How Vacation Bible School Has Changed!

Although this video doesn't show it, we also had songs that went along with teaching the memory verses for the week which were I John 3:1 (Jesus accepts us), Isaiah 41:13 (Jesus protects us), Romans 10:10 (Jesus saves us) Psalm 86:5 (Jesus forgives us) and Ephesians 2:10 (Live for Jesus.) Crafts consisted of a journal, verse plaques sponge painting a t-shirt and a necklace. The kids had homemade cookies for a snack each day, rec time outside, and prizes. In grades 4-6 they got tickets for attending, bringing a Bible, saying the verse, bringing someone new, etc. and at the end each day if their number was called, they got to choose a prize. The last day everyone got a chance to choose something. Of course, we had teams competing for points all week. We had over 130 kids in just grades 4-6. Thursday and Friday we had 800 kids attend! That's the most we ever had!

This is very different from when I was a kid. I remember the whole Bible School had only about 100 kids. We had paper crafts except for one year I remember we made a sundial which I liked. We didn't have any outside time except for the one I went to with a friend one year. They had a snack the last day outside. As a kid, I really wasn't big on going to VBS. One year I remember there was about seven or eight of us in a class and we had a real old lady for a teacher who told us we couldn't leave until we said the verse. Most of the years I went as a kid were no fun at all and it almost turned me off memorizing scripture. The worst part was we had to dress up for it. It's so much better now allowing the kids to come in shorts or jeans.

Only one year I really enjoyed it and that was when I was I finished 6th grade and the couple in charge of our group actually tried to make it fun and interesting. We got to play tic-tac-toe! Whoopee! That was exciting back then compared to what we were used to. I can't remember ever having a skit growing up.

The worst year was when we had the Pastor as our teacher and I finally got my best friend to come. That week, all our lessons were all about the denomination and nothing about salvation the entire week! I was so mad and disappointed!

When I had the opportunity to run the Vacation Bible School a couple years at the Brooklyn Christian & Missionary Alliance Church, I had team competition, one key verse for the week, a softball game in the afternoon between the teams, quizzing between the teams and crafts that the kids had a choice of which to ones they wanted to make and gave out candy.

What are some of your memories of VBS? Do you think kids have it better now than we did growing up? I sure do!