2010 VBS!

As I am writing this two things really stand out to me...first is that I haven't blogged in a LONG time - sorry about that! Second is that I just wrote 2010. Wow! It seems like just a few months ago everyone was getting ready for the new millenium - stocking up on canned goods, bottled water and flash lights!! Where does the time go?

With that said it is time to start getting ready for VBS season again!! Geeshhhh!! I have been doing a little research and I absolutely love the options for this year. We are going to have a blast!

Something new for this year - we are taking reservations for kits now!! I know that some of you already know what you want for your next vbs and are ready to reserve your kit. Good for you!! Just let me know! I will put you on the list and you will get your kit as soon as I get mine. (Which is as soon as the publishers release them to retail stores!)

If you aren't sure what you want yet don't worry!! Reviews will be coming out soon - along with our yearly vbs events!!

VBS Ideas

Since I have finally finished reviewing all the vbs kits for this season I thought now would be a good time to share some ideas / thoughts that I had or have heard. Please feel free to comment on them and share anything you have come up with also!!

Reproducible music - Make some copies of the music and put stickers on the cd with your vbs info. Hand out the cd's at events were kids are present - soccer games, carnivals, school activities.

Decorate - Now is a great time to start putting your decorations together. The further ahead you start the better the chances of finding great stuff! If you aren't buying directly from the publisher maybe now would be a good time to put together a wish list and publish it in your church bulletin. You might be suprised what your church members have hiding in their basements!

Volunteers - Start thinking about something special you can do for your volunteers this year. Maybe a pre-vbs week thank you to get everyone excited. I like the idea of an adult only ice cream social :) or a swimming party to get everyone ready and on the same page!! Just something to show that you appreciate their participation. Even a card left in their church mailbox would be a great way to keep your volunteers volunteering!!

SonRock Kids Camp - Gospel Light

I can't believe I left this vbs for last. It has some wonderful features and is sure to be one of the top sellers!

Let's start talking about the overview dvd. There are three main sections - promotional segments, decorating ideas, and a product overview. I really liked the product overview. There was a lot of good practical information.

The kit also includes a directors sample pack, a great craft book (with a cd-rom), wall cut-outs (pkg of 21), posters and props for all the age groups and pennants (pkg of 12). As if this wasn't enough Gospel Light makes the excellent decision to include a reproducible music cd in the kit!!!

That is beyond awesome. I love this idea!!

Another aspect I thought was really helpful was the fact that the memory verses are done in NIV and KJV. I like the fact that you are given a choice. One of my favorite things about SonRock though is the snacks. Yup...gotta love the food! :) I really like how the writers managed to extend the daily theme all the way to the snacks. Here's an example....Day 1: Bible Story - Catch of the Day: Jesus Chooses Peter. Snack - 'Gone Fishing' use licorice lace and pretzel rods to make fishing rods to catch goldfish crackers. How fun is that?

Wildwood Forest - Cook

Wildwood Forest is a great adventure!! The theme is "Discovering the untamed nature and wild heart of God". At first I thought this might be kind of a strange fit with the forest idea but it really works!

The science stations are easily the best of any vbs I've looked at. They are actual science experiments that kids will absolutely love. One day they will mix vinegar and baking soda to experience a "blast" and mixing Mento's and tonic water for a colorful fountain will definitely be a hit!

I try to look really closely at all the director's guides as I'm doing these reviews and Cook's was another good one. There are some great staffing ideas and thoughts on how to put your volunteers in the right spots based on their spiritual gifts. I also appreciated the ideas they shared on how to use middle and high school age volunteers in some unique ways. The planning and promotion sections are also full of great ideas - different scheduling options, timeline plans and budgeting suggestions.

A majority of the kits I've reviewed had some type of mission project idea. I didn't comment on most of them but Cook's deserves a mention here! The theme for the mission project is 'Standing Tall Together: Serving in Ukraine'. Instead of just a standard "Let's collect money" focus Cook goes above and beyond with a variety of options and ideas. Depending on the size and focus of your particular vbs group they have ideas like: daily collection, prayer tree's, school supply drive or collecting provisions for homeless shelters. I like the focus on missions here - especially might be nice if you think your group will be on the older side.

Wildwood forest was Lynda Freeman's top pick for this year and I can see why. Anyone who picks this as their vbs for 2009 will be very happy with it!!!

G.A.D.G.E.T.'s Garage - Concordia Publishing

God's Always Doing Great, Exciting Things! Gadget's garage is the setting for Concordia's VBS this year and Gizmo the robot / puppet lives in that garage. Gizmo is grrrrreat!! (Sorry - couldn't resist!!) Seriously though, Gizmo is lots of fun. Kids will love him! He shows up in all sorts of different forms in this kit - puppet, grovin' gizmo, gizmo wristees. He is even available as a 5' inflatable ($24.99).

The focus is that Jesus makes all things new because God is Always Doing Great Exciting Things. Each day explores another wonder from the Bible - Mighty Wonder, Water Wonder, Growing Wonder, Glowing Wonder and Risen Wonder. I like that the Bible stories come from both the new and old testaments.

The directors guide includes a cd-rom with clip art, publicity signs, fill-in pdf forms, power point presentation with song lyrics and more. The entire written director guide is also on the disk! There are a couple of dvd's in the kit also. An overview and recruitment dvd and a skit dvd.

The music is an interesting feature of this kit. There is a music cd and song action dvd combo pack and a songbook with sheet music. I like the sheet music option a lot. When I think about vbs weeks that I attended as a kid one of my favorite memories is sitting around the piano singing songs with my friends. I realize that with cd's and power point presentations music can be more up to date now but there is something to be said for "the old fashioned way" too!!!

Rome - Group Publishing

It seems like this winter has been full of exciting travels for me...although all of it via VBS kits!! This time I got to visit Rome and I loved it! This vbs is awesome! Group did a fantastic job on this years Bible Times kit.

I was impressed from the start with the newly formatted directors guide. It is nicely organized in a 3 ring binder to make everything easy to find and use. Group included a Publicity and Product Sample Pack as well that has a giant outdoor banner, publicity poster and invitation postcards. I think that putting everything in a binder is a smart idea - makes it much easier to make copies or hand-out different sections to different volunteers. Also in the kit is a directors dvd with 3 recruiting commercials, a "tour" of Rome (which is a blast) and volunteer tips, training ideas and thank-you options.

Another unique feature is the Family Time Teaching Kit. Personally I think that trying to draw in whole families to vbs week rather then just the kids is a wonderful outreach opportunity. Rome gives you ideas for family activities - crafts, games, songs.

Rome also offers some craft options (abacus kit, laurel wreath kit, mock leather wristband kit, wooden top kit, bulla kit). I like the crafts - mostly because they are different then every other vbs kit. Variety is the spice of life - and of VBS week!!! :)

My only complaint about Rome is that there isn't a cd-rom included in the kit. However, I am more then willing to over look that since the music is great and I love the Bible Times costumes that ARE included (Roman soldier, Villager, and Rabbi). I have to say that Rome is one of my top 3 for this year and priced at $89.99 I think it will be a top seller too!!!

Studio Go! - Standard

When these kits first came in I have to admit that I thought they were a little corny and I wasn't sure I was going to like this vbs all that much. And I was totally right and wrong?!? Studio Go! is a little corny but that is part of what makes this kit fun!

The Director's cd-rom is awesome! A couple of features that I really like are the pdf forms that you can customize and the prayer calendar.

I should probably mention that Standard has 2 kit options this year. The Power Pak for $199.99 and the Starter Kit for $69.99. The Power Pak includes a few extra's - character costume kit (you will have fun with this :), theme pak, art and decorating cd, life focus poster pak, site names poster pak and a service showcase dvd. I would get the power pak if at all possible but you can definetly run a great vbs with the starter kit too!!

I really really liked the craft book that is in both kits. I think that Standard went above and beyond realizing that times are tough right now and even churches are suffering in this economy. I'll give you an example...The day 1 elementary craft options.

Option #1: Go Lead! Torch Pencils ($24.99 per pkg of 24) pencils with fun fur (hair), wiggly eyes and pompom stems to decorate.

Options #2: Gideon's Suprise Torch (minimum cost - collect things from home) baby food jar, construction paper, tissue paper, tea light candle, crayons and glue stick.

Both of these crafts look really neat when they are completed. They both seem fun and easy to make and I honestly am not sure which one I would pick to do.

In the end I had a great time with Studio Go! The music is fun and bouncy, the characters are great and the craft options let you really stick to a budget!

VBS Open Houses

Wow! I can't even believe that we are already passed the vbs showcase. Where did the time go?? It is almost the end of January!!!

I'm sure some of you are like me and have barely had time to catch your breath since the holiday rush. If that is your situation you may have missed the showcase in all the craziness and are now thinking that it is time to figure out your vbs plan. Good News!! We are having 3 open houses in February to help you do just that! There is one at each one of our retail locations on either February 27th or 28th. We will have kits available for consignment (or purchase!!), staff there to answer questions, and tons of material for you to look over. I've posted the schedule of when and where on the side bar but feel free to call or email me anytime for more information!!!

Hope to see you soon!!!!

Crocodile Dock - Group

Since today is another cold and snowy day I think it is time for me to write about the Bayou! Crocodile Dock is my pick for this week and I love it! I had a blast with this vbs kit. From the second you open the kit (and experience the noise-maker) you will have a great time too!

The first thing I noticed is the Director's Guide. It is in an actual 3-ring binder and is really well organized with color coded tabs. There is a section called 'bright ideas' that I thought was especially well done. There are some great ideas - daily staff devotionals, special thank-you's, and idea's on how to keep kids safe. Also included in the starter kit is a variety of volunteer and student resources. I think for the price ($139.99) the kit is pretty well stocked. The only thing I was disappointed in was the fact that the clip art / resource cd-rom wasn't included.

Also part of the kit are some dvd's - training, decorating, music, and Chadder's Adventure. I was watching Chadder's Adventure dvd at home one weekend when my 4 year old wandered in and sat with me. He loved it! We ended up watching it quite a few times that weekend. By Sunday night he was singing the songs he had learned and telling Grandma all about Chadder and Fraider.

The snacks tie in really well with each days Bible story and Bible point yet still manage to stay fairly healthy. The crafts look fun and easy to do for all ages. I like the different options for most of the days - especially nice for a vbs with a variety of ages in attendance.

I really had fun with this kit. Group did a great job putting together this vbs!!! I'm looking forward to seeing the presentation of it at the Showcase on Thursday.

Kingdom of the Son - Gospel Light

Gospel Light has 2 vbs programs to pick from again this year. The first one that I reviewed was Kingdom of the Son. They are only offering this kit as a Super Starter Kit ($199.99).

I liked the animal theme idea. Using a safari trip is a great way to incoorporate a variety of different animals and fun decorating options. My favorite part of this vbs is the use of the Lord's Prayer. The safari is actually a prayer safari and The Lord's Prayer is the focus. Included in the starter kit is a coloring book called The Lord's Prayer that has been featured by 'Focus on the Family'. Personally I feel that the teaching/learning of the Lord's Prayer is something that can be overlooked in children's ministry and I am thrilled to see it as a focus of a vacation bible school!

An idea that I thought was helpful was all the bonus theme ideas that are in the director's guide. Ideas not just for decorations and snacks but to help you encourage volunteers. Things like creating a prayer journal and publishing a simple one page daily newsletter for your volunteers. I like the idea of letting the volunteers know they are appreciated - that is a great way to get repeat helpers!!!

Another feature that was interesting to me was the daily focus and memory verses. I thought Gospel Light did a great job making them age appropriate. There are seperate options for the pre-k /k age group and the elementary age group. This is a good way to make sure that the daily material is neither watered down or over anyone's head.

This starter kit is one of the more expensive options this year. However, I would like to encourage everyone to take a look at it. Even if you are on a little bit of a tighter budget this year - there are a lot of simple, easy ideas in the director's guide that use things you probably already have.

Lynda's Links and VBS Info

Many of you reading this probably already know Lynda Freeman. But just in case I will (re) introduce her to everyone!!

Lynda is the curriculum advisor for Kregel Parable Christian stores and as such she is a wealth of great information! She is devoted to children's ministry and dedicated to finding the right curriculum for every group and situation.

On occasion Lynda writes articles that she generously shares with us. I will post links to them as they become available. She has also been spending LOTS of time reviewing and analyzing the VBS kits. Her thoughts and reviews are also available as links on the right hand side of the page. Enjoy!!!

Polar Extremes - Regular Baptist Press

Today I moved from warm canyon weather to the frigid polar climate!! My vbs focus for this week is Polar Extremes by Regular Baptist Press. I enjoyed my "time" in the North and South pole much more then I expected too! If you have never checked out the program that Regular Baptist offers this would be a great year to start!!

There are some really fun crafts. I especially liked the foam penguin puzzle and the handprint moose. For the older kids there is a snow globe kit that looks like a lot of fun.

The Director's kit includes a CD-Rom that is full of really helpful things. There is more clip art options than anymore could possibly use! There are animals (both realistic and cartoon variety), outdoor scenic spots (the North and South poles), and lots of nature options (snowflakes, evergreen trees etc.). Also on the cd-rom are publicity choices, posters, and lots of information. All the print outs are available in black and white or color.

Another interesting feature for Polar Extremes is the Adult studies. The kit includes an Adult leader book and student book. I read the first lesson and found it to be very practical and a great tie-in to what the kids were doing on the same day. I really enjoyed this idea.

My only concern about the Polar Extremes would have to have been the music. While I did enjoy the music I can't see the middle / older elementary aged kids getting that into it. You might want to think about incorporating some songs from your winter Sunday School programs or even some Christmas songs to keep with the snowy theme.

That said, overall I did really like Polar Extremes. I think it is a great idea to bring the snowy, wintery weather back around in the summer time. There are so many great options for things like decorating and snack ideas. This has the potential to be a really exciting VBS!!

Discovery Canyon - Augsburg Fortress

As the weather outside my window gets colder and colder and the snow gets higher and higher it was a nice treat to get to spend part of my day exploring Discovery Canyon by Augsburg Fortress. This is the first of many VBS kits to arrive and I had a great time checking it out!

Discovery Canyon is designed for K - 6th graders with additional curriculum available for preschoolers if needed. The main theme is evangelism with daily mini-themes that enforce it further. One thing that I thought was really neat was the use of a Psalm for each daily memory verse.

As with most vbs options there are activity sites / stations each day. These sites varied from hands-on science activities to drama's to music and motion activities. There is also a Daily Canyon Critter and they are all super cute. I really liked Max the Mantis and Felix the Fox!

Overall I really liked Discovery Canyon and at $69.99 per kit it is very reasonable priced with some fun add-on's you can get to make it just right for your church!!

Kits, Kits and more Kits

My first vbs kit came in earlier this week!! It was really fun to get the first actual product of the 2009 season. Thus far my focus has been on planning the Open House and ordering the kits. It was awesome to get to see a kit and get excited about the ministry part of the vbs season.

While I'm talking about the Open House I thought I would share some details about it so you can start planning to attend. I am really excited about it and I hope to see as many people there as possible. It will be a great opportunity for me to put some faces with the voices I know from the phone! The Open House is going to be at Kuyper College (3333 East Beltline) on January 15, 2009. It will start at 6:30pm and finish up around 9:30pm. The format is a little different this year. We have invited reps from Group, Gospel Light, Standard, Cook and Concordia to come and present their 2009 VBS. Each company will get 20-30 minutes to present. (I will try and post a schedule as soon as I can so you won't miss your favorite!) We will also have tables set up and staffed for those companies and more - Augsburg Fortress, Regular Baptist Press and Thomas Nelson. At the tables you can see the kits and products up close and pick up kits, order forms, catalogs etc.

Of course there will also be refreshments and door prizes. It should be a great night and a wonderful time to recharge our 'children's ministry' batteries as the holidays wind down. I look forward to seeing you there.

Over the next few weeks I am going to feature a different company in each entry I make. Hopefully this will give you a good idea about which presentations you want to see if you can't stay for the whole evening and ultimately help you make a decision about which vbs to use this year. I have to say that so far I'm not sure which one I would pick. I read about one and decide it is my favorite only to get the next catalog and change my mind!!

Remember to mark your calendars and look for more information coming soon about the Open House!!!

Time to get Organized!

As we move closer and closer to the holidays I'm sure getting organized is a priority for lots of people. There are so many extra commitments that come my way around this time of year I know that if I don't keep organized I get lost! Personally, I know that for me scheduling and planning ahead become even more important than normal.

That is one of the reasons that we decided it was time to 'bring back the blog'. Hopefully this will become a place to pass along information, communicate, and for the readers to offer suggestions. My plan is to update the blog on a regular basis. Besides the usual VBS and curriculum updates and info I'm going to share ideas and things that I learn as we go. Hopefully you will feel comfortable sharing right back!! As this is my first offical vbs season (start to finish) I'm in the same boat as a lot of church volunteers. I kind of have an idea of how things should go but haven't really worked it all out yet - sound familiar at all? :)

So lets work together! I'm in the process of researching all the vbs kits that we are going to offer. Soon I'll have some product ideas and suggestions to post. I also am getting some really great info from Lynda Freeman - our curriculum advisor. She is awesome and has a ton of practical thoughts and plans for vbs!

Keep on the look-out for my next post - next week!! In the mean time I welcome any thoughts/ideas/suggestions you may have about the direction of this blog and what YOU would like to see out here!!

Have a blessed day! Talk to you soon!!!