VBS is Coming! What You Can Do Now to Start Planning
{ February 5th, 2008 }
By Patricia Meyers
VBS looms on the horizon – already - are you kidding? As you know, once something hits the horizon, it is right in front of you in no time.
Now is the time for planning, making decisions, and setting the stage for one of the best VBS events of your church’s history.
Where to begin? Let’s start with two basic, yet important decisions: Do you want to do a traditional VBS or a VBS alternative? Do you want to shop around or use the same company as last year? Maybe you haven’t stopped to think about it and you plan to do what you did all the previous years. Take a few minutes and consider the options. Ask God (great idea, huh?) and listen. When you are ready to begin planning, start by asking the following questions, and take them seriously. So go ahead, grab some paper and a pen:
1. What did I like the best about our VBS last year?
2. What one thing would I change if I could?
3. What was the best part and worst part of the lessons?
4. What was the cumbersome part of the daily schedule?
5. Did the kids enjoy the music, skits, memory verse activities, etc.? (It is very important to consider how the kids felt!)
6. What was the kids’ favorite craft project?
7. What was the thing more parents commented on above the others?
8. Did the follow up event work out well? (Did you plan a follow-up event?)
Now, after reliving the highlights and lowlights of last year’s event, you are ready to begin again. Look at the program options available this year with the answers to your questions in mind.
If you like one company’s music best, but the lesson plans and teacher aids are not your favorite, is it worth it? If you like the lessons from one, but the music is not to your liking, can you add music from another source and still have the lessons you like?
What about the crafts? Did you have kits that were easy to use, where the kids felt successful and they were thrilled to bring them home? While it may seem like a small thing, most kids really enjoy this tactile aspect of VBS. They like getting in there and creating something, so don’t skip over that part.
What about the skits? Did the program you chose have quality skits that engaged the children? Did your workers have fun with them?
These are all really good questions that you should be asking. The worst thing you can do is not be honest about how you felt about last year’s event and not be honest about how your workers and church families felt. The second worst thing you can do is to postpone thinking it through until it is too late to have good options.
Here is the beginning of a task list to work on over the next couple of weeks. We are sure that you have a few things to add to it as well!
1. Order and review VBS program samples.
2. Meet with lead volunteers to discuss the upcoming season and really listen to their input.
3. Review the results of your meetings with the pastor.
4. Choose and calendar the dates for the event, coordinate with neighboring churches if you can.
5. Order VBS curriculum and promo materials.
Now, sit back and take a few deep, relaxing breaths. You have started in plenty of time, and you are going to have a smooth running, high successful, fruit-laden VBS this year. Congratulations!