Vacation Bible School is the consummate summer event for kids. The expressions in this picture speak volumes about these children and their personalities. It was great getting "our gang" together on a relaxing, summer day. It’s a wonderful time for them to have fun with each other.
Day 1 was about "God is Love". It was taught in what they colored, what they sang and ultimately about an outreach project they did. Catherine and Becky are our teachers with the assistance of Judy and Tucker. In most of what they did they learned to work together, an invaluable lesson. There was plenty of time for just fun and games.
They started with coloring with each child displaying their art. A game, "Duck Duck Goose" followed which involved the children sitting in a circle and one going round tapping each head "duck" until a "goose" was chosen. At that point there was a chase of the "goose" after the tagger. The tagger tried to run home to be "safe."
The children went to the church for a question and answer session and to learn songs with Catherine and Tucker. Two songs are on tap for the week – "This is the Day" and "God is good." Tucker was invaluable in helping to keep the song progressing
Catherine led them in a game of "cooperative hoops" which is like musical chairs with hoops. Instead of finding one winner the object is get all the kids on one hoop as one hoop keeps disappearing during the game.
Refreshments followed with fish, cookies and cider. Next, Catherine read a story from "Frog and Toad"- "The Kite". She asked the question of the children, "Which would you like to be ?, Frog, Toad the robbins? She probably enjoyed the story as much as the kids. Frog and Toad is definitely a favorite here.
Becky next led the children in filling jars with beans. Why did they do this ? This was cool. These items will be used for bean soup which will be part of the Village Harvest Food Distribution during a month. Connecting children ministry to outreach!
Becky next did a craft – Bubble snakes. The children took a container and fashioned cloth at the other side. They went outside and poured soap through it and produced these long soap snakes. Some long ones – about a foot or more.
Three games followed. Becky led them in "catch the squirrel" which shows an ever widening circle of children as the "squirrel" tries to sneak through. The "squirrel" then becomes of the circle. Then there was a hoop game – transferring the hoop from one child to another. The day ended with Catherine leading them catching multi colored bubbles on a sheet of a paper. The day ended with a prayer.
The weather was slightly overcast which kept the heat down. We had about 10 kids, just the right size. Some of the parents had a good time socializing.
A good start for one of the best (though exhausting) times of the year.
Vacation Bible School, July 6, 2015 (full size gallery)