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Vacation Bible School is one of the busy, stressful, fun, amazing, favorite weeks of the summer! As a child, I always looked forward a week full of music, classes, and crafts with all of my friends in the community who “came out of the woodwork” for Vacation Bible School. Even as I became a teenager, our beloved Sunday School and Discipleship Training teachers transformed into Youth Vacation Bible School teachers. Now, as a parent and VBS teacher, I am excited about the upcoming VBS week each summer, despite the inevitable exhaustion that follows!

Today, many churches have decided to focus only on children in Vacation Bible School. After all, although the Bible lesson can be adapted for any age, the music and crafts are definitely geared toward children. Not many teenagers still like all of the hand motions and jumping around. Their crafts are often left in the room until the next year’s VBS.

So, is Youth Vacation Bible School obsolete?

Absolutely not!

Vacation Bible School can still be a vital part of both evangelism and discipleship of today’s teenagers.

“Bill” attends our youth group regularly, although his family is not supportive. During the time he as been attending, one of his siblings, an intelligent, skeptical teen, has visited twice. Both times were during Youth Vacation Bible School.

Youth Vacation Bible school is the time when our youth will invite the most of their friends. They have fun learning and want their friends to be a part. Many of these go to other churches who do not include youth in VBS, while others attend every available VBS in the area throughout the summer.

More youth attend our church for Vacation Bible School than for any other event or regular Bible study throughout the year. Their voluntary presence shows they still see VBS as fun and relevant to their lives. And, anytime you can get teenagers studying their Bibles while caring adults pour love in to them, it is worth all of the effort and chaos that may come with a week of VBS.

Tips for Planning Youth Vacation Bible School

So, how do you have an effective Youth Vacation Bible School? These tips have helped me lead youth VBS for many years.

Youth VBS Game

1. Find a curriculum related to the children’s theme, but tailored to teenagers. Some publishers, such as Lifeway, offer a related youth curriculum every year. This makes it easier to coordinate decorations and activities with the children’s VBS.

2. Plan a fun, theme-related, kick off that encourages youth to invite their friends. Here are a few ideas: video scavenger hunt, inflatable water slide, trip to a restaurant, movie night, fill a vehicle contest (divide into groups with an adult driver, then go through community trying to convince other youth to come back to the church and have pizza with the group), etc.

3. Schedule youth worship separately from the typical children’s worship rally. Look for music related to the theme that is popular in contemporary worship. When possible, include a team of youth in selecting and leading worship. If no worship leader/band is available, search for worship videos on You Tube that will lead into an atmosphere of worship.

4. Give small prizes for those who bring their Bible or bring a friend. I like to give everyone a small candy bar and soft drink, then award extra candy to those who bring a Bible or a friend. I have also given “points” for attendance, Bible, friends, etc. then tallied them at the end of the week. The one with the most picks first from a prize box, then the second place, and on down until everyone has a little “happy.”

Youth VBS Crafts

5. Enlist one or two youth to share a testimony or lead part of the lesson each day. Getting them involved helps them grow in leadership and get excited about sharing God’s Word.

6. Plan crafts for those who are interested before or after the lesson time. This way, those who like to make things can still enjoy being creative without forcing those who find it boring. Also, consider making crafts to give away. Youth can create gospel bracelets for a mission trip, decor for the senior citizens in the community, & much more.

7. Enlist youth to help decorate your room and make it a fun, out of the ordinary, environment. One year we made a graffiti wall using the theme, key words, and the students’ names.

What if your church needs the youth to help teach?

Many churches, especially smaller congregations, depend on teenagers to help teach Vacation Bible School, especially if the event takes place during the day when many adult are working. The youth provide assistance to teachers, help kids make crafts, teach motions to music, serve snacks, and much more. They are a valuable part of the body of Christ and serve well.

If your youth are a vital part of leading children’s VBS, consider having Youth Vacation Bible School a couple weeks before the big children’s event. Use a coordinating curriculum or at least the same Bible passages the children will study. The youth will encounter the Scriptures themselves before teaching it to the children. Not only will they know the lessons better, God may work in their lives and give them insights to share as they help teach.

Start now planning for Youth Vacation Bible School

It’s not too late to add youth VBS to your schedule of summer events. Pray for God’s guidance and seek His will first. Then, talk to leaders in your church, choose a date and curriculum, recruiter teachers, and begin promoting it among your youth!

May God amaze you with the work He does among the teenagers in your community through Youth Vacation Bible SchoolWhen teenagers are a part of the youth ministry in my church, I want them to remember that being a Christian and studying God’s word is still as important and fun for teens and adults as it is for children!

Do you have any questions about or suggestions for planning Youth Vacation Bible School? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Theme Graffiti Wall from Youth VBS

Resources for Youth Vacation Bible School

Lifeway Christian Resources still produces Vacation Bible School curriculum for teenagers that coordinates with their yearly theme for the children’s VBS. The teacher packet includes a book, posters, and resource DVD-ROM.

Many publishers have curriculum designed for youth camps, retreats, or short-term Bible studies that would be great for VBS.

Take the VBS curriculum your children will use, and study the same scriptures, but change the questions and activities to suit your teenage audience. If you haven’t chosen your children’s curriculum check out these examples: Group Publishing, Lifeway Christian Resources, Answers in Genesis.