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He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands

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Blue Cellophane – place over windows.

Cover walls completely with brown paper. Paint or draw in port holes and create scenes that the kids are “looking out at.” This would work especially well in a hallway.

Captain’s Quarters – think maps, spyglasses, compasses. You could paint the outline of a map on one wall and let kids add their own imaginary stops along the journey.

Ocean and Sky Backdrop – Cover walls with this easy to use backdrop.

Ask the congregation to donate the following:

·      Kiddy pools to fill with sand or water

·      White bed sheets (to act as ship sails)

·      Rope (to drape down railings, doors, etc.)

·      Fish tanks – add some fake fish or real whatever you would like

·      Sea life stuffed animals to decorate class rooms

·      Fans – to create “sea breezes”

Anchor Garland

Glorious Galley – create the ship’s kitchen! Decorate with large pots, tables, old lanterns and more. Cover walls with foil to create stainless steel appliances. Do a Google image search for ship’s galley to get inspiration.

Nautical Cutouts

Hang netting on walls and ceilings and insert colorful foam fish, plastic lobsters, shells and other sea life.

Ask the congregation for birdcage decorations – just add a parrot stuffed animal!

Use burlap sacks and cardboard boxes to fill space and create the look of an authentic ship cargo.  

Think nighttime! Do a ship’s deck but have the walls and ceilings be the night sky.

Cover walls completely with brown paper. Paint or draw in port holes and create scenes that the kids are “looking out at.”

Use burlap sacks and cardboard boxes to fill space and create the look of an authentic ship’s deck.  

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1. Walk the church.
Begin your walk exactly where the kids will enter the building on that first day. What do you want them to see? How do you want them to feel? What decorations can you add to help you achieve that goal? Then walk the halls and enter the classrooms just as your VBSers will do during VBS. Brainstorm and write every idea down.

2. Dream Big
As you brainstorm, don’t get too caught up in the details quite yet. You never know what resource a congregation member or an area business could donate if asked. Seriously, just let your mind have some fun and think, “wouldn’t it be cool if we could do this…!” I don’t know how many times I’ve thought “Oh, that will never work” or “We can’t afford that,” but later after it all came together, I discovered once again how easy it is to lose sight of the many talents and gifts that God has given His people.

3. Keep it Simple
Dream as big as you can, but remember there is always room to keep it simple. Tents and some borrowed artificial Christmas trees would easily make a camp scene. Covering a whole wall with fish net would be an easy but effective sea voyage decoration. 

4. Remember the Bible Stories and Verses
During any brainstorming session, I get to a point where nothing seems to be coming to me anymore and I start asking myself if all possibilities have been exhausted. At that point, I try to go in a completely different direction. When you hit that point during VBS decoration planning, pulling out the Bible story list is a good way to go.

5. Develop an Ask Congregation list
Almost every theme will have possible decorations that can be found at the homes of church members. Start asking now for those items! Even ask for some of your “dream big” items. You never know - someone may have a large telescope, old ship’s wheel, or horse saddle they would be willing to let you use. Plus this will put items in people’s minds so if they see something at a yard sale or discount store, they’ll think of VBS!

6. Get Going
Think of ways to get volunteers started now. Maybe you have artists that could start working on backdrops and signs. Even the most uncreative of persons can cut out some pre-drawn foam figures. Once you have a decorating plan in the works - even if it is just in the early stages - you can ask people to start working on things. These early tasks are great for individuals who want to serve VBS but cannot attend due to work, planned vacations, and other commitments.

7. Focus on the Purpose
It’s easy to get wrapped up in planning a theme, and sometimes we get so wrapped up that we forget that it isn’t about creating the perfect VBS. It is about welcoming kids into the church to experience all of God’s greatness! It’s about bringing kids, parents and volunteers closer to Jesus! It’s about having a blast with God! Pray that God will help you remember your purpose for all the planning.     �

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Ask congregation members to bring in tents, artificial Christmas trees, horseshoes, cowboy hats and boots, lanterns, and camping gear. You’ll be surprised how these small (and free!) additions will make a big difference in your ranch scenery.

Barn Siding Backdrop – Cover walls, chalk boards, doors and more with this “real like” barn siding.

Jointed Horse Cutout – This horse is a great addition to any room. It may be moved into different “action” poses.

Plastic Longhorn Steer – Hang these at the top of door frames.

Use blue cellophane, rocks, and greenery to create a watering hole. If you are brave, use a kiddie pool and add water. If you are super brave, add fish to the water!

Plastic Barbed Wire – Add the barbed wire along railings and door frames.

Prairie Dog Holes – Simple cut 10” circles out of black construction paper and tape them to the floor. Make a game out of it and tell kids “don’t fall into the prairie dog holes!”. You can also use these as guides to your different stations.

“Camp Fire” – Use real wood logs and cut red, orange and yellow constructions paper into “flame” shapes. Then use glue to glue your “flames” to the logs.

Rope – Use real rope and drape it on stair case railings and chairs for when those cowboys and girls ride up on their horses!

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Find us now to enter a drawing for a VBS prize!

Click the link or search for us using Guildcraft Arts & Crafts.

Guildcraft Arts & Crafts!

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Frogs on a Log – Cover a pretzel rod with peanut butter or cream cheese. Add M&M’s or raisins to be frogs.

Sweet Butterfly Treat – Use cupcakes and colored frosting. Let the kids use the frosting to make “flowers” on the top of the cupcake.

Parrot Munch – Use dried fruits such as raisins, apples, apricots, bananas and nuts. Mix them together for an easy but delicious snack.

Healthier Butterfly Snack Option

Monkey Food – Let kids go bananas with this delicious snack! Cut up bananas and add chocolate sauce, nuts and whipped cream on top.

Which Soil Are You? Dirt Cups

Butterfly Pretzels – Use pretzels as the butterfly wings. Mold a piece of caramel into a butterfly body and stick the pretzel wings into the sides. Add mini chocolate chips as eyes and broken pretzel sticks as antennae.

Marshmallow Sheep - Project requires 2 marshmallows, 2 pretzel sticks, 1 tooth pick and frosting of your choice. Begin by breaking the 2 pretzel sticks in half (these are the legs of the sheep); insert all 4 of the pretzel sticks into 1 marshmallow. Take the 2nd marshmallow and cut it in half (this will be used for the head and ears of the sheep). Stick 1 half of the marshmallow on one end of the marshmallow that has the “legs” in it. Use the rest of the marshmallow to create ears for the sheep. To complete take a tooth pick and add a small amount of frosting to the end, carefully dab two eyes, a nose and a mouth. This completes you delicious marshmallow sheep!

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Animal Crackers

Safari Dip

Elephant Grub – Make a fruit salad using apples, watermelon, grapes, strawberries and raspberries.

Antelope Cantaloupe – Use squares of cantaloupe and add pretzel sticks. Each square will get 6 pretzel sticks; 4 for the legs and 2 for the horns.

Prairie Dog Snacks – No-Bake-Cookies

Zebra Cakes

Safari Cheese Snacks

Safari Mix – Mix various flavors of animal crackers with raisins, animal fruit snacks, banana candies and pretzels.

Zebra Corn – Drizzle chocolate candy coating over popcorn.

Monkey Food – Let kids go bananas with this delicious snack! Cut up bananas and add chocolate sauce, nuts and whipped cream on top.

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Sheep Cupcakes – Make sheep face cupcakes to go with the Day 2 Bible story! Decorate cupcakes with white frosting. Cover with marshmallows and then let kids create a face using chocolate chips.

Fish and Loaves Baskets - In coordination with the Day 4 Bible story, make cookie baskets by pressing sugar cookie dough into a muffin pan so a “bowl” is formed. Bake the cookie baskets. Once cool let kids add a few Goldfish Crackers (to be the fish) and small wheat crackers (to be the loaves).

Jesus is my Hero Cookies – Let kids decorate sugar cookies with colored icing. Using white icing, add a white “J” for Jesus.

Fluffy Flying Clouds – Let kids make their own clouds using Cool Whip. Then give them fruit and pound cake as dippers.

Power Snack – Make a plate of healthy choice snacks – include carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers and veggie dip.

Super Power Drinks – Use green, red or blue colored drinks or add food coloring to clear sodas.

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Planet Pizzas - Decorate English Muffins with tomato sauce, cheese and pizza toppings

Spaceman Hydration Packs - Use Capri Sun fruit drinks.

Astronaut Ice Cream

Moon Cheese - Make a cheese plate with assorted cheese.

Sweet Milky Way - Use mini Milky Way candy bars.

A Stellar Star - Cut apples in half so that you get the star in the middle. The apple needs to be cut in the middle, not down the stem. Let the kids dip the apples in caramel.

Fruit Satellites - Let kids build a satellite using fruit and toothpicks

Crater Cake - http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/crater-cake-685495/

Twinkle Star Cookies - Cut sugar cookies out with star cookie cutters and let kids add the twinkle with sprinkles.

Moon Pies - http://www.moonpie.com/

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