VBS: how to plan a Vacation Bible School from scratch
VBS is the biggest event of the year in children’s ministry and the one that needs the most lead time. Whoever starts planning in June spends July chasing volunteers — real planning starts in April.
The good news is that VBS has the best return of anything on the calendar: five consecutive days with the same group builds a bond that fifty-two spaced-out Sunday mornings do not.
"Train up a child in the way he should go."
Proverbs 22:6
Preparation timeline
- Ten weeks out: settle the theme, the dates and who coordinates. The theme decides everything else.
- Eight weeks: the volunteer rota. It is the item that slips most and the one you can least do without.
- Six weeks: publicity and sign-ups, so you have numbers before buying materials.
- Four weeks: printed material, snacks and decoration.
- Two weeks: train the team and rehearse day one.
A VBS day that works
- Welcome with music (20 min) — arrival energy needs somewhere to go.
- Bible story of the day (20 min), always told, never read aloud from a page.
- Printed activity or craft (30 min), split by age group.
- Snack (20 min).
- Big group game (30 min).
- Close by reviewing the verse of the day (10 min).
Five days, five stories
The format that works best is an arc: five episodes from one person’s life, one a day. Joseph and David hold a week best, because they have a beginning, a turn and an ending with the children wanting to know what happens tomorrow.
Stories for this date
Printables
Activities
Go deeper
Ready-made Sunday school lesson: David and Goliath
A complete 45-minute lesson on David and Goliath: objective, icebreaker, storytelling, activity, application and prayer. Ready to print and use.
Read the guide · 8 min →Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should you plan a VBS?
Ten weeks for the theme and coordination, eight for the volunteer rota. Starting under six weeks out usually strains the team.
What theme should we pick for VBS?
Themes with a narrative arc work better than conceptual ones. The life of Joseph or David in five episodes holds the week better than five separate lessons about virtues.