Vbs

[luvmarypoppins]

Just wondering if anyone is getting ready for their vbs. We havent had a meeting yet, but they said we are doing the Lifeway one. I am just helping a girl. My 2 ds will be youth leaders. We are doing it different this year. Snacks outside, I am a little worried about that with bees and wasps etc., we had it where the kids would rotate rooms every day and do the craft in the room. Each room would teach one story, but it got messed up out of sequence, story wise, so now each teacher must do 5 lessons, l each day and they will go to a seperate area for crafts with a seperate craft teacher. How do you have yours set up, what curriculum are you using etc.

 

[disneymom3]

Hi, We are getting quite ready for ours which starts July 31. I have decided to not be involved this year. I did the video room last year and the nursery for volunteers the year before. However, DS 4 has a hard time having to leave my area after separating the first time and he had a really rough year in Sunday School so I decided that as much as I love doing it, it will be too hard for him so I am opting out this year. We are doing a Fiesta theme and I am not remembering the company the stuff is from. We do a big (350+ kids) gathering to begin with and introduce the theme of each day and sing, have a quick skit etc, then each crew is dismissed to their next station. Each crew follows the same schedule every day and there are leaders for each station that basically run that area and the crew leaders help out with their groups of kids. Generally we have all the fours together, the 5s, First grade etc. It is amazing how well it flows! We have snack, crafts, video, outside sports/games and a story/drama room.

 

[Aimeedyan]

I'm knee deep in VBS but that's my job =) We are using Jerusalem Marketplace this year. It's different than traditional VBS formats in that the children wear bible time costumes, are put into "tribes" and learn about life as Jesus may have lived it. The bulk of the day is spent in the marketplace where they can choose booths that each have a traditional activity to do - weaving a matzo cover, carpentry, baking, jewelry making, pottery, etc. There are 11-12 booths. Plus a petting zoo area.

They also attend synagogue school with a "rabbi" and learn Hebrew letters, about a seder meal, etc.

It's a harder VBS to put together because it takes more materials and volunteers so we don't do it very often - every 5-6 years or so. But the church loves it because it taps into people that don't feel equipped to teach children but have a great craft or talent they want to share with children.

Good luck with yours!

 

[luvmy2sams]

I'm the 2nd grade director for our VBS, which starts on June 12th. We're also doing the Lifeway theme...Arctic Edge. Ages 4 thru kindergarten are in a set location while the first thru sixth graders are on a rotating schedule. We rotate every 25 minutes from 9:00-12:00 each day, starting with everyone in the sanctuary for the opening. Each class then goes for department time (games and bible story, etc.). We're then on a rotating schedule of crafts, missions, music, recreation and snacks before returning to the classroom for a wrap-up session. For as long as I can remember our VBS has had around 400 kids each day, so there's a lot of energy to be found.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Just wanted to wish you all the best success. I have been the director for a few years now but this summer we are in the process of building our new church so no room for VBS. I am both missing it and enjoying the summer off at the same time!

 

[Hannathy]

Yes we have started planning. We are doing Gospel Express from Ausburg Fortress. We do a rotation starting in the chapel with everyone then preschool goes to their own area and the other kids rotate thru the stations in a different order each day. all are together for snack and then back together again for the ending in the chapel. We only do the games staion outside ( with the gym as a backup) I am one of the directors and also plan, prepare and teach all the crafts. Our's is the week of July 17th very different time for us but we got a new Christian Education director so we'll see... The only thing up in the air at this point is what mission project we are doing. Something usually fallls right in place with the theme but this year nothing fits. For example we did the Animal Shelter with the ranch theme and animals and the special needs playground fund when it was the city theme. I would be interested in what others are doing this year?

We did the Jeruseleum marketplace on a Sunday this spring in the fellowwship hall with the kids coming thru during Sunday school and then the congregation after service. I was in charge of setting up a typical home and it was a lot of fun- We brought in pizza stones to put on the floor and thawed frozen bread dough and let them shapee the dough into the flat bread and made an oven out of cardboard and a covered basket. They loved handling the dough. We also had pita bread so they could taste the type of bread they had.

 

[LuvN~Travel]

I'm the 2nd grade director for our VBS, which starts on June 12th. We're also doing the Lifeway theme...Arctic Edge. Ages 4 thru kindergarten are in a set location while the first thru sixth graders are on a rotating schedule. We rotate every 25 minutes from 9:00-12:00 each day, starting with everyone in the sanctuary for the opening. Each class then goes for department time (games and bible story, etc.). We're then on a rotating schedule of crafts, missions, music, recreation and snacks before returning to the classroom for a wrap-up session. For as long as I can remember our VBS has had around 400 kids each day, so there's a lot of energy to be found.

I think that is the same one our church is doing this year as well. My sister is one of the children's ministry directors so she is definitely involved. My mom even got roped in and is painting a rather LARGE canvas with an arctic them on it (a mountain view taken from a Bob Ross book). She had to move everything out of her living room just to have room to paint it.
Though I think Mother is usually involved with the refreshments angle.
Of course I still will have to wait and see if my sister ropes me in too.
Kim

 

[Shel]

We are getting started on the VBS registrations, etc. We are doing "Fiesta" also, which is from GROUP Publishing.

It's a busy time of year!

 

[DVCLiz]

Our church has done Marketplace for several years now, and although I'm not involved, I'll have to say it's one of my childrens' favorite memories. Our church brings in live animals for the week, so when you are driving down the street you look over and see a donkey and a sheep grazing on the church lawn!! It's a very cool program!!

 

[we3disneygo]

our church is also doing Fiesta !! my dd12 and I help in the pre-school room for about the last 3-4 years, somehow I got stuck in the kitchen with snacks for a couple of years......we have a great leader who's trained in early child development. I used to be a leader but being a helper is less stressful! lol we also provide a meal before vbs. !!!! I can't wait to learn all the new songs!