Planningdocs.cambridgesdachurch.co.uk/Kids/SkyVBS.secure/Planning...VBS—using diﬀ erent settings, times, or dates. Be creative, and choose the best VBS setting for your church

Planning

Planning

59

Ultimate Director Go-To Guide®

Planning Calendar 3 to 6 Months Before Sky

▶ Begin praying for your church’s Sky

VBS. Ask God to prepare the hearts of church members, workers, and children who will attend VBS.

▶ Choose a format for your

Sky VBS.

• Will you meet in the morning, afternoon, or evening?

• Will you meet every day for a week or once a week for several weeks?

• Will your program be for children only, or will entire families be invited to attend?

• Will you meet at your church or another location?

▶ Set Sky dates. As you’re considering dates, you may want to fi nd out about other summer programs off ered by your church or your community so you can avoid confl icts.

▶ Choose a Director . If you’re reading this manual, that’s you! The Director is responsible for planning, recruiting staff , and overseeing all details to ensure that Sky fl ows smoothly. For an even easier adventure, consider recruiting a Crew Leader director who will train, encourage, and check in on Crew Leaders throughout Sky. (Remember, your new favorite word is delegate!)

▶ Set a budget . Look through the entire Sky catalog to get an idea of what you’ll need for your program. Write down the cost of each item you’ll need, and then tally the total cost to set your budget. Your church may already include VBS in its budget. If your church doesn’t have a VBS budget in place, don’t worry! Money for a quality VBS program needn’t be a stumbling block. There are countless ways that you can easily (and painlessly) raise the funds you need. Consider the following ideas:

• Collect an off ering to cover expenses.

• Charge a per-child registration fee for Sky. Give discounts to families that register more than one child.

• Invite congregation members to “sponsor” children by contributing a per-child amount. (See page 146 in the Registration section for more specifi cs on this idea.) Now a program called Giving Spree VBS Registry™ is available on VBS P.R.O.™, Group’s online registration tool. Giving Spree makes sponsorship and supply collection easier than ever.

• Hold a creative fundraiser! Have a hammy volunteer walk around before and after church wearing a Sky T-shirt and holding a stuff ed eagle or toy airplane in a bucket. Ask members of the congregation to fi ll the basket with change. Your volunteer will get a workout walking with a bucket full of all those jingly coins!

Flight Instruction

We’ve heard from many directors

who have had terrifi c success with

simple creative fundraisers . (Some

nearly doubled their budgets!)

Remember, you’re providing a high-

quality children’s ministry event.

Don’t be nervous about

raising extra funds to

make your program

the best it can be. Ask

these fundraising fans

for advice on our forum

at forums.group.com!

Pilot Program PointerWe frequently hear from customers who hold a very nontraditional VBS—using diff erent settings, times, or dates. Be creative, and choose the best VBS setting for your church situation. Sky is ultrafl exible.

VBS FunShop is a hands-on training event where you can learn how to plan, coordinate, and execute your best VBS yet (with maximum effi ciency)! Plus, structured networking sessions help leaders coordinate sharing of larger, high-cost items. To fi nd a Sky FunShop in your area, go to group.com/vbs.

Training With a Twist!

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60

Planning

▶ Start collecting decorations. Look for toy airplanes, hot air balloons, puff y clouds, and colorful kites—or anything that might be in the sky, like birds or the sun, moon, and stars. You might even let members of your congregation know what you’re looking for so they can keep their eyes and ears open for potential decorations.

Come explore groupoutlet.com . We’ve gone crazy, and you’ll fi nd a universe full of Sky extras! Get gear to outfi t your staff and kids, such as T-shirts and aviator caps, decorating delights such as a huge Big Blue Sky Wall Hanging and Comfy Crew Clouds, and more VBS resources—great value and convenient one-stop shopping.

2 to 3 Months Before Sky

▶ Plan Sky publicity . Decide how you’ll promote Sky in your church and community. Refer to pages 74-79 in this section of the Director Guide for publicity ideas and resources.

▶ Set up a Sky website. Go to groupvbspro.com to access VBS P.R.O . Follow the easy steps to set up a website for your church’s Sky VBS.

▶ Encourage preregistration. With VBS P.R.O., families can register online from the comfort and convenience of their homes. Once your Sky website is up, paste your URL (that’s the Web address at the top of the screen) into your publicity items. Families can access your site and register, and staff members can fi ll out staff applications. And VBS P.R.O. makes it easy for you to place kids into Crews when they sign up.

▶ Begin recruiting Station Leaders. Use the recruiting helps detailed in the Recruiting section to swing through volunteer recruitment. The Recruiting section also includes bonus ideas that will captivate people’s hearts and minds while allowing you to fl ex those creative muscles (in an easy way—with great results). The photocopiable job descriptions make your job a breeze; just hand them out to prospective volunteers or post them on your church bulletin board.

Big Blue S yresources—great value and alue

2 to 3 Months Before Sky

p pp g

Flight Instruction

Directors tell us that after using

Group’s VBS, people come to them

to volunteer. This is a job that gets

easier every year!

Pilot Program PointerCheck out the Ultimate Director Go-To

Recruiting & Training DVD for fun recruiting commercials. Rounding up volunteers has never been easier!

61


▶ Network! Networking will stretch your time and dollars. Find other churches in your community that are doing Sky. Get together and brainstorm decorating, fundraising, and publicity ideas that will get your whole community excited about VBS. This year Group Publishing is sponsoring more than 100 VBS FunShop events around the country. VBS FunShops will be a time for networking, training, idea-sharing, and support. Go to group.com/vbs to fi nd a location near you. Or visit the VBS forum at forums.group.com, where you can gather ideas from Sky directors from around the world!

▶ Estimate your Sky enrollment. Use fi gures from your church’s Sunday school or fi gures from last year’s VBS program. Once you’ve estimated how many children will attend, fi gure out how many Crew Leaders you’ll need. You’ll need one adult or teenage Crew Leader for every fi ve children, including preschoolers. Be sure to have extra Crew Leaders ready when you need to form Crews for last-minute registrants.

▶ Order Sky materials . If you purchased the Sky Starter Kit , you already have a leader manual for every station and all the multimedia components you need. The Starter Kit also includes the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD, which includes fun Sky-themed clip art, customizable forms, and much more. You may want to order additional leader manuals for team teaching—and a copy of each leader manual for yourself, if you’d like.

Flight Instruction

In past fi eld tests, we’ve had so

many last-minute “walk-ins” that

our VBS Director stepped in as a

Crew Leader on Day 1…and kept

that role throughout the week.

Being a Crew Leader really is easy

and fun!

62

Planning

Important! People who have used Group’s VBS in the past tell us that their VBS programs are growing. To avoid stress and disappointment, order early and order extra! For every elementary-age child,

order one of these items:

□ set of iOpeners (one of the coolest student “books” you’ve ever seen!)

□ Sky name badge

□ set of Bible Memory Buddies®

□ Sky Box

□ Watch For God Wristband

□ Bugs Pray-er Clip

□ Imagination Station Sciency-Fun Gizmos:

• Hoverball• Fizzy Flier• Tube-A-Loon• Buddy Fly• Itty Bitty Bubble Bottle

For every Crew Leader, order one

of these items:

□ Sky name badge

□ Crew bag


□ set of iOpeners student cards (Crew Leaders practice these easy mini-devotions with kids)

For every preschooler, order one

of these items:

□ Preschool Bible Play Pack (includes stickers, Bible activity pages, and Bible stories)

□ Sky name badge

□ set of Bible Memory Buddies®

□ Sky Box

□ Watch For God Wristband


□ Imagination Station Sciency-Fun Gizmos:

• Hoverball• Fizzy Flier• Tube-A-Loon• Buddy Fly• Itty Bitty Bubble Bottle

Even if you’re planning a late-summer program, it’s not too early to order materials. As you update your registration count, you can order additional student supplies as needed.

activity

ddies®

d

ency-

e

ate-too s you ount, tudent

Important!

63


▶ Explore your church facilities . You’ll want to be deliberate in selecting your station areas. If your plans involve more than 150 children, run two or more simultaneous stations. For more information on how to do this, see pages 30-32. You’ll need to set up a separate room or area for each station. Use the following guidelines.

Up & Away Sing & Play

• large room to accommodate entire VBS (possibly a sanctuary or fellowship hall)

• sound system/microphone

• CD player and electric outlet to play the Up & Away Sing & Play CD (or use the sound system)

• DVD player and large screen (to play the Buddy intros and the sunny and stormy skies video clips)

Imagination Station

• classroom to accommodate one-fourth of the elementary-age kids

• 1 or 2 low tables (helpful for supplies)

• multiple electric outlets for fans on Day 1

• CD player (optional)

Sky High Movie & Missions

• classroom to accommodate one-fourth of the elementary-age kids (helpful if room can be darkened)

• TV and DVD player and electric outlet

Skydive Diner

• large room to accommodate entire VBS (possibly a fellowship hall or gymnasium)

• sound system with microphone

• church kitchen or other (preferably uncarpeted) area where kids can make snacks

• enough tables for each of the snack service Crews to work and to place completed snacks (one-fourth of the VBS Crews report for snack service each day)

All-Star Games and Spotlight VBS™

• room or outdoor area to accommodate one-fourth of the elementary-age kids (a fellowship hall, gymnasium, or lawn)

• room enough for children to run around

• CD player and electric outlet or extension cord if using the Up & Away Sing & Play Music CD

Pilot Program PointerIf the weather is nice, children could pick up their snacks inside, and after they pray together and learn the meaning of the snack, go outside to eat. You’ll fi nd this is less messy, gives children the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine, and provides a few crumbs for the birds!

Flight Instruction

During Imagination Station, we

found that it’s easier for children

to work on the fl oor rather than

at tables. You may want to have a

few chairs for Crew Leaders who

need them.

Pilot Program PointerRemember, during Sky High Movie & Missions, kids will need ample space between their Crews. In close quarters, kids will be bumping into other Crews, making it nearly impossible for them to focus on the life application discussions. A good guideline is to estimate that you’ll need at least 3 feet of space between one Crew and another. If your classrooms are small, divide into two smaller rooms so children can stretch out and have some privacy for discussion within their Crews. It will make a world of diff erence!

64

Planning

Wild Blue Bible Adventures

• classroom to accommodate one-fourth of the elementary-age kids and that can be darkened (since the Wild Blue Bible Adventures room requires “sets,” it’s helpful if this room can be undisturbed for the entire Sky time)

• classroom that’s in a quiet area of your facility (helpful for storytelling)

• CD player and electric outlet

Fly Away Finale

• large room to accommodate entire VBS (possibly a sanctuary or fellowship hall—could use the same room as Up & Away Sing & Play)

• sound system/microphone

• CD player and electric outlet

• DVD player and large screen (for showing the Up & Away Sing & Play Music DVD and Spotlight VBS presentation)

• stage or large platform (helpful)

Preschool Treehouse

• classrooms to accommodate all preschoolers for Bible Adventures & Missions

• 3 additional classrooms or outdoor areas for Games, Craft & Play, and Chadder’s Theater (large enough to accommodate one-third of the preschoolers at a time)

• TV and DVD player and electric outlet for Chadder’s Theater

• restroom facilities in room or nearby

• child-sized furniture

• preschool toys such as blocks, modeling dough, dress-up clothes, and stuff ed animals

▶ Plan and schedule a staff training meeting. Read through “Staff Training Meeting” in the Recruiting & Staff Training section of this Director Guide. Staff training incorporates the Ultimate Go-To Recruiting & Training DVD , which contains clips from the Sky fi eld test. Your Station Leaders will enjoy seeing Sky in action. Be sure to include Crew Leaders in your training so they can better understand their role. The DVD is fi lled with helpful, practical tips to make Station Leaders and Crew Leaders the best staff around. Plan to meet for at least two hours.

Pilot Program PointerIf you can’t arrange for all your leaders to make it to the staff training meeting, consider videotaping the meeting. Send copies of the videotape to volunteers who couldn’t come. If you can’t videotape the session, send the Ultimate Go-To

Recruiting & Training DVD to your leaders to help them better prepare for their roles.

Planning

in your training so they can better understand their role. The DVD isfi lled with helpful, practical tips to make Station Leaders and Crew Leaders the best staff around. Plan to meet for at least two hours.

leaders to make imeeting, considethe meeting. Senvideotape to volucome. If you can’tsession, send theRecruiting & Train

leaders to help thfor their roles.

65


8 Weeks Before Sky

▶ Begin recruiting Crew Leaders. Crew Leaders are like older brothers and sisters in the Crew family. They aren’t responsible for teaching, and they don’t have to prepare anything. Crew Leaders can be teenagers, college students, parents, or grandparents. They need only to love the Lord and love children. For more information on recruiting, see the Recruiting section of this Director Guide.

Crew Leaders should plan to participate in Sky for the entire adventure. If they need to be absent one or more days, encourage them to fi nd their own substitutes.

▶ Begin publicity . Fill in your program’s dates and times on a Sky giant outdoor banner (available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier). Display the banner in a prominent outdoor location. (There are three diff erent banner designs—choose the one that works best for your church!)

Hang Sky publicity posters (available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier) in your church and community.

Show the all-church commercial from the Ultimate Go-To Recruiting & Training DVD during a worship service or other church gathering. This short segment gives people a glimpse of how Sky works and what kids will learn at this awesome VBS. Use this DVD to help build enthusiasm, recruit volunteers, and promote attendance for your program. Be sure to follow up each video by telling the congregation how excited you are about the program!

▶ Begin gathering supplies . Refer to the “Sky Master Supply List” beginning on page 80. (Note: Some stations may not require all the supplies listed, since Station Leaders can choose which activities they would like to do.) Consult with Station Leaders to inform them of how you’ll handle supply collection. Will you gather all supplies, or will each leader gather his or her own supplies? You may want to ask church members to help with food supplies (such as making Jello-O jigglers or purchasing ice cream cups) and to donate or lend items such as decorations.

▶ Plan your Sky schedule . The average VBS program runs for up to three hours each day. Group’s Sky materials have been developed with these parameters in mind. For a three-hour program, Up & Away Sing & Play and Fly Away Finale should last 25 minutes each, and every other station should last 20 minutes. See the daily schedules beginning on page 91 to see how this works. If your program will meet for more or less time than three hours each day, you’ll need to adapt these times accordingly.

Pilot Program PointerTrimming time from Sky VBS doesn’t have to be a challenge. You can shave a few minutes from Up & Away Sing & Play and Fly Away Finale by simply reducing the number of songs kids sing. (But don’t cut the singing completely!) Cut back on travel time between stations, as well as the time needed for kids to eat snacks. Please don’t cut out important things like Wild Blue Bible Adventures (where kids make important life application connections) or Operation Kid-to-Kid (which allows kids to share God’s love in a tangible way). Each element of this program is there for a reason. Cutting out these elements is like throwing away pieces of a puzzle.

w

throwing

66

Planning

4 Weeks Before Sky

▶ Recruit additional volunteers. In addition to Station Leaders and Crew Leaders, you may want to recruit volunteers to help with registration, transportation, and child care for the staff . Refer to the Recruiting section for more ideas.

▶ Get your congregation excited about Operation

Kid-to-Kid™. Check out the Operation Kid-to-Kid section of this Director Guide to fi nd easy ways to get everyone involved with this mission project.

▶ Continue publicity . Use the clip art on the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD set to create your own invitation postcards or doorknob danglers, and distribute them in your neighborhood. Include your church’s name and when your Sky VBS will begin. Be sure to direct people to your Sky website for easy registration.

▶ Continue preregistration . Photocopy the Sky registration form in the Registration section. Insert copies in your church bulletins, distribute copies in Sunday school classes, and keep a supply in your church offi ce. Encourage parents from your church to preregister their children and their children’s friends. (Remember, when families register online, you can use your VBS P.R.O.™ to put them into Crews, making your job even easier.) You can also e-mail the registration form from the Clip Art & Resources CD. Preregistration makes your fi rst day more manageable.

▶ Hold the scheduled staff training meeting. Plan to meet in a large room where you’ll be able to try out some Sky snacks and activities. Before the meeting, set up a TV and DVD player, and decorate the room using the suggestions in the Staff Training section. Bring the station leader manuals and Crew Leader Guides to hand out to your volunteers. (You can make photocopies of the “For Crew Leaders Only” handouts on pages 126-129 of this Director Guide, or print color copies of the Crew Leader Guides from the Clip Art & Resources CD.)

▶ Meet with each Station Leader. It’s a good idea to touch base with each Station Leader on a one-on-one basis. Take each person to lunch or out for ice cream or simply go for a walk together as you discuss what supplies the leader needs, what concerns he or she may have, or any aspects of the program that are not clear. This will not only prevent miscommunication but also help your volunteers know how much you appreciate them.

Important Training Info Although Station Leaders may want to add their fl air or creativity to an activity or drama, encourage them to stick as closely as possible to the written material. Remind your staff members that each element of the Sky program has been designed to fi t with the others—sort of like a jigsaw puzzle. Remember, we want to make VBS easy for your staff . There’s no need to re-create or reinvent the wheel!

Important Training Info

Pilot Program PointerTo get more kids preregistered, you might off er incentives. For example, provide a Sky T-shirt or an Up & Away

Sing & Play Music CD for each child who registers early. Or fi ll a large jar with rainbow-colored jelly beans. Children who preregister can submit a guess as to how many candies are in the jar. (The winner gets to keep the entire jar of candy! Yum!) These incentives will build enthusiasm for your VBS, too.

67


▶ Provide Sky information to your

church offi ce. Community fl yers are available on page 78 of this Director Guide or in the “Publicity Helps” section of the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD. Just fi ll in your church’s information, and photocopy a stack of completed fl yers on bright-colored paper to put in your church offi ce. Someone in the offi ce can refer to the fl yers if people call with questions about your program and can distribute fl yers to people who stop by the offi ce.

If your church has a phone answering machine, you may also want to include Sky information in your recorded message. If your church has its own website, be sure to add Sky information there, too.

2 Weeks Before Sky

▶ Check your registration count. Visit VBS P.R.O. for an instant registration count. Make sure you have enough iOpeners for each elementary child to have one. Order extras, just in case—many churches experience last-minute additions, fi rst-day surprises, and unexpected increases as kids bring their friends throughout the week. Also double-check that you have enough Crew Leaders, assigning one Crew Leader to each group of fi ve children.

▶ Check your supply collection. Make a fi nal announcement, or put a fi nal supply list in your church bulletin . Gather or purchase additional supplies as necessary.

▶ Continue publicity . Send copies of a news release to your local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations. Announce Sky VBS in worship services and other church gatherings. Put VBS information inserts in your church’s worship bulletins. You’ll fi nd a news release template on the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD, along with colorful bulletin inserts, and use the snazzy Sky-themed clip art to create fl yers, posters, newspaper ads, and more.

Show the “All-Church Commercial” video clip on the Ultimate Go-To Recruiting & Training DVD again. Before your worship service, have a few volunteers perform a fun Sky publicity skit (p. 79).

▶ Make backup and emergency plans . What if it rains during your program? Plan in advance how you’ll handle bad weather. You may also want to line up backup Crew Leaders in case some drop out. Inform Station Leaders and Crew Leaders of procedures to follow if there’s a fi re or other emergency.

n. s

Pilot Program PointerIt’s a good idea to line up a few extra Crew Leaders who will be available on Day 1—it’s likely you’ll have lots of walk-in registrants. Remember, kids and leaders will have greater success if Crews don’t get larger than fi ve kids. Be sure these Crew Leaders arrive early on Day 1 so they can step in if necessary. (Because no preparation is needed for Crew Leaders, it’s easy for people to step in at any point.)

68

Planning

1 Week Before Sky

▶ Dedicate Sky staff . Introduce Station Leaders, Crew Leaders, and other volunteers during your church service. Then have your pastor or other church members pray that God will use these workers to touch kids’ lives with his love during Sky VBS.

▶ Assign kids to Crews. Use VBS P.R.O. to easily set up Crews. If you’re not using VBS P.R.O., photocopy the “Crew Rosters ” list on page 160 or use the editable roster forms on the clip art CD. You’ll need one roster for each Crew. Using the preregistration forms you’ve received, assign children to elementary and preschool Crews. Each Crew should have no more than fi ve children and one adult or teenage Crew Leader. See the Registration section of this Director Guide for step-by-step instructions on assigning kids to Crews and putting Crews into groups for your Sky VBS.

▶ Meet with Station Leaders again. Check with leaders to make sure they have all the required supplies, and answer any questions they may have. Work together to smooth out any last-minute details.

▶ Decide when and where Station Leaders and Crew Leaders will

meet each day. It’s a good idea to have your staff arrive early on Day 1 to greet children and assist with registration. Be sure each Crew Leader has a large sign with his or her Crew number or Crew name written on it.

▶ Help Station Leaders decorate their rooms. Use the decorating ideas found in the colorful VBS catalog or leader manuals to turn your church into an amazing universe, fi lled with puff y clouds, shiny stars, lightning bolts, and more! (Be sure to check out groupoutlet.com for the hottest decorations around…aff ordable and convenient!)

During Sky

▶ Register new children. Make sure you have plenty of workers on hand to register kids the fi rst day. (This is an excellent way to use volunteers who aren’t available to help the entire week.) Set up separate registration sites for preregistration check-in and walk-in registration. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the Registration section of this Director Go-To Guide.

After Day 1, maintain a registration table to register kids who join your program midweek.

▶ Meet with Crew Leaders during Up & Away

Sing & Play . Each day, the Up & Away Sing & Play Leader will excuse Crew Leaders for a quick huddle and prayer with you outside the Up & Away Sing & Play area. This is a great time to ask Crew Leaders if they have any needs or concerns, to make last-minute announcements or schedule changes, and to encourage your Crew Leaders. Lead a prayer, asking God to bless your day, protect everyone, and give all leaders wisdom as they work with each child.

Pilot Program PointerWe’ve received countless letters from Group VBS customers who have admitted they were skeptical about forming combined-age Crews . But when these customers took a leap of faith and tried Crews with mixed ages, they were amazed at how well they worked. Most people noted a decline in discipline problems, an increase in cooperation, and a special bonding among Crew members.

Flight Instruction

This isn’t from our fi eld test but

from a VBS director who frequents

our online forum. At each day’s

“huddle and prayer,” she reminds

the Crew Leaders that the kids in

these Crews may not have heard

one kind or affi rming word all

day. She encourages her Crew

Leaders to speak God’s love to each

child. This director says it makes a

huge diff erence in the way Crew

Leaders treat and speak to the kids.

Great idea!

PlPlanananninin ngngngngngngngngngngngng

fter Day 1, maintain a registration table to register kids who join your ogram midweek.

eet with Crew Leaders during Up & Away

ng & Play. Each day, the Up & Away SingPlay Leader will excuse Crew Leaders r a quick huddle and prayer with

ou outside the Up & Away Sing & ay area. This is a great time to k Crew Leaders if they have

ny needs or concerns, to make st-minute announcements schedule changes, and to

ncourage your Crew Leaders. ad a prayer, asking God to ess your day, protect everyone,

nd give all leaders wisdom as they ork with each child.

Leaders treat and speak to the kids. Leade s t eat and s eak o the kid .Leaders treat and speak to the kids. L ade s t eat and s eak o the kid .LeLGreat idea!Grea de !Great idea!Grea de !

69


▶ Meet with Station Leaders and Crew Leaders after each day’s

program. Check in with all Sky staff to see what went smoothly and what could be improved for future days. Be prepared to change schedules, rooms, or procedures. You may even need to reassign some Crews. Work together to make any necessary changes to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

▶ Attend Up & Away Sing & Play and Fly Away Finale each day.

These opening and closing activities provide opportunities for children to see you and to identify you as the Director. Use this time to make any announcements you would like everyone to hear. The Up & Away Sing & Play Leader also may call on you to pray before dismissing kids to their stations.

▶ Peek into as many stations as you can. We visit a variety of VBS programs every year, and we’re amazed at how many directors don’t really know what’s happening in the stations. While you don’t need to hover over the kids or make your Station Leaders nervous, it’s important to know that leaders are following your guidelines.

▶ Make sure all Station Leaders and Crew

Leaders are present each day. Arrange for substitutes, if necessary. If you’re in a pinch for Crew Leaders, ask the Up & Away Sing & Play and Fly Away Finale Leader to fi ll in—or appoint yourself Crew Leader for a day.

▶ Make sure Station Leaders and Crew

Leaders have the supplies they need each day. Have a runner available to collect or purchase additional supplies, if necessary.

▶ Stock and maintain a fi rst-aid site. Keep a good supply of adhesive bandages and fi rst-aid ointment on hand, along with phone numbers for local clinics and hospitals. Keep photocopies of kids’ registration forms near your fi rst-aid site. You can use the forms to check for allergies or other health concerns and contact information in case of

emergency. Be sure to tell your Crew Leaders of any allergies or

special needs, too.

▶ Keep an eye on Crews.

You may notice that some Crew Leaders just

aren’t tuning in to their Crew members and

you need to reassign a few volunteers to

more suitable jobs. Or if a Crew Leader is struggling

with a group that suddenly grew, split the Crew into two

more manageable groups. A “heads-up” attitude will make this

VBS experience the best for each child involved.

Flight Instruction

During our fi eld test, our staff and

Crew Leaders met each afternoon

for prayer and lunch and to talk

about the highlights of the day. This

was a fun time for volunteers to

relax and share stories about what

had happened at their stations or

about what the kids in their Crews

said or did. Not only did we glean

important information (to include

in the fi nished program) but it also

gave everyone a peek at the other

fun things going on at Sky.

Pilot Program PointerIt’s important to check your registration forms for any mention of food allergies. Let the Skydive Diner Leader know as soon as possible so he or she can provide alternative snacks, if necessary.

e

Flight Instruction

In our fi eld test, it worked well to

have Crew Leaders arrive at least

10 to 15 minutes early each day

(even earlier on the fi rst day). Crew

Leaders checked their Crew bags

for necessary supplies and then

waited in their Crew areas in Up &

Away Sing & Play. This made it easy

for kids to fi nd their Crew Leaders

and settle in right away. Crank up

the VBS music so the waiting is

extra fun!


for local clinics and hospitals. Keep photocopies of kidsforms near your fi rst-aid site. You can use the forms to callergies or other health concerns and contact informat

emergency. Be suCrew Leaders of

special needs, t

▶ Keep an

You may nsome Cre

aren’t tuCrew m

you neea few volu

more suitaba Crew Leade

with a group thgrew, split the Cr

more manageable“heads-up” attitude

VBS experience the child involved.

gram Pointeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrro check your ms for any mention of Let the Skydive Diner s soon as possible so he ide alternative snacks,

70

Planning

▶ Prepare Sky completion certifi cates . Fill out a certifi cate for each child and volunteer! You’ll fi nd a editable colorful completion certifi cate in the “Program Resources” section of the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD.

▶ Send the memories home! We’ve heard it again and again: “My kids can’t stop singing those songs!” Plan to provide (or sell) Up & Away Sing & Play Music CDs and DVDs for the kids at your program. Set up a table with information on how to obtain Up & Away Sing & Play media items outside your Fly Away Finale area. (One church we visited already had them available at the registration table on the fi rst day—great idea!)

After Sky

▶ Collect reusable leftover supplies. Store the supplies in your church’s supply closet or resource room for use in future VBS programs or other children’s ministry events. If you borrowed supplies, such as pool noodles, buckets, or CD players, return them to their owners.

▶ Send your Operation Kid-to-Kid donation and Friendship

Cards to Group Cares. (The Fly Away Finale Leader may have the donations and cards from the Day 5 program.) For more information, see the Operation Kid-to-Kid section of this Director Guide.

▶ Leave rooms decorated for your next church service. If outreach was an emphasis during Sky, you’ll be pleased when visitors from your VBS program come for church. They’ll feel more comfortable returning to a familiar environment. Church members will enjoy getting a glimpse of Sky, and everyone who participated in your awesome program will love remembering the high fl yin’ fun they had at this VBS!

▶ Follow up after VBS ends. See the additional follow-up ideas in the “Sky & Beyond” section of this Director Guide.

Planning

71


When and Where to Have VBS Options for Sky Locations

If your church has put on VBS programs before, you probably have a good idea of the times and settings that work best in your situation. Use the suggested settings listed below to spark creativity as you plan your Sky!

▶ Your church—Many VBS programs are held in local churches. With this approach, you control the facilities, you have many rooms available, and the facility is familiar to church members. It gives visitors who come to Sky the opportunity to actually visit your church site. (If your church facility isn’t large enough, consider teaming up with another local church that might have more room. You’ll double your resources and have twice the impact, while showing kids that God’s family can do great things when we work together!)

▶ A local park—Kids love being outdoors, and parks draw children who wouldn’t normally attend a VBS program. Check with your local parks and recreation department to see about reserving a park or campground for your Sky. Church, YMCA, and scout camps provide ideal outdoor settings since they usually have electricity available. Consider renting a large tent or canopy to use in your outdoor setting.

▶ Inner city—Turn your Sky program into an inner city outreach opportunity. Invite kids from your church to join kids in an inner city church or neighborhood setting. Even if you use only portions of the Sky materials, you’ll help needy children and their families understand God’s love.

▶ A local school—Since most schools lie dormant for the majority of the summer, consider using their facilities for your program. If public schools are busy with summer classes, check out Christian school facilities in your area.

▶ A backyard or home—Backyard Bible clubs are a wonderful way to build relationships and a sense of community in your neighborhood. Up & Away Sing & Play and Fly Away Finale can take place in the backyard, while other stations rotate through the dining room, living room, basement, or canopy tents. With a little creativity, you can welcome a small number of children into your home to hear the good news of God’s love!

Ultimate Dire

Take a “beak” at all the ways you can use Sky! It’s so flexible, you can choose the program that’s best for your church.

72

Planning

Options for Sky Times

Consider these options for times to hold your Sky VBS.

▶ Weekday mornings—Many programs are held for fi ve consecutive weekday mornings. Kids have plenty of energy, and the summer sun isn’t quite as hot as in the afternoon. For a change of pace, you could even plan to hold a morning program during your students’ spring break.

▶ Weekday afternoons—Afternoons may be a new option for many churches, but we’ve heard from directors who say it’s the best. Preschoolers have had naps, older kids are done with morning soccer practice, and everyone is ready for fun!

▶ Weekday evenings—Since many church members work during the day, some churches fi nd it easier to staff an evening program. This could be a special program that you hold for fi ve consecutive evenings, or it could take the place of an existing midweek program. If you hold your Sky program in the evening, you may want to include families. You can off er separate programming for parents and teenagers or include them in Sky VBS as full-fl edged participants and Crew Leaders. Church members of all ages will enjoy visiting the stations. Each family can form its own Crew, or you can mix families and enlist parents as Crew Leaders. If you invite families, you’ll want to provide child care for children younger than 3 years old.

▶ Midweek clubs—If your church has a midweek club or another weekly children’s program, you may want to use the Sky materials for fi ve consecutive weeks. If you use Sky during a regularly scheduled midweek program, you’ll probably have Station Leaders already in place. Just assign Crews and recruit Crew Leaders, and you’ll be ready to start the adventure!

▶ Day camp—Extend Sky to a half-day day camp for kids in your community. (Again, consider holding your day camp during spring break.) We’ve provided extra crafts, plenty of games, and lots of upbeat songs to keep children actively learning Bible truths…and having a great time!

▶ Sunday mornings—Hold Sky during your normal Sunday school or children’s church time. This is a great change of pace for summer for both kids and children’s workers. And it’s a wonderful way for families to participate.

▶ Weekend retreat—Invite children or whole families to participate in a weekend retreat held at your church or a local camp. Schedule Day 1 activities for Saturday morning, Days 2 and 3 for Saturday afternoon (after lunch), Day 4 for Saturday evening (after dinner), and Day 5 for Sunday morning.

▶ Ten-day VBS—Some churches like to do a full two-week program. There’s plenty of material in your Sky leader packs to do just that. You’ll cover each Bible story and Point two days in a row. The fi rst day, kids will go to Wild Blue Bible Adventure but not Sky High Movie & Missions. On the second day, kids won’t have Wild Blue Bible Adventures, but they will attend Sky High Movie & Missions. Kids will have an even easier time remembering the awesome, life-changing Bible truths.

For a Super Evening Program…

▶ Start early so young children won’t get too tired.

▶ Consider beginning each session with a simple meal. Recruit a kitchen team to organize potlucks or prepare simple meals such as hot dogs or frozen pizzas. If your church has a lawn or grassy area nearby, you may even want to barbecue. Families will enjoy this casual interaction time, and you’ll be able to start your program earlier.

▶ Make sure children who attend without their families have safe transportation to and from Sky VBS. Don’t allow children to walk home alone in the dark, even if they live nearby.

▶ Families come in all shapes and sizes. Be sensitive to single-parent families, childless couples, and children who come alone. You may want to assign family members to separate Crews to avoid drawing attention to family diff erences.

73


PublicityPromoting Sky in Your Church and Community

You’ve pored through the entire Sky Ultimate Director Go-To Guide and put your plans in motion for an awesome Sky VBS to show kids that everything is possible with God! Now it’s time to promote your program.

You might consider handing off the job of publicizing your Sky VBS to a publicity coordinator. This person could coordinate publicity before and during your Sky. This might include selecting publicity supplies, planning outreach publicity campaigns, contacting church and community members, or arranging for community news releases. (TV coverage on Day 5 would be a super way to tell your community about Operation Kid-to-Kid!)

We’ve provided a number of helpful tools for you (or your publicity coordinator) to help get parents and kids in your church and community excited about the fun that awaits them at Sky VBS.

Publicity Helps in This Director Guide

▶ Planning calendar—Use the planning calendar on pages 60-71 to guide your publicity timeline.

▶ Parent invitation—On page 77, we’ve provided an invitation to parents. Just fi ll in your church’s information, and mail the invitations to parents in your church or your community. (You’ll also fi nd the invitations in color on the clip art CD.)

▶ Publicity skit—Ask for volunteers to perform the fun publicity skit on page 79 for your church congregation. The skit will give everyone a preview of the fun and excitement they can be a part of at Sky.

Promotional Resources on the Director DVD

▶ All-Church Commercial—In addition to being a great leader training resource, the Ultimate Director Go-To Recruiting & Training DVD provides you with a “teaser” to show your congregation. This brief video clip gives church members a sneak peek at Imagination Station Sciency-Fun Gizmos™, scrumptious Skydive Diner, and exciting Bible learning that will take place at Sky VBS.

▶ Operation Kid-to-Kid Info—Publicize the mission project of providing mosquito nets to at-risk children in the African country of Mali.

Publicity Tools on the Clip Art CD

▶ Clip art—You’ll fi nd fun, eye-catching clip art on the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD, which is included in the Sky Starter Kit. Use your computer expertise (or involve a volunteer computer whiz to help you) to create dazzling publicity items or jazz up your church’s website. All clip art on the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD and on our webpage is owned by Group Publishing, Inc. Please note that you have our permission to use these images to promote Sky VBS for your own church only.

P

Dear Parents: Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?At Sky, kids discover that everything is possible with God! Sky is filled with incredible Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! Sciency-Fun Gizmos™, team-building games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats are just a few of the Sky activities that help faith flow into real life. (Since everything is hands-on, kids might get a little messy. Be sure to send them in play clothes and safe shoes.) Plus, we’ll help kids discover how to see evidence of God in everyday life—something we call God Sightings. Get ready to hear that phrase a lot!

Your kids will also participate in a hands-on mission project, through a program called Operation Kid-to-Kid™, that will let the kids in our community show God’s love to children in Mali, Africa.

Parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to join us in “First-Class Seating” section each day at ____________________, because that’s when we’ll be having Fly Away Finale—a daily celebration of God’s love you won’t want to miss.

So mark these dates on your calendar:_______________________________________. The fun starts at _____________________ and will end at ______________________. Call this number ____________________________ to register your children for this life-changing adventure! Or use VBS P.R.O. to register online!

Sincerely,

Your Sky VBS Director

Permission to photocopy this resource from Group’s Sky Ultimate Director Go-To Guide granted for local church use. Copyright © 2012 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO. group.com/vbs

79

Planning

PrP

74

Planning

▶ Bulletin inserts—Distribute information to everyone who attends your church. Just fi ll in your church’s information on these colorful inserts, print them out, and put them into your church bulletins. To help you conserve paper, we’ve included two bulletin inserts on a single page.

▶ Community fl yer—Make copies of the community fl yer, and post them in local libraries, restaurants, museums, grocery stores, self-service laundries, parks, recreation centers, banks, shopping malls, and schools. Be sure to get permission before posting the fl yers. You may also want to check with church members who own businesses in your community. They may be willing to post fl yers at their businesses, and they may even suggest additional business owners you can contact.

▶ News release—Send a news release to local newspapers and radio and TV stations who broadcast area events.

▶ Parent invitation—With this editable PDF form (in full color), just fi ll in your VBS dates and times, and e-mail invitations to parents of children in your church or who attended VBS last year.

Helpful Items in the Sky Catalog

You can purchase more publicity items from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier to help you publicize your VBS. Refer to your Sky catalog for photos and prices on the following.

▶ Up & Away Music CD (or DVD)—Give everyone a head start on learning the fun songs for Sky VBS! Play these incredible, high-quality songs in your Sunday school classes or your other children’s ministry programs. (With our volume discounts, you can use these items as an easy fundraiser.)

▶ Sky publicity posters —Hang these eye-catching posters on church or community bulletin boards to publicize your program. Be sure to include the name and phone number of someone to contact for more information.

If you’re hanging a poster in your church, surround it with photographs from last year’s program. When parents and kids remember the fun they had last year, they’ll be eager to come back for even more Bible-learning fun at Sky VBS.

Pilot Program PointerWe’ve heard that some Chick-fi l-A restaurants will hang VBS posters in their restrooms. Check out restaurants in your area to see if they’d be willing to help publicize your Sky VBS. It never hurts to ask!

75


▶ Giant outdoor theme banners —Announce Sky to your entire neighborhood by hanging a durable, weatherproof banner outside your church. If parents are looking for summer activities for their kids, they’ll know right away that your church has a program to meet their needs. And now you can choose from three designs so your church’s Sky program really stands out!

▶ Sky T-shirts—Invite Sky team members to wear their staff T-shirtsto church events in the weeks preceding your program. You may also want to purchase a few iron-on transfers ahead of time and encourage children to put them on T-shirts to wear at school or in their neighborhoods.

program really stands out!

-shi

urchwanurane

▶ Sky T-

to chualso wencoutheir n

Pilot Program PointerWe’ve received many letters from VBS directors who entered a VBS fl oat in a local parade. Consider creating a fl oat that’s decorated as a Sky celebration. Have kids and adults decked out in Chadder or aviator costumes! Or let kids toss Bible Memory Buddies into the crowd. Blast the Up & Away Sing & Play music as you “fl oat” by. What a fun way to alert the community about your Sky VBS!

76

Dear Parents: Ready for the adventure of a lifetime?

At Sky, kids discover that everything is possible with God! Sky is filled with incredible

Bible-learning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! Sciency-Fun Gizmos™,

team-building games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats are just a few of the Sky

activities that help faith flow into real life. (Since everything is hands-on, kids might get

a little messy. Be sure to send them in play clothes and safe shoes.) Plus, we’ll help kids

discover how to see evidence of God in everyday life—something we call God Sightings.

Get ready to hear that phrase a lot!

Your kids will also participate in a hands-on mission project, through a program called

Operation Kid-to-Kid™, that will let the kids in our community show God’s love to children

in Mali, Africa.

Parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to join us in “First-Class Seating” section each

day at ____________________, because that’s when we’ll be having Fly Away Finale—a

daily celebration of God’s love you won’t want to miss.

So mark these dates on your calendar:_______________________________________.

The fun starts at _____________________ and will end at ______________________.

Call this number ____________________________ to register your children for this

life-changing adventure! Or use VBS P.R.O. to register online!

Sincerely,

Your Sky VBS Director

Permission to photocopy this resource from Group’s Sky VBS granted for local church use. Copyright © 2012 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO. group.com/vbs

Planning 77

New friends ▶ Amazing experiments ▶ Wild games Lip-smacking snacks ▶ Surprising adventures ▶ Incredible music

Location: _______________________________________________________________ (church name)

VBS will last from: _______________________________________________________ (VBS dates)

Each day’s fun begins at: _________________________________________________ (VBS starting time)

The VBS day ends at: _____________________________________________________ (VBS ending time)

For more information, call: _______________________________________________ (church phone number)

The Sky’s the Limit!


78 Ultimate Director Go-To Guide®

Planning

Publicity Skit Have a few volunteers perform this skit before a worship service, during your announcements, at a midweek program, or during children’s church or Sunday school.

(Shannon enters, wearing a Sky Staff T-shirt and carrying several Comfy Crew Clouds. She’s singing the song “Fly” as she surveys the fl oor for the best place to place the cloud seats. Mike enters, wearing Hawaiian shirt and shorts, lugging suitcases, and carrying all the other gear.)

Mike: (Dropping some of his stuff and excitedly saying to Shannon) I hope I’m not late! I’m packed and ready to go! I printed my boarding pass, and I have my offi cial government-issued form of identifi cation, and…

Shannon: (Stops what she’s doing.) Hi, Mike! Are you going on a trip? Wow, that’s a lot of stuff !

Mike: (Dropping more of his gear and looking around) I’m ready for my vacation. You know—off into the wild blue yonder. It’s time to fl y those friendly skies!

Shannon: (Looks bewildered.) Um…Mike…are you by any chance talking about all the Sky signs and decorations around the church?

Mike: Yes! I saw the signs for Sky, and I fi gured I must have won one of those sweepstakes I’m always entering. It’s so cool of the church to give me such a big send-off ! Because I sure do need a vacation! (Spreads arms and pretends to fl y.)

Shannon: (Shaking her head.) Uh, yes, I can see that. But all the Sky decorations are for our Sky VBS! It’s going to be so amazing!

mike: (Looking disappointed) But…do you mean I’m not going to fl y the friendly skies?

Shannon: (Puts her arm around Mike’s shoulder.) Well, we are all friendly…and our VBS theme is Sky. So why don’t you just come with me, and I’ll show you a way you can help? It really is going to be awesome!

Mike: (Gathering his gear) Well, OK…but will there be snacks ? I was looking forward to those little bags of peanuts they give you…oh, wait, they don’t even give you those anymore!

Shannon: (Leading Mike off stage) Yes, there will be snacks. And they’ll be way better than little bags of peanuts! And there will be games, and such cool music, and amazing Bible stories, and experiments, and…

Have your pastor or Sky Director come up to give the details of the dates and times of your Sky VBS and how to register kids or sign up to volunteer.

Props:

▶ Sky Staff T-shirt*

▶ Comfy Crew Clouds**

▶ large suitcases

▶ Hawaiian shirt

▶ sunglasses

▶ suntan lotion

▶ map

▶ camera with strap

* available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier

** available at groupoutlet.com

Permission to photocopy this resource from Group’s Sky VBS granted for local church use.

Copyright © 2012 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO. group.com/vbs

79


Master Supply ListStation Every day you’ll use… Day 1 Day 2

UP

& A

WA

Y S

ING

& P

LA

Y Sky Squawker*; Bible; Up & Away Sing

& Play Music Leader Version CD*; Up & Away Sing & Play DVD*; CD/DVD player; microphone/sound system; scissors; Bible Point Posters*; set of iOpeners* cards; Watch For God Wristband; tape; marker; Flash Skyrunner skits and props (optional)

WIL

D B

LU

E B

IBL

E

AD

VE

NT

UR

ES

Bible; tape or tacks; colored sheets or fabric; plastic greenery; cardboard tubes; Sky Squawker*

baskets of crayons or markers (1 per Crew per rotation); plain paper; large paper grocery bags; newspaper or newsprint; large sheets of cardboard; bed sheet; helper (optional)

rolls of white crepe paper; large blocks (or paper-bag blocks); roll of black plastic; small pillow; washcloths (1 per rotation); small paper bag with “smelly” cheese inside; small box with a few stones inside

IMA

GIN

AT

ION

ST

AT

ION

Test Tube Talk-Starter Kits* (1 per Crew); Talk-Starter Beads** (1 pkg. of blue, 1 pkg. of orange); plastic containers with lids (1 per Crew); fine-tipped permanent markers; resealable plastic sandwich bags (1 per child per day, plus 1 per Crew); “Fly Home & Try It” Sticker Sheets* (1 sheet per child); Imagination Station Poster Pack**; Starry Night Plastic Backdrop** (optional); tape or tacks; Up & Away Sing & Play Music CD* and CD player (optional)

Hoverballs* (1 per child); hair dryers (1 per Crew per rotation); extension cords; inflatable beach balls (1 per Crew per rotation); fans that tilt upward; plastic or paper cups (1 per child); pens ; several balloons, 8” or 9” size; several pennies ; small rectangular blank label stickers

Fizzy Fliers* (1 per child); Fizzies** (about 3 per child); hula hoops (1 per Crew per rotation); pitchers of warm water; teaspoons; paper towels

Check out this chart to see if there are supplies that can be shared between stations. Skydive Diner is not included in the chart, due to the specifi c nature of the food items. (See page 84 and 85 for Skydive Diner supplies.)

80*available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier **available at groupoutlet.com

Planning

Check out this chart to see if there are supplies that can be shared between stations. Skydive Diner is not included in the chart, due to the specifi c nature of the food items. (See pages XX-XX for Skydive Diner supplies.) Also check with the Preschool Director to see what supplies he or she will need each day. Be sure to look at supply lists in each station leader manual for more detail about supplies needed, and check with Station Leaders to agree on who will be responsible for collecting each of the items.

Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

bright-colored bucket or large bowl; slips of paper; marker; paper airplane or pinwheel

bright-colored bucket or large bowl; slips of paper; marker; large trash bag; several large balloons or sports balls

helper; plastic vines and flowers; rope lights; 2 stones ; 2 plastic swords; 2 plastic helmets ; small basket; flicker lights** (1 per participant, per rotation); Stone Wall Corobuff** (optional);

Hallway clues: rope; length of thin plastic hosing; 30 plastic coins; small craft wreath; purple robe or cloth; velvet cloth and accessories for Pilate’s palace; bowl of water

wooden cross (for kids to carry); hallway clues from Day 3; rope lights; pen; black plastic trash bags; scissors; glow sticks** (1 per participant); basket; large blocks; large sheets of black plastic (saved from Day 2); bright light (to put in tomb); extension cord; helper (optional)

rope lights; large blue tarp; large canvas tarp (optional); masking tape; plastic fish**; packaged gummy fish; basket of Goldfish crackers; small fish nets, available at party stores (2 per Crew per rotation); blue “water” fabric; blue tulle or silky fabric; piece of dark fabric or plastic (to hide campfire and crackers); electric campfire**, flicker lights**; CD player; Up & Away Sing & Play Music CD; helper (optional)

Tube-A-Loons* (1 per child, plus a few extras per rotation); rubber bands (1 per child); hula hoops (1 per Crew per rotation)

Buddy Flies* (1 per child); markers or crayons; small baskets (1 per Crew, per rotation); Apollo Bible Memory Buddy*

Itty Bitty Bubble Bottles* (1 per child); distilled water (1 cup per Crew); Dawn dish soap (2 tablespoons per Crew); glycerin (1 tablespoon per Crew); turkey basters (1 per Crew); bowls for mixing (1 per Crew); measuring spoons and cups; chenille wires; paper towels or towels

Be sure to look at supply lists in each station leader manual for more detail about supplies needed, and check with Station Leaders to agree on who will be responsible for collecting each of the items. Also check with the Preschool Director to see what supplies he or she will need each day.

*available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier **available at groupoutlet.com 81

Station Every day you’ll use… Day 1 Day 2

AL

L-S

TA

R G

AM

ES

Sky Squawker*; pool noodles for marking boundaries

Skydive!

parachute**

Trust Me

parachute**; hula hoop (1 per Crew, minus one); large beach ball

Investigation

Bible; small plastic containers with lids (1 set of 5 per Crew, reusable); flour (about ½ cup per Crew, reusable); cornstarch (about ½ cup per Crew, reusable); powdered sugar (about ½ cup per Crew, reusable); pancake mix (about ½ cup per Crew, reusable); baking soda (about ½ cup per Crew, reusable); masking tape; trays (1 per Crew, reusable); Bible

Jet Scream

photocopies of Wrap-Up Questions: Jet Scream

Parachute Protection parachute**; sponge balls or balled-up socks (about 5 per Crew)

Puzzled

simple, 24-piece puzzles (1 per Crew); resealable plastic sandwich bags (1 per Crew); blindfolds or Banduras** (1 per Crew); photocopies of Wrap-Up Questions: Puzzled

SK

Y H

IGH

MO

VIE

&

MIS

SIO

NS

Catch Some Air DVD*; TV and DVD player; Bibles (2 per Crew per rotation); bookmarks for Bibles (2 per Crew per rotation); Operation Kid-to-Kid Poster Pack*; Up & Away Sing &

Play Music CD*; CD player; Bible Point Posters* and Bible Point Posters* (optional); Sky Squawker*

Watch For God Wristbands* (1 per participant & 1 for you); 1 set of Bible Memory Buddies*; Pat Bible Memory Buddies* (1 per participant)

your Watch For God Wristband* (plus a few extras for newcomers); Operation Kid-to-Kid parent flyers (1 per participant); Orville Bible Memory Buddies* (1 per participant); Bugs Pray-er Clip*

FLY

AW

AY

FIN

AL

E

Sky Squawker*; Bible; Up & Away Sing

& Play Music Leader Version CD*; Up &

Away Sing & Play Music DVD*; CD/DVD player; microphone/sound system; scissors; Bible Point Posters*; set of iOpeners* cards

large safety pin; funny-looking wig; 4 rolled-up socks or small stuff ed animals; 1 rocket from the Rocket Set**; catapults, 1 small, 1 large (instructions provided); bright-colored king-size bed sheet; Odd Object for launching (instructions provided); leaf blower

yellow and orange crepe paper streamers; yellow and orange balloons; tape; 3 large sheets of black poster board; twirling airplane streamer (instructions provided)

*available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier **available at groupoutlet.com82

Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Owie, Owie, Out

photocopies of Wrap-Up Questions: Owie, Owie, Out

Safe Under the Net

parachute**; dot stickers (5 per child)

Surprise Strength

brooms (2 per Crew); rope (9 feet per Crew)

Cloud Movers

parachute**; cotton balls (about 10 per child); petroleum jelly (about ½ teaspoon per child); 3-ounce paper cups (1 per Crew, reusable between rotations); wet wipes

Bug Blockade

photocopies of Wrap-Up Questions: Bug Blockade

Pull!

soft-cover Bibles (2 per Crew)

Take the Treasure

blindfolds (1 per Crew Leader, per rotation); sponge balls (about 5); large bucket of water; spray bottles of water (1 per Crew Leader)

Repellent

spray bottles (1 per Crew); photocopies of Wrap-Up Questions: Repellent

Shadow Tag

photocopies of Wrap-Up Questions: Shadow Tag

your Watch For God Wristband* (plus a few extras); Scout Bible Memory Buddies* (1 per participant); Operation Kid-To-Kid Display Mosquito Net*

your Watch For God Wristband (plus a few extras); Apollo Bible Memory Buddies* (1 per participant); Operation Kid-To-Kid Display Mosquito Net*; Bugs Pray-er Clips* (1 per participant per rotation); colored paper (½ sheet per participant to make Friendship Card); basket of markers or crayons per Crew

your Watch For God Wristband; Rockette Bible Memory Buddies* (1 per participant); Operation Kid-To-Kid Display Mosquito Net*; colored paper (½ sheet per student to make Friendship Card); basket of markers or crayons per Crew; Sky Sticker Sheets* for cards; iOpeners* (1 set per participant)

gray helium-filled balloons (1 per Crew, plus several extra); rubber bands (1 per Crew, plus several extra); string

large sheet of white foam core; clear fishing line; colorful markers; red duct tape; ladder; glow sticks**; handful of coins

remote-control toy helicopter or airplane—purchase from a discount store; large catapult; rolled-up sock or stuffed animal from Day 1; sunshine streamers from Day 2; several helium-filled balloons from Day 3; foam core kite from Day 4

*available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier **available at groupoutlet.com 83

Item Required AmountTotal Number of Participants

Total Required Amount

DAY

1

popped popcorn about 2 cups per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Hershey’s Kisses 1/5

per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Starburst candies 1/5

per participant X _________________ = _______________ ______

individually-wrapped Lifesavers 1/5


Jolly Ranchers candies 1/5


Tootsie Rolls 1/5


Note: each participant will get one candy, not one of each kind

DAY

2

packages of blue Jell-O (Two 8-serving boxes of Jell-O should

make enough Jigglers for about

12 people.)

3-inch serving per participant X _________________ = _____________________

whipped topping 1 tablespoon per participant X _________________ = _____________________

strawberries ½ berry per participant X _________________ = _____________________

DAY

3

prepackaged vanilla ice cream cups 1 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

cans of root beer or blue soda 3 per Flight Crew X _________________ = _____________________

ice about 2 cups per Flight Crew X _________________ = _____________________

DAY

4

whipped cream cheese (An 8-ounce tub makes enough dip for

about 2 Flight Crews.)

about 1 tablespoon per participant X _________________ = _____________________

marshmallow cream (A 7-ounce jar makes enough dip for

about 2 Flight Crews.)

about 4-oz. per Flight Crew X _________________ = _____________________

squeeze bottles of chocolate syrup 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

strawberries or other seasonal fruit(about 4 pieces per participant)

about 4 pieces per participant X _________________ = _____________________

DAY

5

pretzel sticks(Be sure to have extra pretzel sticks

on hand, since there will be some

breakage, both in the package and as

kids make the snacks.)

6 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

mild cheddar cheese six ½-inch cubes per participant X _________________ = _____________________

seedless grapes 6 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Supplies for Skydive Diner Food Supplies


Other Snack Supplies

Item Required AmountTotal Number of Participants or Units

Total Required Amount

Days 1-5: drinking cups; napkins 1 per participant per day X _________________ = _____________________

Days 2, 4 & 5: small, dessert-sized paper or foam plates 1 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Days 2 & 3: plastic spoons 1 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Day 1: 16-ounce solid-colored plastic cups 1 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Day 1: large mixing bowls 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 2: clear 8-ounce cups 2 per Flight Crew X _________________ = _____________________

Day 2: heart-shaped cookie cutters—about a 3-inch heart 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 2: spatulas 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 3: 16-ounce plastic cups 1 per participant X _________________ = _____________________

Day 3: resealable gallon-sized bags 2 per Flight Crew X _________________ = _____________________

Day 3: several large ice chests X _________________ = _____________________

Day 4: toothpicks 1-2 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 4: electric mixers X _________________ = _____________________

Day 4: mixing bowls 1 to mix the fruit dip, plus 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 4: tablespoons 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 4: spoons 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 5: bowls to hold cheese cubes 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Day 5: bowls to hold grapes 1 per prep table X _________________ = _____________________

Supplies You’ll Use Every Day:

▶ hand wipes (1 box per prep table plus an extra box or two for snack time)

▶ water pitchers

▶ serving trays (1 per Flight Crew)—can also use baking sheets

▶ mixing bowls

▶ spoons for scooping and stirring

▶ Sky Squawker* or other attention-getter

▶ microphone and speaker, recommended

▶ trash cans or trash bags

* available from Group Publishing or your Group VBS supplier

Use the editable snack supplies donation request from the “Program Resources” section of the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD. Add the items and quantities you need for your VBS, and print out copies to place in the church bulletin or hand out to your congregation to round up all the food supplies you need.

ace in the

85

Planning


Easy Donation RequestThis great tip comes from churches that have fi ne-tuned the art of collecting VBS supplies . It just doesn’t get any easier!

1. Photocopy the eagle below on colored paper. Designate a diff erent color of paper for each station—for example, blue paper for Imagination Station, orange paper for Skydive Diner, and red paper for Preschool Treehouse.

2. Fill in the information on each sheet. Indicate whether the item needs to be donated (items that will be used up, such as food) or borrowed (items that can be returned, such as a bucket).

3. Cut out the eagles, and post them on a bulletin board in a high-traffi c area of your church. Make an announcement to inform church members that they can take eagles from the board and donate the requested items.

4. As items are delivered to the specifi ed area, sort them by the color of the paper. Just before Sky begins, collect the papers, and sort them into donated and borrowed items.

5. After VBS, simply have Station Leaders retrieve the borrowed items. Match the items with their eagles, and return the items to their owners.


Permission to photocopy this resource from Group’s Sky VBS granted for local church use.

Copyright © 2012 Group Publishing, Inc., Loveland, CO. group.com/vbs

Flight Instruction

One church we visited had a

smart way to ensure they got

the correct supplies. Near their

donation list, they included a digital

photograph of what less familiar

items (such as paint markers)

looked like. That way, there were no

misunderstandings, and they were

able to get all the correct supplies

the fi rst time!

86

Planning

Daily Schedules Schedule Overview

Each day when kids come to Sky, they visit seven stations . All Crews visit Up & Away Sing & Play, Skydive Diner, and Fly Away Finale together. In between these activities, the remaining stations run simultaneously. Station Leaders repeat their activities four times, with a diff erent group of Crews each time. When it’s time for groups to move to a new station, walk through Sky and sound the Sky Squawker . This helps kids, Crew Leaders, and Station Leaders stay on schedule.

Schedule Specifi cs

You’ll notice on the Daily Schedules that groups visit the stations in a diff erent order each day. This schedule shift provides welcome variety for kids and allows a diff erent group to perform snack service each day. Snack service is extremely important to the Crews, who get a chance to share God’s love.

Preschool children (kids who haven’t been to kindergarten yet) will keep the same schedule each day but will perform snack service on Day 1. Preschoolers will leave their room and join older kids for Up & Away Sing & Play and Fly Away Finale. All other preschool activities take place in or near the Preschool Treehouse room.

Use the sample schedules (pp. 88 & 89) as examples to plan your VBS times. (The sample evening schedule shows ways to shorten your VBS times.) Then each day before Sky, fi ll in that day’s schedule with times and announcements. Photocopy both sides of the schedule, and distribute it to Crew Leaders and Station Leaders. To avoid confusion, you might want to photocopy each day’s schedule on a diff erent color of paper!

Elementary and preschool schedules are also available as editable PDFs on the Sky Clip Art & Resources CD in the “Program Resources” section.

All Crews

walk

Flight Instruction

Our Crew Leaders asked for more

“talk-starters” on their daily

schedules so they could really get

to know the kids in their Crew.

So we’ve made these schedules

two-sided: The daily schedule is on

the front, and a few fun jokes and

activities for Crews are on the back.

There’s even room for you to add

your own creative ideas.

87

TimeGROUP A

Crews 1-5

GROUP B

Crews 6-10

GROUP C

Crews 11-15

GROUP D

Crews 16-20Preschool

8:30–8:55

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Allow 5 minutes to move to your next station.

9:00–9:20

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station All-Star Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions Snack Service


9:25–9:45

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


9:50–10:10

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


10:15–10:35

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


10:40–11:00

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


11:05–11:30

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Announcements:

(8:30–11:30 a.m.)

Apollo

(8:30–11:3

Apollo

Sample morning Schedule

88


TimeGROUP A

Crews 1-5

GROUP B

Crews 6-10

GROUP C

Crews 11-15

GROUP D

Crews 16-20Preschool

6:30–6:45

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play


6:50–7:10

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination


Sky High



7:15–7:35

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


7:40–7:55

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


8:00–8:20

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


8:25–8:45

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


8:50–9:10

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Announcements:

Rockette

(6:30–9:10* p.m.)(6:30–9:10* p

sample evening schedule

* Kids will need at least 20 minutes to complete each station. If you need to end your program promptly at 9:00 p.m., shorten your “move” time to two or three minutes between each station.

89

Planning

Ultimate Director Go-To Guide®Guide®eee

90

Day 1A Roman officer has faith in Jesus. (Matthew 8:5-13)A R(Mat

Elementary Daily Schedule

TimeGROUP A

Crews: ______

GROUP B

Crews: ______

GROUP C

Crews: ______

GROUP D

Crews: ______Preschool

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Preschool

Treehouse


Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination


Sky High



Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Announcements:

Key Verse: “ People judge by outward appearance,

but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

Bible Point: No matter who you are…

trust God!

Pat’s Stats: One little brown bat (called a Myotis lucifugus) can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes in one hour!

Key Verse:

Pat


Planning 91

Pat

Bats have great hearing—they use sound to help them find food. What are some of your favorite sounds…

…at the ocean? Do you like the crashing waves, laughing kids, or screeching seagulls?…during a storm? Maybe you like the rain on your roof or the booming thunder!… at a sporting event? Think of the hot dog vendor calling out, the crowd cheering, or

the music playing in the stadium.… at home? Do you love hearing your family talking, someone playing their instrument,

or the dog barking?What other sounds bring you a smile?

Human Scavenger Hunt

No matter who you are, you can trust in God’s love, goodness, and power. But…who are you? See if you can find people in your Flight Crew (or at Sky) who fit these descriptions:

High Flyin’ Fun

Knock-knock.Who’s there?

Bat.Bat who?

Bat you’re having a GREAT time at Sky VBS!

Just hang around!

What does Pat like to do

with his friends at sleepovers?

We bats might look

strange, but God made us

amazing! Bats are one of the few

animals that sleep upside down. Tell

your Crew about the last time you

were upside down. (I’ll bet it wasn’t

while you took a nap!)

I’ve never broken any bones.

I share a bedroom.

Our family doesn’t have any pets.

I’m the only kid in my family.I know how to play a musical instrument.

I’m the tallest one in my class.

I can whistle.

I can cross my eyes.I’ve been to 3 other states.

I can do a cartwheel.

Quiz the CrewAsk Station Leaders to tell you something that makes them special. God looks at our hearts and knows how each of us is special!



Day 2Jesus brings Lazarus back to life. (John 11)es

JohnJ(J


Key Verse: “ Don’t let your hearts be troubled.

Trust in God.” (John 14:1)

Bible Point: No matter how you feel…

trust God!

TimeGROUP B

Crews: ______

GROUP C

Crews: ______

GROUP D

Crews: ______

GROUP A


Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play


Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Snack

Service

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Preschool

Treehouse


Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Announcements:

Key Verse:

Orville

This Little Piggy…Pigs can run 1 mile in 7 minutes! That’s faster than some people can run. (But Orville would rather fly!)


Planning 93

Pigs don’t have sweat glands, so they can’t sweat. Instead, they roll around in mud to cool off—they even like to swim if there’s water around!Let each person in your Crew tell a favorite way to cool off when it’s hot. Maybe you skip through the sprinklers. Or do you park yourself in front of a fan? Popsicle, anyone?

Heart Tales

Our emotions make for some pretty memorable stories. Check out the chart below—then take turns telling about a time you experienced one of these feelings.

Quiz the CrewAsk Station Leaders what thing they love to see most in the sky. Is it a plane? A rainbow? Snow clouds? A free-floating balloon?

love to see ow? Snow

High Flyin’ Fun

If your name

starts with…

…tell about a

time you were

A-E hopping mad

F-J as happy as a clam

K-O a scaredy-cat

P-T as proud as a peacock

U-Z a sourpuss

A pork chop!

Hogs and kisses!

What do you call Orville when he

practices his karate?

What did Orville give his mom

for Mother’s Day?

Pigs have 4 toes,

but we only walk on 2 of them.

Do you think you could walk

around all day on your tiptoes?

That’s kind of what we do…

but we really like it.

Orville



Scout Day 3Jesus is arrested and put on trial. (Matthew 26:36–27:31)

TimeGROUP C

Crews: ______

GROUP D

Crews: ______

GROUP A

Crews: ______

GROUP B


Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play


Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Snack

Service

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Preschool

Treehouse


Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Announcements:

Scout

Key Verse: “ But those who trust in the Lord will find

new strength. They will soar high on

wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Bible Point: No matter what people do…

trust God!

Key Verse:

Jes(Mat

Scout

Bible Point: No matter what people do…

trust God!

Key Verse:


The Scoop on Scout If someone’s got an “eagle eye,” they won’t be wearing glasses anytime soon. Bald eagles like Scout can spot an underwater fish from hundreds of feet overhead. (Just ask any fisherman how hard that can be!)


Planning 95

Bald eagles build huge nests made of sticks. These nests are about 5 feet across! (Find the member of your Flight Crew who’s close to 5 feet tall to see how wide that is.) Your bedroom is probably bigger than 5 feet across…but let each Crew member answer this:

all the amazing details!)

Watch Out!

As you travel through Sky VBS, keep your eagle eyes open for…

Did you find all of these? Then gather with your Crew and give a big Sky shout!

High Flyin’ Fun

Bald eagles use their

feet to catch food. In fact, they

can lift about 1/3 of their body weight…

with their feet! That would be like an

80-pound kid picking up a 26-pound

hamburger. Wow! See what good eagles

you’d be—see what your Crew members

can pick up with their feet!

Flyday!

Shredded Tweat.

What is Scout's favorite day

of the week?

What do baby eagles like

for breakfast? Scout

hat good eagles

r Crew members

heir feet!

Quiz the CrewAsk Station Leaders to tell about the most interesting way they’ve flown—in a plane, hang glider, hot air balloon, or maybe just catching air on a trampoline!



Apollo

Day 4Jesus dies and comes back to life.(Matthew 27:32–28:20)

Key Verse: “ And I am convinced that nothing can ever

separate us from God’s love.” (Romans 8:38)

Bible Point: No matter what happens…

trust God!

Key Verse:

Jes(Mat

Apollo

Bible Point: No matter what happens…

trust God!

Key Verse:


TimeGROUP D

Crews: ______

GROUP A

Crews: ______

GROUP B

Crews: ______

GROUP C


Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play


Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Snack

Service

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Preschool

Treehouse


Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

AnnouncementsThe Dirt on Caterpillars You may think caterpillars always hang out in sunny meadows or forests filled with leafy trees. But they do have some relatives who live in the Arctic! Brrrr!


Planning 97

God was so creative when he made caterpillars! They’re just about every color—yellow, black, orange, red, green, blue, white, and brown. Some have spots, and some have stripes. Some are even really hairy! And they all turn into fantastical flying machines. Look around you to see if you can find kids or Crew Leaders who might become…

…a rock star. Look for someone who loves to shine during Up & Away Sing & Play!…a circus clown. They may be able to juggle, walk on their hands, or just love to make people giggle.… an archaeologist. The kid wearing the most mud might have a future digging up really

important old stuff.… a future VBS leader. Who’s helping other kids, showing them how things are done, or

comforting someone who’s sad?…a fashion designer. Just spot the person sporting the most colorful or creative outfit.

God has humongous plans for all of you!

Stuck Together

God’s love is so big that nothing can take it away from us. You might say it’s stuck to you. Think of it while you try this. Hold your hands so your knuckles are touching, and the tips of your ring fingers are, too.

Now, try to pull your ring fingers apart. Ooooh, tricky! (Remember, keep those knuckles pressed together.) That’s a tiny bit what the Bible means in Romans, chapter 8, verse 38, when it says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love.” Have your friends and family try this—then remind them of God’s inseparable love.

High Flyin’ Fun

Not to brag or

anything, but we caterpillars

have 4,000 muscles! You humans

only have about 629. Flex your muscles

for your Flight Crew to show that

you’re as big and mighty

as a caterpillar!

A caterpillow.

He had to tie his shoes.

A leaf thief.

What does Apollo sleep on

at night?

Why was Apollo late for VBS?

What do you call a caterpillar

who steals food?

Apollo



Day 5Jesus makes a beachside breakfast

for his friends. (John 21:1-14)

Jes

for


Key Verse: “ Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid

or discouraged. For the Lord your God is

with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Bible Point: No matter who you are…

trust God!

TimeGROUP A

Crews: ______

GROUP B

Crews: ______

GROUP C

Crews: ______

GROUP D


Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play

Up & Away

Sing & Play


Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Snack

Service

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Preschool

Treehouse


Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Preschool

Treehouse


Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner

Skydive

Diner


All-Star

Games

Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

Preschool

Treehouse


Sky High

Movie & Missions

Wild Blue Bible

Adventures

Imagination

Station

All-Star

Games

Preschool

Treehouse


Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Fly Away

Finale

Announcements:

Key Verse:

Rockette

The Rockette Report Flying squirrels have a built-in flap of skin between their front and back legs. It acts as a sort of parachute that lets them glide from the tippy tops of trees. Lookout beloooowww!


Planning 99


Like other squirrels, flying squirrels gather nuts and store them away for winter. But check this out: Flying squirrels can store as many as 15,000 nuts in one season! That’s like you stockpiling 150,000 bags of Hershey’s Kisses in your room. Which has us wondering…what do you collect? Let each person in your Crew tell about any interesting things they collect and why.

Yep, Still There

God is with you wherever you go! Think about God being with you in your everyday life. As a Crew, take a few seconds to thank God in each of these Stations:

Up & Away Sing & Play—God is with you when you’re listening to the radio. (Which may make you a little choosier about what you’re listening to!)

Wild Blue Bible Adventures—Hey, God can speak to you right from the Bible! Check out God’s Word to see what he has for you every day.

Sky High Movie & Missions—God is right beside you when you’re watching TV or playing video games. (That’s a good reminder to be careful what you’re watching, too!)

All-Star Games—Isn’t it nice to know that God is with you on the playground, in the park, or even on the soccer field?

Imagination Station—God is everywhere—any place you can imagine!

High Flyin’ Fun

The longest recorded

“squirrel glide” is 300 feet—

as long as a football field!

See who in your Crew can

jump the farthest.

Knock-knock.Who’s there?

Blue.Blue who?

Don’t cry! You can come to VBS next year.

Climb into a tree and act nuts!

How do you catch a squirrel?

all field!

rew can

est.

Rockette

Thank You From the CrewToday, give a special thanks to each Station Leader. You might make up a funny rhyme, a crazy cheer, or just give them a huge hug. They’re awesome!


Documents

Planningdocs.cambridgesdachurch.co.uk/Kids/SkyVBS.secure/Planning...VBS—using diﬀ erent settings, times, or dates. Be creative, and choose the best VBS setting for your church