5 essential things you should include in your planning for your VBS!
Colored Tote Bags – Some of the best advice I have for VBS is to color code your crews! This will visually be so helpful when you and your volunteers are caring for all the kids involved and keeping up with all the information/supplies. Each crew leader will receive a Tote Bag with everything they need for the week – church map, station timeline, name tags, kid information, bandaids, pens/sharpies, etc. Make sure they do not take them home, and that they are turned back in at the end of the week so you can keep them for other years!
Name Tag Lanyards – These are perfect for your volunteers and kids to wear during VBS week. Crew Leaders will keep them in their bags and give them out when the child arrives and store it when the child leaves. Use Avery Name Badge Insert Refills to customize the name tags with their full name and their station/crew. You can even use dot stickers to help indicate which crew they belong to. Make sure everyone turns them in at the end of the week so you can keep them for years to come!
Colored Folders – The perfect addition to your crew bag! This is where all the crew papers land – church map, station timeline, name tags, kid information, etc. Crew leaders will have these with them as they travel from station to station throughout the day.
Allergy Bands – One of the BEST discoveries I made when planning VBS are these Allergy Bands from Church Mutual. Check with your church to see if you have them as your church’s insurance provider (you can get these for free)! They come in a pack with bands that say bee sting, dairy, peanut, seafood, tree nut, and one you can write an allergy on. Encourage parent’s of kids with allergies to have them wear their allergy band during VBS week – the band should last all week!
Paint Sticks – A paint stick makes the perfect handle for a Crew Sign! Make each individual crew a sign with their name on it that they can hold up to identify themselves and help huddle their kids. Signs can be made on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of card stock and then stapled to the paint stick. (Tip – Make sure to make the sign double sided!)
* BONUS ESSENTIALS *
Editable VBS Forms – We have made these fully customizable forms, perfect for your VBS! Forms included: Child Registration Form, Volunteer Registration Form (w. Nursery info on back), & Image + Medical Authorization Form. Get all the information you need from your families + volunteers with these forms! Editing is easy with Canva right in your browser – Canva is free & easy to use! (www.canva.com)
We hope that all your VBS planning goes well and that your VBS is a blast!
