Kick It Off New York Style…
Summer is quickly approaching! No doubt, you are marking off your checklist as VBS gets closer and closer! Dates are on the calendar for your VBS Kickoff. Do you already have fun ideas planned? If not, consider the following 10 possibilities!
- VBS Eve Event—Play off a Times Square New Year’s Eve Countdown Complete with a Ball Drop! Don’t Forget the Noisemakers!
- Traveling Tourist—Families Dress as Tourists Ready to See All NYC Has to Offer!
- Central Park Day—Gather at Your Local Park and Host Events Common to Playing in the Park! Bring Your Frisbee!
- Big Apple Night—Host an Apple-Themed Night with Apple Desserts, Apple Games, and Apple Decorations!
- On Broadway—Perform the Big Apple Adventure Musical or Other New York Tunes to Kick Off the Big Apple Adventure VBS!
- NYC Photo Shoot—Set up Various NYC Landmarks and Allow Families to Come Take Family Photos or Allow Families to Come Dressed as Their Favorite NYC Landmarks!
- Sports Night—Honor NYC Teams or Your Favorite Local Teams with a VBS Sports Night!
- NYC State of Mind—Show Movies Based in NYC or Play Music That Names NYC for a Fun Trivia Night or Way to Explore How NYC Is Evident in Movies and Music
- Competing Cab Contestants—Host a Game Show for Families to Learn More About NYC and Win Prizes
- Trip Down Memory Lane—Ask Families to Bring Momentos, Photos, Postcards and So Forth to Share Their Favorite Family Vacations!
You can see additional Kickoff or Family Night Ideas in the VBS Administrative Guide. Check out pages 38 and 41 for ways to expand the ideas above and see other possibilities. You also might want to check out the blog posted by Becky in April 2009 at https://vbs.lifeway.com/2009/04/02/72-ideas-on-promoting-vbs-to-your-community/. It includes 72 Ideas on Promoting VBS that lists some generic things that also can be used as VBS Kickoff ideas!
We’ve given you some of our ideas! We’d love to hear what your church has planned and how you will kick off your VBS! Leave us a comment or list it in the VBS forum! Have a great Big Apple Adventure!
I am disappointed in some of this year’s music – especially the theme song. I think Jeff Slaughter has a heart for the Lord, but much of this (including some of the pre-school music) is for teenagers, not grade schoolers. Thes messages are always great, but it’s almost become more about the actions (more and more dancing) and less about the SINGING. I love lots of different styles, but. . . I have a problem teaching young children how to sing like thugs. Still praying about how to make the best of it.