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Resources for Children’s Ministry Leaders for Summer Outreach and VBS
Summer Outreach is a great opportunity to engage the families in and outside of your church community. Our partners & friends have great curriculum options, as well as program add-ons to help engage children in your ministry around the Gospel, missions, and more. Check them out below.
Also, save time as you review VBS programs by using our free resource that guides you with key questions and a customizable template!
VBS & Programs
Lifeway - Twist & Turns
Key Verses: Psalm 25:4 (CSB)
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – 5th Grade
Format: Director’s Kit + Starter Kits
Cost: $35.99 + Starter Kits
Description
IT’S TIME TO LEVEL UP VBS!
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Spin the spinner, beat the clock, skip ahead, level up, and play to win! You’ll need to bring your A-game for this VBS.
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Twists & Turns is a fantastical celebration of games of all kinds. From classic tabletop games to video games and more, kids will play their way through VBS while learning that Jesus guides them through all the twists and turns of their lives. They’ll find that even when they mess up, it’s never “game over.”
Orange - Ready, Set, Move
Key Verses: Hebrews 12:2A
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – 5th Grade
Format: All digital (Complete Kit)
Cost: $249.99
Description
Follow Jesus here, there, and everywhere. Ready, Set, Move next summer with a VBS experience that encourages every child to follow Jesus here, there, and everywhere.
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Preschoolers and elementary kids will MOVE with great lessons, rotations, worship, and mission ideas! Volunteers will MOVE with strategic small group discussion guides and training materials. Parents will MOVE with daily take home resources and communication.
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Everything you need to create the very best week is included in one COMPLETE KIT to make VBS 2023 a total winner!
Group - Stellar
Key Verses: Various
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – Elementary
Format: Starter Kit + Digital
Cost: $289.99
Description
Shine a light on Jesus’ love! Launch kids on a cosmic quest where they’ll have a blast shining Jesus’ light to the world. Stellar VBS rockets kids on an out-of-this-world adventure that’s light years of faith-building fun. Stellar VBS is a Bible-rich program grounded in hands-on, multi-sensory learning experience that kids will be talking about for years to come.
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This kit includes physical resources and samples just like the standard starter kit, but it also comes with the Digital Download Access Pack. This pack includes a unique access code for the Digital Download Center loaded with digital leader guides, music, videos and more. It opens up all-new ways to manage, share, and utilize your VBS content.
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The Stellar Ultimate Starter Kit Plus Digital allows you to deliver resources with the touch of a button. You can hand volunteers the manuals from your Starter Kit or e-mail PDFs so they can use whichever format feels most comfortable. The Plus Digital kit also safeguards against leaders who might lose that ever-important Sing and Play manual at the 11th hour.
Answers in Genesis - Keepers of the Kingdom
Key Verses: Ephesians 6:10-18A
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – 5th Grade
Format: Digital Pro Curriculum Kit
Cost: $248
Description
PREPARING CHILDREN TO SURVIVE IN TODAY’S WORLD
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We are engaged in an epic battle for the hearts and minds of our youth. Every day, they’re bombarded with lies about who they are, who their Creator is, and where their salvation comes from. Thankfully, God has given his children armor to wear in this battle between truth and lies, light and darkness, good and evil.
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With this VBS, your kids will learn how they can be part of God’s kingdom through salvation in his Son and will be equipped with the armor of God to become Keepers of the Kingdom who stand strong in today’s battle for truth.
Cokesbury - Hero Hotline: Called Together to Serve God
Key Verses: Romans 14:19 (CEB)
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – Elementary
Format: Ultimate Starter Kit + Digital
Cost: $224.99
Description
In the depths of a colorful underground cave, is the beating heart of the hero community, the Hero Hotline Headquarters where everyone’s gifts are valued and every hero has a role to play. Each day at the Hero Hotline Headquarters, superheroes of all ages and abilities answer the call and join the Professor and veteran hero, Super Meer the Meerkat, to provide expert assistance and solutions to Hero Teams everywhere.
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When Heroes in the field call in, the Professor, Super Meer, and our team of heroes will spring into action and explore the ultimate Hero Handbook -the Bible- to discover how all Heroes can follow the examples set by a cast of supporting Bible Heroes in stories from the Old and New Testaments, who work together to bring peace, build each other up, and share the great story of God’s love for us where they are and with the whole world.
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As kids (called Heroes) experience these stories through music, drama and storytelling, games, arts and crafts, science, and even snacks, they’ll learn that Heroes are called to Follow Jesus, Help Others, Work Together, Listen to God, and Show Grace! And, best of all, they’ll be invited to answer this call at VBS, at church, at home, and every area of their lives.
Kidmin Science - Faith Lab
Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 5:21
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – Elementary
Format: Digital Curriculum
Cost: $329.99
Description
Faith Lab Science VBS comes with our "Every Day Gospel Guarantee," a "No Lame Craft Commitment," and "The One Price Promise." This complete program comes with two daily science devotions and a daily hands-on science project, science-inspired snack ideas, science-themed games, crazy science skits, amazing videos, customized Scripture memory music, take-home cards, and so much more! It won't just be your kids begging for more - leaders and volunteers will have a BLAST with Faith Lab Science VBS.
Matt Adams - Truth Finders
Key Verses: John 8:31-32 (ESV)
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Preschool – Elementary
Format: Digital Curriculum
Cost: $249.99
Description
Truth Finders is a turn-key program meaning you don’t need to provide anything! And by utilizing a digital format, we have greater flexibility for what we can offer to each family. Truth Finders includes FIVE DAYS worth of content for you. This means you can utilize it on a daily format (like VBS) or on a weekly format (for Sundays) that will last more than a month!
Woodlands Camp - Freestyle
Key Verses: Micah 6:8
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Elementary
Format: Hosted Day Camp
Cost: TBD
Description
Freestyle is a day camp alternative to the traditional VBS. It's a full week of day camp for elementary age kids that happens on site at your local church. For years, campers have packed up their bags and come to camp, this summer we’re packing up camp and bringing it to you! We bring everything you need to create the most unforgettable week of your life!
SuperKids® - Who is Jesus?
Key Verses: Gospel of John
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: Kindergarten – 8th Grade
Format: Curriculum Kit
Cost: $75
Description
Engage hearts with the Gospel with this creative curriculum for children adaptable to a variety of settings. Join detectives Shorty Sherlock and Wallaby Watson as they search for clues in the Gospel of John to determine "who Jesus is". Combining comical skits, sleuthing skills, and small group experiences, children are invited to explore evidence presented by "expert witnesses" and uncover truths about Jesus in the Gospel of John.
RaiseUp Faith - Campfire VBS
Key Verses: Hebrews 10:24 (NIrV)
Duration: 5 days
Age Range: 5-11 year olds
Format: Digital Curriculum
Cost: Free
Description
All of the best things happen at a Campfire! Light, warmth. Friends, family. Stories, laughs. S’mores, and more! There’s something about that glow, that invitation to linger that can make some amazing memories.
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Kids will love Campfire VBS: from the games they love to the wonder of nature’s woods and starry skies, flickers of joy will spark their imagination as they learn to look toward the Light, Jesus! This invitational VBS will help kids to discover that they can be light-bringers in their families, communities, and beyond.
Ministry Spark - Zipped To-Gather
Duration: 3 Evenings
Age Range: All Families
Format: Family Summer Programming Guide
Cost: Free + Supplies
Description
Zipped To-Gather is an opportunity to invite and encourage parents to get involved in ministry to your community. These small events are simple ways for children’s ministries to break outside the walls of their churches.
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This summer, offer your families a chance to host 3 super-sized theme nights: Wacky Water World, Retro Field Day, and Carnival of Fun. Each of these nights includes enough activities for an hour and a half. You will simply provide the easy-to-find supplies (listed in this guide), and the parents will take it from there.
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Missions Partnerships
Animal Crackers
This FREE guide includes fun activities that explain Heifer’s work alongside families and communities to improve their income, nutrition, and standard of living. It’s perfect for missions giving in Vacation Bible School– allowing children to respond to Christ’s call to care for our neighbors in need.
- Heifer International
Fundraise 4 Friends
Fundraise 4 Friends is a great add-on to any VBS program and gives children their own mission project. It is a great way to give meaning and excitement to VBS offerings. This easy-to-use mission project engages children in the U.S. in compassionate service to improve the lives of children who live in extreme poverty in India and attend the Good Samaritan School (GSS).
- Sadie Shares
Kids Clean Water Project
A Mission Project like no other! Your kids can help change the world by raising funds for water filters that will bring clean water and Christ’s love to those in desperate need of both. FREE water filter kit, FREE video and curriculum resources, and FREE wristbands for all.
- Filter of Hope
VBS Resource Guide
This guide was created by experienced children’s and youth ministry leaders as a tool to equip your students to love and serve others in need, all around the world. We provide free expanded VBS resources with stories of kids who needed a wheelchair and how their lives changed after they received their free durable wheelchair.
- Free Wheelchair Mission
Rice Bowls
This is a fun and free “kids feeding kids” mission project. Rice Bowls provides food to loving, grass-roots children’s homes around the world.
- Rice Bowls
Resources & Enhancements
Planning VBS: 5 Things to Know
VBS is typically an action-packed, week-long experience where kids encounter the love of God through stories, worship, games, crafts, and activities. Maybe you’re starting your own church VBS for the first time, or you’re looking to refresh the experience after many years…
- INCM Blog
Key Factors for Planning Children’s Ministry Events
From Easter events to VBS, Kids Camps to Fall Fests, as a Children’s Ministry Leader you do some or all of these. Large events are inevitable in a Children’s Ministry calendar year. They are a natural part of your workflow…
- INCM Blog
4 Reasons Why VBS Is Still an Effective Outreach Opportunity
Over the years, I have heard lots of reasons why NOT to do a Vacation Bible School (VBS). VBS may not be a trendy new idea, but it is still effective outreach because it is tried and true. Here are 4 reasons why our church continues…
- INCM Blog
VBS Prayer Countdown
This free printable will help you focus your heart, mind, and prayers on various aspects of VBS in the coming weeks. It encourages you to have written, specific prayers for every day leading up to VBS (and throughout the week of VBS too).
- Deeper Kidmin
Faith Spark
Free Digital Discipleship tool that allows you to stay safely connected with the kids in your ministry when they go home!
- Faith Spark
Kids Bible Experience
Help preteens engage with God’s Word daily in a fresh, new way through the Kids Bible Experience. You, along with parents from your church, can encourage preteens to explore the Bible every day. Click the link for free innovative resources created in partnership with YouVersion!
- OneHope
VBS Tips and Tricks from a Seasoned Ministry Leader
We want to help make your next VBS the best one yet! Enjoy these free VBS ideas and share them with your team to get the ideas flowing!
- Free Wheelchair Mission
Four Things to Blow Up Your VBS Opt-In
Your kids, leaders AND volunteers will have a BLAST with Faith Lab Science VBS. Find out about our “Every Day Gospel Guarantee,” a “No Lame Craft Commitment,” and “The One Price Promise” that will leave everyone begging for more
- Kidmin Science
Reach Your City
Reach Your City serves local churches, ministries, and organizations like yours, as you reach your city with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have a wide range of well-respected Christian speakers, artists, and entertainers that are gifted for all types of ministry events.
- Reach Your City
Get access to all these great resources and much more by joining INCM Membership today!
This webinar covers how to effectively plan, execute, and follow up after events.
- INCM Membership
We take time to think through your VBS plans, crafts, outreach strategy, and volunteer recruiting process.
- INCM Membership
This set of 6 summer themed games can be used to add fun-in-the-sun to your ministry activities!Â
- INCM Membership