VBS with a Twist

VBS is a great outreach tool, but boy can it wear you and your church folks out! A few years ago, I did some research on how to make VBS work at our little church. I apologize to whoever posted this in the first place. It has been a long time and I have had this in my "files." Another alternative to the ideas below is to do a month long Wednesday Night VBS that involves the whole church. We actually have done this and enjoyed it.

Weekend VBS
The weekend VBS schedule is somewhat like the one-day schedule, but with a little more breathing room. This schedule starts on Friday night and continues through Saturday, offering a slower pace. Again, the schedule is demanding for preschoolers and younger children so workers in those age groups need to plan their schedules to allow for the physical needs of their learners.
Friday5:30-6:00 pm - Light dinner6:00-6:30 - Worship Rally6:30-8:30 - Day 1
Saturday 8:00-8:30 am - Worship Rally8:30-10:30 - Day 210:30-11:00 - Worship Rally11:00-1:00 pm - Day 31:00-1:30 - Lunch1:30-2:00 - Worship Rally2:00-4:00 - Day 44:00-6:00 - Day 56:00 - Dinner/Closing Worship Rally/Family Night

One-Day VBS
Hillcrest Baptist Church in Lufkin, Texas is one of several churches that have reported having a one-day VBS. Steve Chandler, VBS director, reports that the church has used the schedule for three years. The change to the one-day VBS schedule was based on the need for volunteer workers and dealing with the busy schedules of today's children. Saturday is the day of choice for most one-day VBSs, though a Sunday could also work. A typical one-day VBS might follow this schedule:
8:00 am - Continental breakfast8:30 - Worship Rally (the only Worship Rally of the day)9:00-10:30 - Day 110:30-12:00 - Day 212:00-1:00 pm - Lunch1:00-3:30 - Day 33:30-5:00 - Day 45:00-6:00 - Dinner6:00-7:30 - Day 57:30 - Family Night Celebration
Because the schedule for each "day" allows for only an hour and a half, kids will not be able to rotate through all sites each "day." Plan to have Opening and Closing Bible study for children in each "day" and then offer a different rotation option (crafts, music, missions, recreation) in each "day." For instance, music with Day 1, crafts with Day 2, recreation with Day 3, missions with Day 4, crafts (or another rotation site) with Day 5. While the day-long event could be fun and exciting, Steve Chandler says the schedule is difficult for preschoolers and some younger children.