What About the Girls?
I’ve heard the question pop up a couple of times since we revealed the new theme back in June: “Is Concrete & Cranes going to appeal to the girls in my church?” Sometimes it wasn’t so much a question, but a statement that “Boys are going to LOVE this!” with a subtle implication that if boys love it, it must be so geared toward them that girls will not like it at all. As a self proclaimed “Power Tool Princess,” I really dig this theme! (See what I did there?) But I can understand why it might cause some to ask, “What can we do to make sure we don’t lose the girls?” So let’s talk about it!
Did you know that every single Lifeway VBS theme has to pass a series of filters before it can be considered? And one of those filters is, “Is it appealing to both boys and girls?” This is a question we ask ourselves every year during theme development and one that must be answered satisfactorily both by us and by the churches who use Lifeway VBS. We do not think “construction” as an industry or as a theme excludes women or girls. People of both genders find satisfaction in working with their hands and pride in seeing their work dramatically result in creating something where there once was nothing. It’s even an integral part of STEM teaching which is currently a big focus in America’s public education system. However, the prevalence of “construction” as a popular birthday party theme marketed almost exclusively to boys tends to skew our perception thusly. Rest assured, there will be PLENTY in this theme that appeals to girls! You’ll find elements of architecture and design (the Bible study location is even called “Blueprint Bible Study”), painting, and finishing throughout Concrete & Cranes. Take a look at the colors in the urban construction scene below … even the color pallet was chosen specifically to make Concrete & Cranes appealing to girls as well as boys.
If you’re concerned that your girls might not find heavy machinery, hard hats, or skyscrapers appealing, simply highlight those elements of the building process that you think will be more appealing to them. Decorate a rotation like an interior design storehouse … with paint and fabric swatches, odds and ends furnishings, rolls of wallpaper, paint supplies, etc. Focus on architecture and blueprints in your Bible study decorations.
Remember, a theme is simply a dressing, nothing more. It’s the “fun” that makes VBS attractional, but it should never be the reason you do VBS (or choose a VBS). VBS is about sharing the gospel and the gospel is for EVERYONE! VBS is about discipling kids to grow in their faith and that growth is a requirement for EVERY believer. Make that your main focus and I promise everything else will fall into place!
Sorry, but this theme is TERRIBLE. We’ll be choosing a different publisher in 2020. It may appeal to little, little kids, but not anyone over 2nd grade… Sad.
I don’t know about the kids in your area, but my soon-to-be 12year old is really looking forward to it. Also, my teenage daughters who volunteer at our VBS are already making pinterest boards for snacks and crafts etc. with great excitement.
I suppose it is all in the perspective of the children you are reaching. Sometimes we the leaders project a response that is not necessarily true of the children.
Love this theme even the elders are participating this year…Thanking GOD for lifeway and the help provided for vBs.
Very well said!
Themes are just springboards to our own individual, God given imagination and creativity. I’ve been involved with VBS long before LifeWay had themes and for the last 20 plus years have been involved with Adult VBS and Spanish Adult VBS to the Valley of South Texas on our mission trip each year. I use the theme to spark my imagination to create decorations, snacks, attendance records and session pages with puzzles and tidbits of information that would be interesting to adults and also what fits our church and community. For an introduction to this year’s VBS, the Bible story of John the Baptist is one example where I ordered edible crickets and honey straws (like what John ate in the desert) for adults to try before that session. Some were brave and some no so much. Everyone loved participating though. Even the 5th grade teachers used the idea and those kids LOVED doing it. NOTE: We of course knew before hand if a child might be allergic to the products.
Our granddaughter is in 6th grade and can hardly wait for VBS 2020. Same goes for our 4th, 1st and Kindergarten granddaughters. In fact, all the girls in church are excited about building things this summer. All the kids are singing the theme song already. Concrete and Cranes is for all ages and boys and girls.
I’m sorry, but I have to respond again.
I would encourage everyone that might be unhappy with the theme to PRAY about it and ask God to reveal how they can use these wonderful Bible stories and truths make the theme work for their church and community. Okay, or just ditch the theme and create your own. The Bible Stories are what is important.
Why not let girls build a doll house for their construction project and put doll furniture in it? Don’t miss these Biblical points and build around them.
DIGGING INTO GOD’S WORD
BLUEPRINT FOR LIFE
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
SOLID FOUNDATION
CONSTRUCTION SITE
BUILDING ON THE LOVE OF JESUS
JESUS OUR STRONG FOUNDATION
MASTER DESIGNER
JESUS OUR CORNERSTONE
Here is an idea for girls for the Bible story about building house on sand and solid rock foundation.
StonKraft Wooden 3D Puzzle Beach House – Home Decor, Construction Toy, Modeling Kit, School Project – Easy to Assemble NOTE: I found this on Amazon and I think everyone would enjoy doing this to demonstrate the Biblical truths.
to those who object
I felt the same way about the 3D one but when I got into it and saw the decoration examples it was easy and I made it soooo cooool!!!
One Christmas Grandma Kathy and Papaw Leroy got all the boys Tonka Dump trucks……..girls got…teddy bears in dresses……It wasn’t hardly 10 minutes till the girls took over the dump trucks and put the bears in them. The girl’s really felt cheated that they didn’t get dump trucks too.
When I was a kid, it made me mad when it was assumed that I did not want to participate in something that is “boy themed” like construction, remote control cars, playing sports. Don’t make a big deal about Making it special for the girls. We can wear orange hard hats and yellow vests, we don’t have to be told to construct something “girly”. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by how much the girls in your churches like the construction theme just the way it is. Don’t waist your time, effort, and money making things girly. Most girls will probably want to do the same as the boys are and in the same gear anyway.
Thank You for choosing a unique and exciting theme!! I love when the themes surprise me. Our girls are going to LOVE this just as much as our boys!
As someone else said earlier – We the directors and teachers are excited about this theme then the students will be also. They watch us and we need to lead with excitement.
On a personal side – I love tools and I am the grass cutter, the fixer upper, and general repair person – I love that God made us all different with so many different talents.
Thanks so much for this theme. I can NOT wait.
I personally was looking forward to this themed VBS so much potential in it. Construction for the rest of our life we are all under construction. I only wish we could do it again next year when we’re not in Covid, because in our state we wont be able to have in person VBS which I’m so sad about so we have done it virtually. I loved everything about this theme the message of the potential that we have in Christ. I love the music, the games, the snacks ,and any lesson from scripture that teaches the gospel message!! I love it. And I thought at this time in our history learning the foundations of Christ and love being that firm foundation was so needed in our society today. I was thankful for all the digital stuff that we could get to add into our virtual VBS especially the little skit in the worship rally CD. And I just want to say you will never know what a huge blessing that little skit was because my daughter just adopted three children of color and when they watch that video they said they look like me and that just melted our hearts and I’m just praising God for that. And because of doing vacation Bible school these three children didn’t know anything about Jesus (I know that’s so sad to think of in America that there are kids who don’t know about him)but they sat so intently listening to every word that I taught on those stories and just seeing Jesus through fresh eyes of a little child is the greatest blessing that I think we as Sunday school teachers, VBS teachers, children’s workers can get. And I just kept thinking oh to see Jesus through the eyes of a child again and fall in love with him all over again. So I just wanted to say thank you for all the work that went into it because God is the one that does the moving we just have to be the mouth piece.