You know the life-changing impact Vacation Bible School has on the kids in your church and community. VBS provides children an exciting week of fun, fellowship, and learning God’s word. It can also attract new visitors and lead families to discover a new church home.
But planning for Vacation Bible School can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be stressful, time-consuming, or expensive!
Here are 5 tips for a low-stress and successful VBS this year.
Focus on easy, low-cost promotion
Promotion is key to a healthy VBS attendance, but you don’t have to spend a ton to get the word out.
Put up a few posters around your church with the date, time, and registration info. If it’s too early to start registration, hang posters with a “coming soon” message to build excitement. Hand out flyers after Sunday School and worship service. Give extra flyers for members to share with friends, family, and co-workers. Ask to leave flyers at local day schools and community centers.
Post about VBS on your church’s social media channels, and encourage everyone to share with their followers. Coordinate with church members to post about VBS in their private community Facebook groups for greater awareness around town.
Keep VBS registration simple
Online forms allow families to register for VBS from anywhere. If possible, create a registration page on your church’s website. If that’s not an easy option, there are plenty of easy-to-use free sites available to create sign-up forms. SignUpGenius, Google Forms, and JotForm offer easy-to-use templates that only take a few minutes to get started.
Enlists VBS volunteers to help
Even last-minute planning doesn’t need to be stressful. Make a detailed list of all items to be handled before, during, and after VBS. Recruit older teens, parents, and retirees from your church to volunteer and assign them specific jobs, such as:
- Handling registrations
- Posting updates on social media
- Set up/clean up for the week and each day
- Collecting and shopping for supplies
- Teachers and classroom assistants
Use digital learning materials
To keep costs low, consider getting a digital download VBS kit that includes everything you need for the week, from interactive Bible lessons to animated videos. Digital materials allow you to instantly access resources and only print the number of lessons you need. With digital downloads, there’s no need to pay extra or scramble at the last minute if attendance is higher than expected. Digital materials can also be easy to review and customize to best fit your church’s needs.
Plan for next year’s VBS
After an exciting, fun-filled week of VBS you probably don’t want to start planning for next year just yet. But once you’ve had a few days to rest, it’s helpful to meet with your team for a quick review. Take note of what went well and anything you’d do differently. Did any issues come up that you can better plan for next year? What activities did kids love the most? You’ll have a winning game plan ready for the next VBS or big event.
Also, take time to organize, label, and store any supplies or materials that can be used again.
It’s not too late to start planning for Vacation Bible School! You can get started today with the Vivid Big, Big God VBS Kit. It has everything you need for a VBS that brings the Bible to life for kids. And right now, get it FREE with the Kids Church Curriculum Bundle.