Decorating for “The Great Journey with Jesus Through the Church Year” VBS offers a creative opportunity to visually bring the church calendar to life! The decorations should reflect the different seasons of the church year while capturing the excitement of the journey with Jesus. 

By decorating in these creative ways, you help the kids understand the significance of each season and how each part of the year connects to the story of Jesus. Your decorations will help immerse them in the journey, making it both memorable and meaningful!

Here are some creative ideas to help you transform your VBS space:

Ask VBS parents and parishioners for decorations and props you can borrow to save on your VBS budget.

DECORATING TIPS VIDEO  

Entrance and Main Assembly: Desert Theme in Biblical Times 

• Create an fun entrance for the kids to walk through using bamboo poles (painted PVC pipes) or homemade pillars. Drape burlap or fabric over the top.
• Put up hand-painted wooden signs that say “Welcome to the Great Journey with Jesus” or print signs pointing to “Main Assembly Hall”, “Games Tent”, etc. (PDF link included in your program)
• You can purchase desert scene banners. (Amazon)
• Use canvas, burlap, colorful fabric or bedsheets to create small tent areas or shaded places for stations. 
• Fill wicker baskets with real or artificial fruit and bread.
• Display steel buckets, big clay pots or pottery vases, wooden crates, wooden tables, and plants. 
• Add potted palm plants or cactus’ (real or artificial) to make the space feel like a desert oasis. 
• Use rope or fishing netting to hang from the walls or ceiling.
• Feature old-looking maps on walls or as backdrops. 
• Print Holy Land Travel Posters. (PDF link included in your program)
• Hang up hats, binoculars, and compasses in the room and feature  khaki or sand-colored backpacks or satchels and walking sticks.

Group Homebase

Each VBS group has a space in the main assembly where they gather each day and keep their belongings.

• Set up little “pop-up” canopy tents for each group’s homebase. 
• Spread colorful blankets, rugs and tassel pillows on the floor to create a warm, cozy feel.
• Hang colored tablecloths or streamers to help differentiate each area by its liturgical season.
• Place (collapsed) folding tables on the floor for a hard working surface or use small tables draped with fabric or tablecloths.

Bible Times Marketplace 

Give the kids the opportunity to step back in time. Set up a few tiny shops such as beadwork/jewelry making, wool shop (yarn for knitting), farmer’s market (unique food to try), or carpenter’s shop (sanding wood), with so many cool things to hear, touch, make, smell, taste and see. Groups can explore the marketplace at the start of the day or during the snack break. 

Front Stage

Create a large, colorful VBS Liturgical Spinning Wheel (PDF link included in your program) and/or a Map that features the liturgical seasons and can be displayed prominently on stage. This can be made with cardboard or wood divided into sections. Use colors to represent each liturgical season (example, purple for Advent, green for Ordinary Time, etc.) 

Incorporate movable pieces or markers that can be moved or changed daily. You could have a rotating arrow or a “WE ARE HERE” marker (PDF link included in your program) to indicate the liturgical season as the VBS week progresses. Each stop is a journey. The “daily” journey can be marked with visual symbols of that season (image of manger scene for Christmas, crown of thorns for Lent, etc.) Be creative!

During the daily opening assembly, refer to the spinning wheel or map to show which liturgical season we are exploring that day. Invite kids on stage to take turns spinning the wheel or changing the movable piece. By incorporating these ideas into your VBS stage design, you can help kids visualize and understand the daily themes in a fun and memorable way. Using interactive tools like a spinning wheel or map can make learning about the Great Journey with Jesus Through the Church Year both exciting and educational. 

Digital Great Journey Wheel or Map 

Feature a VBS liturgical wheel or map on a screen. (PDF link included in your program)

Church Season Symbols 

Decorate your main assembly area with decorations, props (or symbols) that reflect the meaning of each liturgical season. Decor could be featured in the main assembly area on a small table/prayer spot or in the faith room. Switch it up each day.

• Advent: Showcase a wreath and candles. Use purple and pink fabric or tablecloths. 
• Christmas: Add the Christ candle to the wreath, feature images of the Holy Family, shepherds, manger scenes, set up Christmas trees, lights and wrapped presents, etc. Use white and gold fabric or tablecloths. 
• Ordinary Time: Incorporate the color green by adding various plants and vines in a variety of locations. Display images of key events in Jesus’ public ministry (miracles, walking on water, loaves and fishes, etc.).
• Lent: Decorate with purple banners, palm branches, crown of thorns, crosses, and images of the Stations of the Cross.
• Easter: Decorate with Easter lilies, flowers, bunnies and butterflies to symbolize new life. Display white and gold banners.

Display the priest’s vestments on a stand or have your priest come dressed in the appropriate liturgical colored vestment for the VBS day. 

Prayer Journey Wall

Set up a designated wall space where kids can add their own prayer intentions (such as drawings or short prayers) throughout the week. In the opening and closing assembly, the director or group leaders can add the intentions on sticky notes and tape them to the wall in the form of a cross. 

Display the Daily Bible Verse and saint posters on the Prayer Journey Wall. (PDF link included in your program)