5 Tips For a Successful VBS or Children's Summer Program

Streamline your VBS or Summer Youth Programs for both volunteers and participants!  We've included step-by-step instructions on how forms can simplify your summer ministry registration,  promotion, and communication!

To watch the recording and get the resources, Click Here!

Summer is almost here, which means it is time to start planning for this year’s Vacation Bible School (VBS) & Summer Children’s Programming!

A lot goes into hosting a week full of activities and children. You will want to have everything in place well in advance. It’s especially critical as you walk through the VBS planning stages to recruit and equip quality volunteers.  

With so much going on before and during the week of VBS and programming, it’s important to have a dedicated team of volunteers to help run the show.

Build a Foundation for an Easy Registration and Sign-Up Process

1. Prepare. Prepare. Prepare. Long before you and your team begin recruiting volunteers, invest the time in building your registration and volunteer onboarding process.  Creating a structured process not only gives you the best chance to recruit well, but also to retain the recruits you do get and train them to go and accomplish the vision you set forth.
   1. Within your ChMS, you have all the tools needed to create a simple process for you and your church members. Below is a sample Registration and Sign-Up process for reference!
      1. ​Volunteer Interest Form – Get this out as early as possible, and list areas of greatest need to begin getting an idea of where people would like to serve
      2. Volunteer Sign-Up Form – This will serve as your master sign-up form. Use this to collect contact info and begin organizing your volunteers by where they would like to serve.
      3. Child Registration Form – This form will be used to collect information about the child participating in your programming, their parents, and how to contact them. It may also be used to collect payments, T-Shirt sizes, food allergies, etc.
      4. Volunteer Prospect Group – Create a group like this to house anyone interested in serving in your summer programming. Use Mass Contact (Email & Text) to send updates and information as needed
      5. Volunteer Group – Create a group specifically for those who have signed up. Use Mass Contact (Email & Text) to send updates and information as needed.
      6. Child Registrants and Parents Group – Create this group to organize and track those who have signed up for your programming.

Recruit Early and Often!

Once your registration and sign-up are complete, you are ready to begin recruiting. Get the word out to your congregation. Share the vision behind why you’re hosting a VBS. During announcements, communicate the information (dates, roles, needs) and emphasize the passion behind the 'why'. When people understand how impactful these events are to children (and entire families!), they may be more inclined to get involved. 

Use your ChMS to streamline recruiting. Below are some suggestions to help the system work for you!

1. Organize people into groups like those above and use the Mass Contact feature. Send out news, information, and maybe even some stories about how your event has impacted the lives of past participants.
2. Share your forms everywhere! You’ve spent time making sure your forms are perfect, so now is the time to share them all over the place. Have questions? Use this article to learn how to Share Forms Like A Pro!
3. Keyword Texting - Did you know someone can access your registration form just by sending a text? Keyword texting is a quick and simple way to deliver important information to your congregation. Something as easy as sending a text keyword like "VBS" to your text-giving number can return the registration form for sign-up! 

Equip Your Volunteers

1. Host a Training!
   1.  Provide training for both the leadership team and the volunteers. Have a general session with everyone to briefly discuss key topics such as safety, discipline, and rules. Then dismiss groups to attend their role-specific training. Those involved with check-in could learn the system. Volunteers who are helping with media can get acquainted with any technical programs you’ll be using.  ​
2. Provide a Training Packet
   1. This is your “VBS week in review” guide for volunteers and should be part of an orientation manual. Along with the dates and times, include important preparation items for your volunteers to review before training. Such items will include the overall VBS theme, lesson summaries, and relevant Scriptures. Include things like safety procedures, discipline procedures, and rules (like dress code, picture taking, bathroom policies, etc.) Impress on each volunteer the importance of preparing for the event through prayer and Bible reading. ​
3. Assign Leadership Roles
   3. Aside from the general volunteers, it’s wise to assign leadership roles—including grade-level leaders, teachers, registration, marketing, and overseers for crafts, activities, games, skits, and snacks. A good leadership team will help shoulder the weight of VBS by overseeing key areas. This will help reduce the burden of having only one or two people do all the work.
4. Schedule a dress rehearsal
   4. Physically walk the volunteers through the different stations for the week. Allow volunteers to go to their assigned stations with their team lead to ask any last-minute questions and receive more detailed instructions for their role. This walkthrough should give every team member a very clear picture of their duties during the VBS week. 

Implement Proper Safety Measures with Protect My Ministry!

When bringing on volunteers for your VBS program, be sure to conduct thorough background checks on each applicant. On average, 7% of background checks reveal criminal records, so it’s a crucial step. Thankfully, conducting background checks is easier than ever with your ChMS. Quick and efficient background checks can be ordered with a single click, ensuring the safety of your VBS and summer program and protecting the church behind them.

• Get started with Protect My Ministry by configuring your settings here!
• Improve the Safety of Your Vacation Bible School (Article from PMM)

Follow-Up Well

Children and Students make life-changing decisions at VBS and Summer Programs, so following up with them afterward is crucial to their spiritual journey. Being able to follow up well after events like these increases the likelihood that they will stick to their decision in the long term.

Check out some ways you and your team can follow up well using your ChMS!

1. Send Follow-Up Emails after your event.
   1. Using your mass contact feature, send an email at the conclusion of your event, celebrating everything accomplished and thanking everyone involved. 
2. Build a Feedback Form and send it out after your event.
   1. Ask good questions both about the event and any decisions that their child may have made during the week.  This will give you a chance to come alongside the parent and child to support their spiritual journey!
3. Thank your volunteers and invite them to join you again next year.
   1. Whether your “Thank You!” is simple or extravagant, find a way to thank your volunteers meaningfully. But don’t simply leave it there! Make sure to use this opportunity to invite them back for next year or for your next big event. 

Updated May 12, 2026 14:42