Choosing a Vacation Bible School curriculum

The curriculum you select will also be based on what sort of students you expect to come to your VBS. Some curriculums are better if you have a lot of younger children and some work better with older kids. You might also want to consider your setting, such as whether it’s rural or urban.Most VBS curriculum can be adapted to coincide with your church or denomination’s theology, but sometimes this can be difficult. For instance, if the words to some of the songs express a viewpoint that differs from your church’s theology, you’ll have to eliminate that song. Some curriculums include suggestions on how to lead a child to make a commitment to Christ. If that is something that isn’t done in your church, you’ll have to clarify that for your teachers.What sort of budget do you have? Will you be charging for VBS? Will you be able to get people to donate food and supplies or will you need to purchase them? There are free VBS curriculums available but most of the starter kits cost anywhere from $60 to $200. Will you be buying a lot of extras, such as student pages, decorations, craft kits, etc.? Consider having a joint VBS with one or more churches or find a church that’s doing their VBS at a different time than yours and you can share the cost of curriculum, decorations, etc.View the list »
The SonQuest Rainforest VBS kit from Gospel Light is just one of many choices available

General Religion newsletter

Choosing a curriculum for your Vacation Bible School, or VBS for short, may seem like an overwhelming task -- there are so many choices out there! Don't be dazzled by colorful artwork or the vast array of extras available. Take your time examining each curriculum and make your selection based on the following considerations.

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  • What sort of budget do you have? Will you be charging for VBS? Will you be able to get people to donate food and supplies or will you need to purchase them? There are free VBS curriculums available but most of the starter kits cost anywhere from $60 to $200. Will you be buying a lot of extras, such as student pages, decorations, craft kits, etc.? Consider having a joint VBS with one or more churches or find a church that’s doing their VBS at a different time than yours and you can share the cost of curriculum, decorations, etc.
  • Most VBS curriculum can be adapted to coincide with your church or denomination’s theology, but sometimes this can be difficult. For instance, if the words to some of the songs express a viewpoint that differs from your church’s theology, you’ll have to eliminate that song. Some curriculums include suggestions on how to lead a child to make a commitment to Christ. If that is something that isn’t done in your church, you’ll have to clarify that for your teachers.
  • The curriculum you select will also be based on what sort of students you expect to come to your VBS. Some curriculums are better if you have a lot of younger children and some work better with older kids. You might also want to consider your setting, such as whether it’s rural or urban.
  • It’s important to have a theme that you and your staff are excited about and that you think your children will enjoy. Some themes are also easier to decorate for than others. If you plan to come up with your own craft ideas, some themes may work better for this than others.
  • When selecting a curriculum the music is important, because unless you have talented musicians who can come up with their own music, the music is something that is difficult to change. Again, some curriculums have music that is more appealing to younger children and some have music that is better for older children. If you don’t have musicians then look for a curriculum that includes a music DVD.
  • This is a consideration, although most of the kits are pretty user-friendly. Almost all of them have a director's guide which may include such things as an overview of the program, scheduling options, staff training sessions, and reproducible letters to parents. 
  • Letting your potential students know about your VBS is important, so it’s helpful if the curriculum you select offers tools that make this job easier for you. 
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, General Religion Examiner

Debbie Kolacki is a certified Christian Educator and a Local Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church. She works as a consultant and purchaser at the Parish Resource Center in Rocky Point, NY, a non-denominational, education-based organization providing knowledgeable consultants, educational...

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