Helpful Hints
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Review and prepare your materials for each lesson. We have provided you with a few faith activities to choose from each day. Select the ones that best suit your needs and the ages of the children.
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Choose a quiet, enclosed room for the faith station. Use floor mats or chairs for the kids to sit on. This will minimize distractions and help the children to focus on the lessons.
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Talk to the director to ensure that each child will receive a VBS saint card as one of their daily take home items. The group leaders can distribute them at the end of the day.
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Purchase a set of Cat.Chat VBS saint posters to feature the Saint of the Day.
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If the group sizes are larger than 15 to 20 kids, we recommend setting up two faith stations in two separate rooms, running at the same time. This will allow for a more intimate faith lesson for both the leader and the kids. Simply divide the kids into two groups and have a second faith leader to run the other station.
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If you are hoping to cover the majority of the content in each lesson, keep the teachings brief and the questions flowing by asking a response from only one or two children.
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Use a highlighter to select the questions/ sections you will ask the older children.
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Pray before each lesson and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you teach the kids these important faith lessons.
- Teach silence in small steps each day. Children can learn silence, but it must be modeled and practiced. Try 10–20 seconds of quiet listening prayer. Say: “Let’s listen to what Jesus might be saying in our hearts.” Gradually increase the length over the week.
- Be encouraged that even though some of the kids might not go to Mass, the messages they hear and experience at VBS will impact them. Kids may start asking their parents to take them to Mass, and it may place a desire to attend Mass on their own when they are older.
- Ways to make prayer time interactive:
- Let children place their own written prayer intentions in a basket.
- Invite other volunteers to lead a short prayer.
- Allow kids to take turns carrying the Bible to the prayer table.
- Involve movement during the Bible Verses. Create some of your own actions. Young kids learn better when they stand, act, clap, use hand motions, etc.
