Advice from the Experts – Choosing Crafts for VBS
The best VBS leaders are learners, and the best learners enjoy sharing with others what they have learned through trial and error. Today’s advice comes from Lynn Jordan, Children’s Ministry Coordinator for Capital Baptist Association, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
There is no shortage of craft ideas for Journey Off the Map. The Children’s Crafts Rotation Leader Guide has three suggestions for each day, plus a three-to-five-day project. Additional craft ideas can be found in the Adult, Preteen and Student materials. Multiple Journey Off the Map Pinterest boards have already been created. With so many choices, we need to keep these guidelines in mind when choosing the crafts to use in Vacation Bible School:
C- Is the craft something the child will value?
If we want the child to take the craft home to display, show friends or continue to use, we need to choose crafts that the child will value. Help the children think about how they will continue to use the craft after VBS.
R- Does the craft reinforce the Bible study?
The craft may reference something from the Bible study, help the child learn and remember the Bible verse, or be something used in applying what was learned.
A- Is the craft affordable?
Be creative with this. If a craft is too expensive consider changing the materials or asking an adult Sunday School class to help furnish supplies. You may want to do one more expensive craft that will become a keepsake and do less expensive crafts for the other days.
F- Is the craft fun?
The fun factor really comes from the leaders attitude when the craft is presented. If you are positive and up-beat, the kids will catch your enthusiasm.
T- Can the craft be completed in the time allotted?
If a craft takes too long, you may want to let the leaders do one or two more steps during preparation. If the craft is finished too quickly, you may want to find a way to add details. Remember that kids may enjoy having a little time to play with a craft before moving on to the next rotation.
S- Are the supplies available?
Almost anything is available if you start looking early enough. Make a list of things you want people to save for you and publicize it as early as possible. Be sure that you coordinate with other leaders about the use of supplies in the resource room. You may all be planning to use the same 50 clothespins!
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: What advice do you have for choosing the appropriate crafts for VBS?
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When will next years VBS theme be announced?
The theme was announced June 1. Go to LifeWay.com/vbs2016
Is there a way to connect with other leaders/directors? Our VBS is not until July. I am interested in advice, suggestions, used materials, and ideas of what works best.
We did something fun with our VBX group this year. We do our own crafts with this older group. We decided to do walking sticks. A member of our church has an abundance of bamboo on his property, so he cut 32 walking sticks for us. My husband cut them to the size we wanted and drilled a hole in the top. I bought large ring binders at the office store and put those through the hole. We had a survival theme going with our Journey Off the Map so if they survived the day they made a dangle to attach to the ring on top of their walking stick. Day 1-A cross design I got off Pinterest using pony beads and 4 heart beads, and “A”, “B”, “C” beads on the bottom of the cross.
Day 2-The faithful follower craft in the book with pony beads and pipe cleaners. Day 3- I bought a bag of black rocks and silver wire at Hobby Lobby and some white Sharpies at the office store. They wrote “Trust” on the rock and made a net for it with wire. Day 4-I bought large washers at Lowes, scrapbook paper at Hobby Lobby. I precut paper the size of the washer. They glued the paper on the washer, wrote “Stay on Track” on the back of washer with a black Sharpie, then glued a small compass on the bottom edge of washer. Day-5 I can’t remember now! Anyway, the kids loved their walking sticks and kept asking “are we going to get to take these home?”
We love your VBS curriculum and have used it for years. But in crafts, we do some 2 day projects that are the same every year. The kids look forward to being old enough to do them. Some examples are tile picture frames and hot pads, decoupage pencil holders, journals and coin purses. Many of these are things the kids just do not do in school anymore so they really get into them. We NEVER have discipline problems in craft time and some of our classes approach 40 kids. We still use some of the theme-related crafts also. Thanks for your great planning!
Are the grades for the crafts? I only found them on the instructions of the sample packs
The craft packs are considered an accessory, and are not our actual craft curriculum. Thus, they are not age-graded. The Crafts Rotation Leader Guide is for Grades 1-6 and the Crafts book found in the preschool rotation pack is for 3-year-olds through completed kindergartners.