Answers VBS programs work in a variety of settings, including backyard clubs. If you’d like to sing songs with your backyard club, we suggest purchasing the Super Starter Kit; otherwise, you might want to begin with the Starter Kit. The following offers helpful hints if you’d like to piece-meal your VBS experience.

You’ll want to use the appropriate teacher resource pack based on the age groups you plan on reaching. If you group all the kids together, we suggest using the Primary material. If you want to split them into two groups, use the Pre-Primary material with kids who are under 6 years old, and the Primary material with those ages 7 and up. For a group of mostly older kids, used the Junior material. You’ll also need to decide if you want to give a student guide to each child. These provide reinforcement of the lesson content and can be completed at home.

The Assembly Guide offers features you can definitely pull off in a backyard Bible club setting, such as the Space Probes (Operation Space) or Design Times (Egypt File) , which are short apologetic segments about different issues. This guide also has fun welcomes, missions ideas, daily contest ideas, and the drama. Depending on your timeframe and volunteer help and location, you may chose to omit the drama. Simply chose the features that work with your situation.

You’ll also need to determine if you want to do snacks, games, and crafts. All the snacks, crafts, and games have teaching tie-ins, so the kids get another little nugget while doing these activities. For shorter timeframes, incorporate snacks into a time when the kids are sitting and listening. With a 90-minute timeframe, you might play just one of the game ideas listed for each day (whichever is the quickest and simplest) and do just one of the crafts each day. There are fast, extra little crafts listed for each day that only take a short amount of time, and also longer crafts that are little more involved.

The Director’s Guide helps you organize and plan as you adjust the program to a neighborhood setting. Decorating ideas are in the Director’s Guide, if you are planning on trying any kind of themed decorating.

Depending on how you want to publicize your club, you might want to get a few promotional posters or postcards. Additionally, you may want to get some of the extra accessories, gifts, awards, or certificates to give to the children. There are tracts on how to become a Christian and how to grow in Christ. The follow-up Bible study can be given out at the end of the week.

T-shirts are also available. To keep costs down, have the kids bring money if they want to buy one. Iron-on transfers are also available, which provide a less expensive option.

Whatever setting you use the Answers VBS program in, you can know that you're getting great apologetic Bible teaching that helps your kids reconnect the Bible to the real world!

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