VBS games are an important part of Vacation Bible School. This is a chance for the kids to get some of their energy out and also connect with the other kids. It provides an opportunity for you to encourage and reinforce the VBS lessons.
Recruiting game leaders
It is important to recruit game leaders. You will need a Games Director and several Games Assistants. If you have a large number of kids that require more than one game area, then you will need one of the assistants to lead that area.
Consider what the game leader responsibilities may be:
- Plan games
- Prepare equipment for games
- Explain game instructions to kids
- Run the games
- Encourage kids during games
- Maintain control over all of the kids
- Clean up the game area
So what kind of leaders make great game leaders? You will want someone who is full of energy, can command the attention of the kids, and can adapt quickly to the changing game environment.
You will preferably want to choose an adult to be your Games Director. Not only will they be leading the group of kids, but they will also be leading any Game Assistants you may have.
Middle and high school students make great Games Assistants. They are full of energy and many of the younger kids look up to them. In our VBS we call them Leaders in Training (LITs).
Plan games for each day
You should plan out each game that you will play each day. Ideally, it is important to plan more than one game for each day. Games sometimes do not go as planned or do not last as long as anticipated. I prefer to plan one main game with equipment and then several no-prep games to help fill in gaps as necessary.
Many VBS programs come with a list of games that you can play. Although many of these games work great; however, most times they do not align with your game area, the number of kids, etc. This is why you should create your own VBS Game Plan.
Considerations
When planning games, there are several things to consider:
- Number of days – Will VBS be 2 days or 5 days? You will need enough games for the entire VBS week or weekend.
- Amount of time – Normally 25-30 minutes will be alloted to games. Although this seems like a lot of time, it will go by fast. Be sure to set aside time for gathering the kids together at the beginning and then time for the kids to line back up with their leaders at the end.
- Age of kids – Younger kids have shorter attention spans. They need quick games that move at a fast pace. Older kids can plan more involved games that have more detailed instructions.
- Number of kids – Many games that come with VBS curiculum are design for small groups of less than 20 kids. If you group size is going to 50 ore more, then you need to consider finding games that more kids can play at the same time.
- Size of game space – Are you playing games in a classroom, multipurpose room, gym, or outside. Each of these game spaces allow for different kinds of games.
- Equipment available – What game equipement do you have available? Make sure you have the right equipment for each game, or play a no-prep game that does not require equipment.
Game Time Schedule
Once you have an idea of the considerations, you can start developing a game-time schedule. The amount of time that you have will not all be used for games. You will need to set aside time for transitioning kids in, giving instructions, playing the games, and getting the kids back with their leaders. This time will go by a lot quicker than you expect.
- Incoming / Transition
- Instructions
- Playing Games
- Line Up / Transition
Types of Games
There are several types of games that you can choose from:
- Free for All – Each kid plays on their own.
- One vs One – Two kids compete against each other at one time.
- Multiple Team – Two or more teams compete against each other.
I prefer playing either Free for All or Multiple Team games. These work best to make sure all kids are involved and there are not several kids just sitting around waiting to play.
Equipment
Once you have chosen your games, make sure you have all the equipment that you need. Amazon is a great resource, but there are other online and sporting stores that carry many of the items. I have put together an equipment resource page to help in your gathering process.
The one equipment item that I used more than any other is the multicolored disc cones. Our kids are normally assigned a color, so they can easily see their colored cones and line up when it’s time to play the games.
Connect with your leaders
Meet with your game leaders before VBS starts to set expectations. If you have training before VBS starts, that is a great time to have a breakout session with your leaders. Here are some things you should cover:
- Contact information
- Responsibilities
- Overview of the games
- Answer any questions
Meet with your game leaders each day before game time to cover games for the day. This is your opportunity to cover the games for that day. Go over the instructions for each game, and answer questions. The last thing you want is a leader that does not know what is going on. This allows your leaders to help explain the games to smaller groups so that you are not repeating yourself. You can assign specific jobs for each of your leaders. If you are playing team games, you can assign a leader to each of the teams. Also, if any preparation is needed, your leaders can join together to get everything set up.
Meet with your game leaders at the end of each day to talk about what worked or didn’t work. You leaders see things that you may not see during games time. This allows your leader to share which games worked or did not work. Based on the feedback you can adjust the games remaining for the week and also take notes for future VBS games. This also gives you a chance to address any concerns with your leaders.
Quick Tips for VBS Games
- Have your leaders greet the kids when they come in. Cheer them on and build excitement. If you’re not excited about games then they will not be either.
- Be intentional to connect one-on-one with the kids to provide encouragement and reinforce the VBS lessons.
- Have a list of no-prep games that can be used to fill time gaps or quickly transition to if other games do not go as planned.