Vacation Bible School

Many local churches offer Vacation Bible School during the summer, and I know that these half-day programs are big helps to families. In the heat of the summer, when school is out, kiddos can get an extra helping of Scripture and faith and have fun making new friends, too.

I know people do the “VBS shuffle” during these months: the Catholic church down the road offers a week of VBS this week, and then they send their child to the Baptist church up the road next week. The VBS publishers make their programs generic so that the children receive a basic reminder that God made them and loves them and is there for them in their lives. The crafts are cool to make and the Scripture stories are chosen to lead each child to realize they are special in the eyes of God and therefore can do things to help others. 

If you are concerned about any “extra” information a particular denomination may give your child, I suggest you volunteer to spend the week helping out at the VBS or talk with the director of the program before signing up. 

The church I am involved with sticks closely to the pre-packaged VBS program. They rely on parents to be the first educators of their children so if parents want to add something, they can do that at home.

Do you have any experience with VBS? Have you volunteered at such a program? I’d love to hear about your involvement in these important weeks for your children!