The Complete Guide to Choosing the Best VBS for Your Church

Use our complete guide to choosing the best VBS to ensure maximum outreach in your community and impact in kids’ lives. Choose the best VBS by using the following 20 filters we have used for years in VBS reviews.

The Complete Guide to Choosing the Best VBS

Educational Philosophy

1. Are the objectives clear?

Are there clear, concrete, measurable objectives? If your curriculum states as an objective for preschoolers that they would know the full joy of believing in God, how does a teacher measure that? Or if one states that young elementary children would share deeply about their faith, is that realistic?

2. Is it teacher- or student-focused?

What percentage of control does the teacher have? What are teachers doing? Are they telling, explaining, and saying for the most part? Or are they asking, directing, and observing? The teacher needs to function as one who is involved in the discovery process of learning, rather than the sole dispenser of knowledge.

3. Does it incorporate R.E.A.L. Learning?

This does not mean that children are simply busy. Instead, it means children are integrally involved in the discovery and learning process. So at its best, active learning evokes emotion in the children and helps them connect the learning experience to a real-life situation. Thus active learning involves open-ended debriefing questions that help kids “get the point.”

4. Does it incorporate the principles of interactive learning?

What a misused educational term this has been in the last few years. We’ve seen curriculums that claim to be interactive but are nothing more than children’s pencils interacting with meaningless fill-in-the-blank handouts. Interactive learning means that children do not learn in isolation. Rather, they learn best as they interact with others. So each group member contributes to the learning process.

5. Does it foster intrinsic or extrinsic motivation?

Reward programs are out; the joy of learning is in. If a curriculum relies on external reward programs to motivate children to be involved in learning, then there’s something wrong. The activities should be so compelling and exciting in and of themselves that children passionately engage in the learning process.

6. Do Bible memory activities focus on understanding and relevance?

Or is the goal of the program to simply cram Bible verses into children so they can parrot them back at the end of the program—without really understanding?

7. Is it flexible enough to encompass all kids?

We look for suggested adaptations for kids with special needs. We also consider if the content is appealing and meaningful for kids from a variety of backgrounds.

Content

8. Is it Bible-based?

Does the program use the Bible correctly and in context? Are the language and stories of the Bible age-appropriate?

9. Is it relevant to children?

Does it meet the “so-what” factor that would give kids a desire to learn about God’s Word? The content needs to delve into the heart issues that are important to children.

10. Does it focus on life application?

A VBS curriculum should not assume that kids will apply biblical principles. Instead, there must be open-ended questions that lead children to put their faith into action.

Theme

11. Is it child-oriented and captivating for kids?

Is the theme well-executed throughout? One curriculum’s theme centered around Jesus, but the Bible stories focused on everything but Jesus. Every component of the VBS program should emphasize and reemphasize the theme. So are there added tips to transform an environment and better communicate the theme?

Materials and Resources

12. What are the director materials like?

Are there preplanning tips? Are there teacher-training tips, age-level insights, discipline tips, and very clear overviews of each class?

13. Do the resources equip teachers?

Are they easy to understand, helpful, and complete? Are there age-level insights to give teachers information about what they can expect from the age they’re teaching? And are there positive discipline techniques that would help a novice teacher?

14. Do the materials appeal to students?

Are they age-appropriate? Do they consider the appropriate level of concrete vs. abstract concepts for each age group? Are they mindless exercises, or do they actually require kids to use higher-level thinking skills that lead to life application? Are they appealing? Would kids want to read these, or are they the same old tired art styles and drab colors? Are student materials multisensory? The top-rated VBS programs use hands-on activities such as kids making mud bricks, crafting jewelry, and sampling candy.

15. How helpful are the publicity resources?

Are they up-to-date, appealing, and easy to use? Are they big enough to see from a distance? Do they contain follow-up materials?

16. What teacher aids are included?

Are they creative, helpful, and relevant?

17. Is the art appealing?

Is it up-to-date, colorful, and appealing? In some VBS kits, art is not an issue because the kit is simply a guidebook for the leader to set up the learning experience. But in other kits, art is a crucial element.

18. Will the crafts intrigue the students and teachers alike?

Are they new, creative, and relevant? Do they relate to the theme or lesson in an integral way, or are they just time-fillers that have no meaning? Are they neither supply- nor preparation-intensive? Are they “keeper” crafts?

19. How reader-friendly is the provided material?

Is it organized and easy-to-understand? Would a novice director or teacher clearly understand the material?

20. What is the music like?

Does the music relate to the theme? Is it relevant, easy to learn, and catchy? Does it reinforce the content of the VBS program in a way that makes sense? Are there childlike hand motions and involvement devices that’ll make learning and retention easier? Will it get through to the heart of kids, and will kids remember the music long after the program is over?

Now tally your results! Once you do this for multiple VBS kits, one is sure to rise to the top as the best VBS for your ministry!

Looking for a VBS kit for your church this summer? Check out Group’s current VBS programs here. You can also check out all our VBS posts.