Main Street VBS: Prodigal Son Craft

Let your students make a story wheel to help them remember the story of the Prodigal Son from Day 4 of Inside Out and Upside Down on Main Street VBS. Bring a dinner-size paper plate and a paper fastener for each child and copy the pattern page below. Provide scissors, crayons or markers, and glue. Talk about the story of the Prodigal Son to help the children review the story events.

Have the children cut out the word strips, the arrow and the story circle. Let them glue the story circle in the middle of the paper plate and glue the corresponding word strip next to each picture. Let older children help younger ones read the word strips and match them to the pictures. Punch a hole in the arrow as indicated. Poke a hole in the middle of the paper plate. Help each child add the arrow to the plate with the paper fastener.

Talk about the events in the Bible story as the children move their arrows to the appropriate picture. Then say the memory verse together a few times.

Click on the image below to download the craft pattern for just $3.99. Then make as many copies as you need for your students.

Click on the image above to download the craft.

Go the Distance Coloring Pages

Here are some coloring pages we’ve created for Go the Distance, the Mega Sports Camp VBS. There is a coloring page for each day—a total of five plus a cover page. The coloring pages have the daily memory verse portion and the lesson focus and Scripture. Each day we've added a few more words to the verses so by Day 5 both verses, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, are shown in their entirety.

This set of coloring pages contains memory verses in the New International Version. If you use a different Bible version than the ones given, feel free to cut off or white out the verse and replace it with the version you prefer. Each coloring page shows a picture of the Bible story about Paul being taught that day. There are five coloring pages plus a cover page—all for just $4.99 per set. Best of all, you can make as many copies of these pages as you need!

You may want to make a coloring booklet for each child with coloring pages for each day stapled together. At the end of your VBS week, your students will have a booklet with the entire VBS Bible stories and memory verses—a fun keepsake reminder of their week at your Go the Distance Vacation Bible School.

If you have another VBS program for which you’d like  coloring pages, just leave a comment. (Hometown Nazareth coloring pages were posted October 11, SonSurf Beach Bash coloring pages were posted October 19, 2010, coloring pages for PandaMania were posted November 9, 2010, and Main Street coloring pages were posted April 11, 2011.) 

If you’d like to take a look at any of these VBS Starter Kits, visit Shop VBS for more information and to order your Starter Kits. To view additional reproducible coloring pages, crafts, and puzzles, visit our VBS Downloads Store.

You can make as many copies of these coloring pages as you need for your VBS program. May God bless you as you prepare to teach children (and their families) about Jesus' love for them!

(Click on the image above to download the pages.)

SonSurf VBS Craft: Egg Carton Jellyfish

The theme for Day 2 of SonSurf VBS is "Look up to Jesus." The Bible memory verse for this day is Psalm 56:3 — "When I am afraid, I will trust in you" (NIV), and the Big Answer is "I can look up to Jesus and ask His help because He is trustworthy." Let your students make an egg carton jellyfish to help them remember to trust Jesus.

Collect an egg carton for every 12 children. Cut the carton cups apart so each child can have one cup. Also bring thick yarn, scissors, glue, wiggle eyes, markers, construction paper, tape, and string. If you use a cardboard egg carton, let the children paint the cups. If you use foam egg carton cups, the colored ones look best. If you use white, you can tell the children they are making moon jellies.

Help each child trim the egg cup to even out the edges. Let him glue two wiggle eyes on the cup (after painting it). Cut eight pieces of thick yarn into 6- to 8-inch lengths for the tentacles. If you use thin yarn, have the children braid three strands of yarn together for each tentacle. In that case, cut 24 pieces.

Spread a generous amount of glue inside the egg carton cup. Stick one end of each yarn piece into the  glue. Let dry. Glue a piece of yarn or string to the top of the jellyfish for hanging. Give each child a slip of paper on which to print the memory verse, Psalm 56:3. As the children work, talk about trusting Jesus. Tape the memory verse to the yarn or string hanger, just above the jellyfish. Have the children say the verse together.

Say, "God did not create you to be like the jellyfish—with no backbone. God promises to help you overcome your fears when you trust in Jesus. God will give you strength and courage when you ask Him and then trust Him." Review the Day 2 Bible story of Jesus healing the official's son (from John 4:45-54), if you have time.

Visit Shop VBS to order your SonSurf Starter Kit and supplies. Starter Kits have already started shipping and will continue to ship in January.

PandaMania Coloring Pages

Here are some coloring pages we’ve created for the PandaMania VBS. There is a coloring page for each day—a total of five. Each coloring page has the daily memory verse and the lesson focus. There is a set of coloring pages for the New International Version and a separate set for the New Living Translation. (The New Living Translation is used on the memory makers and other PandaMania printed materials.) If you use a different Bible version than the ones given, feel free to cut off or white out the verse and replace it with the version you prefer. Each coloring page shows a picture of the Bible story being taught that day or a modern-day application of that Bible point.
The coloring pages come in sets of five pages for just $4.99 per set. The best part is, you can make as many copies as you need!

You may want to make a coloring booklet for each child with coloring pages for each day stapled together. At the end of your VBS week, your students will have a booklet with the entire VBS points and memory verses—a fun keepsake reminder of their week at PandaMania Vacation Bible School.

Check back each week for additional coloring pages—we’re working on a set for the other 2011 VBS programs. (Hometown Nazareth coloring pages were posted October 12.) If you have another VBS program for which you’d like coloring pages, just leave a comment.

If you’d like to take a look at any of these VBS Starter Kits, visit Shop VBS for more information and to order your Starter Kits.

You can make as many copies of these coloring pages as you need for your VBS program. May God bless you as you prepare to teach children (and their families) about Jesus' love for them!

(Click on the images above to download the pages—

NLT is on the left and NIV is on the right)

SonSurf Beach Bash VBS Coloring Pages

Here are some coloring pages we’ve created for the SonSurf Beach Bash VBS. There is a coloring page for each day—a total of five—plus a cover sheet. Each coloring page has the daily memory verse and the lesson focus as well as the day's Scripture. There is a set of coloring pages for the New International Version and a separate set for the King James Version. (The NIV verses are used on the Connection Cards and other SonSurf printed materials.) If you use a different Bible version than the ones given, feel free to cut off or white out the verse and replace it with the version you prefer. Each coloring page shows a picture of the Bible story being taught that day.

You may want to make a coloring booklet for each child with the coloring pages for each day stapled together and the cover page on top. At the end of your VBS week, your students will have a booklet with the entire VBS points and memory verses—a fun keepsake reminder of their week at SonSurf Vacation Bible School.

Check back each week for additional coloring pages—we’re working on a set for the other 2011 VBS programs. (Hometown Nazareth coloring pages were posted October 12.) If you have another VBS program for which you’d like coloring pages, just leave a comment.

If you’d like to take a look at any of these VBS Starter Kits, visit Shop VBS for more information and to order your Starter Kits.

You can make as many copies of these coloring pages as you need for your VBS program. May God bless you as you prepare to teach children (and their families) how to get to know Jesus!

(Click on the images above to download the pages—

KJV is on the left and NIV is on the right)

Nazareth VBS Coloring Pages

Here are some coloring pages we’ve created for the Hometown Nazareth VBS. There is a coloring page for each day—a total of five — plus the cover sheet. Each coloring page has the daily memory verse and the lesson focus. There is a set of coloring pages for the New International Version and a separate set for the New Living Translation and the King James Version. (The New Living Translation is used on the memory makers and other Hometown Nazareth printed materials.) If you use a different Bible version than the ones given, feel free to cut off or white out the verse and replace it with the version you prefer. Each coloring page shows a picture of the Bible story or children learning about God's Word.

You may want to make a coloring booklet for each child with the cover on top, followed by the coloring pages for each day. At the end of your VBS week, your students will have a booklet with the entire VBS points and memory verses—a fun keepsake reminder of their week at Hometown Nazareth Vacation Bible School.

Check back each week for additional coloring pages—we’re working on a set for the other 2011 VBS programs. If you have another VBS program for which you’d like coloring pages, just leave a comment.

If you’d like to take a look at any of these VBS Starter Kits, visit Shop VBS for more information and to order your Starter Kits.

You can make as many copies of these coloring pages as you need for your VBS program. May God bless you as you prepare to teach children (and their families) about how much God loves them!

(Click on the images above to download the pages—
KJV is on the top left, NIV is on the right, and NLT is on the bottom)

VBS Craft: Fishing for Memory Verses

This fishing craft can be the “catch of the day” for whichever memory verse your students are learning.

Before your lesson, collect a small magnet and a dowel rod or unsharpened pencil for each child. Also bring 12 metal paper clips for each child.

Give each child a dowel rod or unsharpened pencil, a small magnet, and 12 metal paper clips. Also provide tape, construction paper, and scissors. Let each child cut 12 fish shapes and a hook shape from construction paper. Have the child set aside the hook shape. Let him print a word or two from the memory verse on one side of each fish, leaving the other side blank. Have him print the Scripture reference on the same fish as the last word of the verse (or on its own fish). Then tape a paper clip near the mouth or head of each fish. Encourage older children to help younger ones. Glue the small magnet to the hook shape. Tie one end of a long length of yarn to one end of the dowel rod, and tape it in place. Tape the hook shape to the other end of the yarn. Explain that the fish should be spread out blank side up on the floor. The object is to fish for the words from the memory verse using the fishing pole and place the fish in verse order on the floor before your partner does. (At home children may time each player and the fastest one wins.) Let the children play the fishing game in pairs (each using his own fish and rod), if time allows.