Does your church host VBS, otherwise known as Vacation Bible School during the summer? Or perhaps you’re wondering where to start for your first VBS program? VBS programs are a great way for kids to invite their friends to come to a church event. Having a great VBS program takes the pressure off of all of the planning, and we’ve found VBS curriculum that is perfect!
Thankfully, some amazing ministries put together detailed and helpful VBS kits to take away your worries. Several VBS themes are offered for free, while most offer a one-time purchase for digital and printed materials. Check out these fantastic ministries to see which VBS program works best for your church. And if you’re figuring out how to promote your VBS this summer, check out our in-depth post.
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Table of contents
Free VBS Curriculum
Grow Curriculum
They have 5 amazing free VBS themes to choose from right now. Grow curriculum strives to give churches who may not have ample resources to have a great vacation bible school!
Set Sail
Feel the warm sunshine and cool sea breeze as you set sail on a new adventure! An ocean cruise is perfect for relaxing, having fun, and making new memories with the people you love. When we embark on a journey like this, we can trust the captain to lead us toward our destination — and we can trust God in the same way! On this 4-day voyage, kids will develop a deeper understanding of how to follow Jesus when they learn God shows us how to love others, gives us gifts to serve others, prepares us to share the good news, and loves spending time with us!
Wild Life
Think about the weirdest animals you can think of. What noise does an aardvark make? Is an axolotl really smiling? Are glass frogs made of real glass? Is a wombat a type of bat? It’s wild that God helps each animal grow and thrive… and us, too! Wild Life is 4-day adventure where kids discover how special they are to God and how wild it is that they can share their story, use their gifts, spend time with God, and spend time with others.
On the Case
Growing spiritually doesn’t have to be an unsolved mystery. Take a four-day journey with kid detectives as they dig into a few of Jesus’ parables to solve the mysteries of how to grow their faith, how to care for, serve, and love others. They’ll discover that the answers have been there all along: spend time with God, spend time with others, use your gifts, and share your story.
I Wonder
Kids are naturally curious, and when you’re curious about who God is, it’s easy to grow your relationship with Jesus. That’s why, in this 4-part series for Vacation Bible School, we’re going to engage kids’ imaginations!​ Kids will not only get curious about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — but also about the God who created it all! They’ll hear from early church leaders like Paul, Peter, John, and Timothy, who helped the first Jesus-followers wonder what made their stories unique, what gifts God gave them (and how they could use those gifts to serve), what they could learn from others, and how they could spend time with God.
Mission: Deep Sea
A crew of deep sea explorers from the Sea Exploration Agency are on a mission to explore the deepest depths of the ocean, in search of knowledge about its Creator — and you’re invited too, as a SEA agent in training! As our crew travels deeper and deeper below the surface, experience the amazing wonders of creation, face a few challenges, and discover that knowing our Creator doesn’t require a special badge or a submarine. Our faith grows deeper when we spend time with God, spend time with others, use our gifts to serve, and share our stories of faith.
Paid VBS Curriculum
Orange
Orange is a fantastic children’s ministry curriculum creator. They also provide the opportunity to gather once a year to hear from incredible speakers about children’s ministry. Join them in Atlanta, Georgia on April 23-25!
Start the Party Kit – $249
Jesus gives us the most amazing reason to party! That’s why we believe God’s love and the Gospel of Jesus is the best news ever. Celebrate the good news of Jesus with this complete kit that includes everything you need to begin planning to host not only a great week of VBS, but a celebration that will last all summer long. The Start the Party program will teach kids about friendship, belonging, forgiveness, an abundant life and purpose.
This kit includes programming and small group activity plans for all types of VBS groups as well as adaptation plans for kids with special needs. Your fantastic Start the Party VBS Kit will include information to access the VBS curriculum website, which has everything you need to download and plan your Start the Party VBS experience—all loaded into one spot! A box containing samples of the Start the Party VBS-themed supplemental products will be mailed to you.
This kit is completely customizable and made to accommodate all group sizes and environments so you can best meet the needs of your church and community. Save time, money, and stress with this complete VBS kit loaded with the tools and materials you need to create a great VBS experience filled with fun, laughter, and God’s Word.
- Director’s Guide
- Training Materials
- Large Group Materials
- Small Group Materials along with Special Needs Adaptations
- Rotation Stations like Games, Snacks, Music, Missions and more!
- A Complete Preschool VBS
- Parent Take-Home Files
- Video and Graphics Package
- Social Media Plans
- Worship Videos
- Promotional Materials
Lifeway
Breaker Rock Beach
Kids will be challenged as they discover that God’s truth never ever changes, everyone needs Jesus, and learn to speak the truth in love. Adventure awaits each day as kids explore tide pools, spot orcas, fly kites, and watch the mighty waves crash up against the immovable Breaker Rock!
Lifeway provides so many amazing vacation bible school themes and kits. Not only do they have a great program for this year, but they provide you the opportunity to purchase a Director’s Kit, Worship Rally Pack and different levels of starter kits.
What’s Inside the Director’s Kit:
- Administrative Guide
- Decorating Made Easy
- Preschool Activity Book
- Kids Activity Book
- Preteen Activity Book
- One Music for Preschoolers CD
- One Music for Kids CD
- Directors Travel Sticker*
- ​Promotional Poster*
Lifeway does a great job at providing excellent training for this vacation bible school program. On their website you’ll see videos for choreography, snack and craft ideas, bible study training and so much more!
Group
Group provides not only VBS kits but crafts, wall hangings, other decorations and more! Right now they are offering three different VBS kits to get you started at varying price points. No matter which Group VBS program you choose, you’ll receive a fun, engaging, hands-on Bible learning experience that’s easy to do and adaptable to your church’s size and budget. It’s a win-win!
Scuba Ultimate Starter Kit – $309
Take kids deep into an amazing undersea adventure where they’ll experience the ever-flowing, never-ending amazing love of God. At Scuba VBS, kids will be immersed in the Word and discover what living water is really all about! This all-new rotation station is where kids learn to apply the daily Bible Verse to real life−their life! At Scuba Vacation Bible School, one memorable Bible Point is reinforced throughout each station, each day—making it easy for kids to remember and apply in real life.
Outback Rock Kit – $119
On this super fun Aussie adventure, kids explore God’s monumental love and discover what it means to have an unshakable faith. Each day at Outback Rock VBS, kids trek through field-tested rotations that reinforce relevant Bible Points and immerse kids in new adventures! At Outback Rock vacation Bible school, kids experience God’s Word in surprising and unforgettable ways. Each day, leaders will reinforce one simple Bible truth—which makes it easy for kids to remember and apply to real life!
Hometown Nazareth Ultimate Starter Kit – $264
Take kids back to Jesus’ Hometown Nazareth, where they’ll stand up for their faith among people who doubt that a carpenter’s son is really God’s Son. At Hometown Nazareth VBS, you’ll reinforce Bible truth in a large way because the daily Bible Point is carefully integrated into each activity. God’s Word comes alive through engaging interaction with Bible history!
Cokesbury Kids
Cokesbury provides customers with a FREE VBS-themed page where you can send people to find out more about your VBS and to register for it. You will also be able to create your own domain name, and take advantage of all the FREE registration tools that Cokesbury offers!
Camp Firelight – $224
Digital Content Download Includes:
- Director Guide
- Bible Storyteller
- Leader Guides: Preschool/Kindergarten, Craft, Music, Science, Assembly, Recreation, and Reflection Time
- Decorating Guide
- Complete Music CD
- Bible Adventure Video DVD/CD-ROM
- Music Video DVD
- Decorating and Publicity Materials
During Vacation Bible School, join first-time camp, Counselor Sam and Lumen, “Lu,” the lightning bug puppet, for a summer adventure at Camp Firelight! Campers accompany Counselor Sam and Lu during each assembly session and learn to face their fears while trusting in God. Each day, Campers see Counselor Sam face new challenges, from as simple as leading Campers on a hike to as intimidating as meeting a new and wise nature expert.
With the help of Lu, the Lightning Bug, and the Camp Counselor Guidebook, Sam and the Campers explore timeless Bible stories showing how Old and New Testament Bible figures trusted God, faced their fears, and went on to do great things in God’s name.As the Campers experience the stories through music, drama and storytelling, games, arts and crafts, science, and even snacks, they learn ways to connect with and trust God.
Hero Hotline – $224
Cokesbury’s Hero Hotline VBS invites children of all ages to answer the call to serve God together. Join the Professor and Super Meer as young Heroes learn to strive for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up as we are taught in Romans 14:19.
Through stories in both the Old and New Testaments, this VBS program opens kids’ eyes to the countless ways God provides for Bible Heroes through teams of supporting Bible Heroes who help make the mission possible through following Jesus, Helping Others, Working Together, Listening to God, and Showing Grace.
At the center of the Hero Hotline is a Hero Hotline Headquarters, situated in a colorful underground cave. Here, Kids (or “Heroes”) will learn from the Professor, along with Super Meer (an adorable meerkat puppet), about the Hotline Tips (Daily Learnings).
The goal of this VBS is to help children learn to work together and share their gifts as they answer God’s call on their lives as they strive to bring peace and build each other up in this world.
Answers VBS
The Great Jungle Journey
At this VBS, your kids will explore the biblical answers to these questions as they set off on an epic adventure all the way from Genesis to Revelation. Amid sloths, butterflies, river dolphins, and dart frogs, your children will sail along on a fun jungle cruise, stopping at seven ports of call. These ports are the 7 C’s of History: Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, and Consummation.
Kids will discover how these events shape our world, and they will learn to reconnect the Bible to their everyday life! Excitement and adventure await from the first minute of each day when kids meet in travel groups. The groups gather at the Jungle Jam Assembly, a high-energy beginning that includes wacky intros, lively songs, a Mission Moment, and prayer.
Children’s Ministry Deals
Lava Lava Luau (printed book + digital) – $199
Emotions are a force of nature, but with God’s help, we can learn to take control of our emotions before a storm hits! During our fun week at the Lava Lava Luau, we’ll see what God’s Word says about anger, sadness, jealousy, and frustration and learn how we can respond to others who may be feeling these emotions as well. In Lava Lava Luau 5-Day VBS curriculum, kids will learn Biblical ways to express and deal with their emotions.
To get the additional countdown video, and games videos pictured above make sure you select the “VBS + Media Pack” option above. All of these additional videos and images are available separately for $135, but you can get them all for only $72 when you order them together with the Lava Lava Luau VBS. (Click here to see more details on everything included in the media pack).
The Castle of Courage (printed book + digital) – $187
Welcome to the Castle of Courage! At the Castle of Courage, kids will meet King Ardor and the members of his kingdom, including the famous Knights of the Oval Table. These mighty warriors will teach kids that true courage comes from trusting God. In our Castles of Courage 5-Day VBS curriculum, kids will learn that true courage comes from trusting God.
More Info:
- Medieval Themed
- Perfect for kids ages 6-12
- 5-days of lessons and activities
- Includes large group activities and small group discussion
- This VBS program is an instant download
- Download a free sample lesson here.
- Includes Editable Text Files
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