Keeping Kids Safe at Vacation Bible School in 2021
Dear Parents,
We’ve missed your kids! We want to see them back at VBS this year for a week of fun and faith! Our VBS program this year is titled “Treasured: Discovering You’re Priceless to God!” What a great message for kids to hear! While we will still have music, Bible stories and verses, Bible Buddies, and fun gizmos to make to remind us of the daily Bible point, we have had to alter our VBS program this year to be able to follow protocols for keeping our kids safe while the Covid virus is still active. Here are the changes we are making to the VBS program this year to make sure your kids stay safe. We hope this will be useful in helping you to make the decision of whether to send your child to VBS this year.
VBS Program Changes for 2021
- Sadly, we will not be able to run a program for pre-school aged children this year. Only elementary aged children (those who have completed a year of kindergarten through 5th grade) will be able to participate. We will have a program limit of 30 elementary aged kids to ensure appropriate social distancing.
- Masks must be worn each day. Temperatures will be taken at the door before entering the building.
- We are shortening the hours of the program to 2 hours. VBS will run from 9:30-11:30, Monday through Friday.
- We are limiting the number of helpers we have. Your child will be assigned to a crew with no more than 10 children in it with 2 adult crew leaders. Siblings will be kept in the same crew whenever possible. Your child’s crew will be assigned to a large, air-conditioned room that will allow for social distancing. They will use that room for the entire week. Neither children nor adults will be rotating to different stations as we normally do during VBS. Each child will be assigned their own table (unless it is necessary for siblings to sit at the same table), and be provided with their own set of materials to use (ie: pencils, crayons, etc). Materials will not be shared with other children in the crew!
- Our traditional “Games” and “Snack” stations have been eliminated this year, however, a snack will still be served. Each crew will be assigned a 20 minute “mask break” at some point during the morning, which will take place in a shaded area outside where they can sit spread out from each other. Each child will be given a small bottle of water and a pre-packaged individual snack (package of cookies, chips, fun fruits, etc). This will also be a chance for them to stretch their legs a bit. A simple game like Simon Says, which does not require contact or equipment, may be played.
- Tables, chairs, and any surfaces the children come in contact with will be sanitized daily. Hand sanitizers will be available in each classroom. Hands will be washed before and after snack.
A Day at VBS in 2021
9:15: Doors open at the front of the church for temperature screening and sign-in. Children will sit in a pew assigned to their crew in the church with appropriate spacing between children.
9:30-10:15: Children remain in the church for “Sing and Play” (opening activities) and “Bible Adventures” (Bible story).
10:15-11:30: Children will move to their assigned room with their adult crew leaders. They will be led in activities for Imagination Station (Bible Point Gizmo of the day, Saint of the Day), and Kid Vid Station (Bible verse of the day, Kid Vid video clip of the day). At some point they will head outside for their snack/mask break/leg stretch. At 11:25, crew leaders will move the children out to the parking lot to a designated area where they will line up and wait for a parent to pick them up.
We hope this will give you an idea of the plans we’ve put in place to ensure social distancing and hygiene during VBS. Please contact Deacon Mike if you have any further questions. We are looking forward to seeing your child at VBS this year!