Technique Time #1
Are you ready to start thinking about decorating for VBS 2012 yet? The Decorating Made Easy book with CD-ROM has lots of great ideas to kick-start your creativity. But sometimes it helps to have someone show you how easy decorating can be before you think, “Yeah, I really can do that!”
Well that’s just what we’re going to do today! Here’s a video demonstration on how to create rocks out of Styrofoam chunks (that first appeared on our Kids Ministry 101 webcast). You’ll see how to use a heat gun and even get tips on where to find Styrofoam for FREE!
[vimeo https://vimeo.com/36296290]
These easy rocks can be used year after year. Paint them blue-green and use them this summer in the Great Barrier Reef or paint them orange/purple for use with the Grand Canyon. Brown rocks will be perfect for Victoria Falls! How else could you use rocks in your VBS?
Go ahead… try out this technique for yourself! Then share your new-found skills with other VBS fans by posting pictures of your creations on the Lifeway VBS community. We want to see!
We just got back from a mission trip to southern Chile (at the bottom of the world). I bought about 40 craft packets from the NY VBS and took them to use at the girls’ orphanage (23 girls whose ages range from 7-18 years). When we got there and really took a look at the crafts there was nothing we could use. There was no Scripture on any of the items that we could even possibly relate it to something biblical.
For instance, there was a foam skyscraper with white blocks where the child is supposed to stick windows. It had the word FAITH on it. If Lifeway had put a Scripture reference on there it could have been more practical.
Some of the people on the team from other states said that their church doesn’t even buy the crafts from Lifeway because they don’t have enough Scriptural references on the items.
If you could pass this on to whoever designs the crafts it would help us out tremendously. It would be helpful to have Scripture on items, verses or references (in English). Then people outside of the VBS curriculum could tie it into some form of Bible lesson even if we didn’t have the VBS curriculum.
Thanks for your comments. One reason we don’t print the verses on the packs is in an effort to keep the packs more versatile to be used with any Scripture that you may be teaching. We also try to keep the items translation neutral. Another added benefit to asking the kids to print the Scripture on their craft themselves is that it promotes retention.