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Aug 9, 2011

Jesus Is Sweet VBS













Jesus Is Sweet VBS
Psalms 104:34- My mediation of him shall be sweet:
I will be glad in the Lord.

Ideas for a Jesus Is Sweet Vacation Bible School theme:
  • Make an Ice Cream Cone "Jesus Is Sweet" Bulletin Board
  • Make an Ice Cream Cone Jesus Is Sweet Poster just like you see in the picture here. Just buy a pink poster board and add some ice cream decorations to it by cutting out some triangles for cones from colored paper. Add some criss cross lines with a black sharper marker using a ruler to make the cone part. Add some crumpled up tissue paper to the top of cone for the ice cream. Print out this paper of an ice cream with scripture and tape it to the poster board. Add some black trim to the top and your done. Add or change up what you need to fix the poster to your own needs. This is just an idea to use.
  • Hang more Ice Cream Cones made from the tissue paper and colored paper on front of doors or walls.
  • Add some ice cream cone ceiling decorations to the ceiling.
  • Buy an Ice Cream Cone Pinata for the kids to hit.
  • Add some Ice Cream Cone Table clothes and plain pink table clothes for the tables. We bought the ice cream stuff through Oriental Trading.
  • For prizes you can buy ice cream cone shooters and ice cream bowls. These kids had a blast with the shooters. They had a lot of fun with them.
  • I added some Object Lessons over the course of our 4 day VBS. On the fourth night we had a family night with nothing but games and food. We cooked hamburgers and hot dogs.
  • For games we played the ones mentioned below. Give each child a walmart plastic sack to put their prizes in.
  • Make Ice Cream Crafts, Christian Jesus Keychains, Sand Filled Cross Crafts
  • Sing Jesus Is Sweet Songs
  • Ice Cream Templates, Coloring Pages, Cupcake Templates at Ice Cream Sunday School Page.

GAMES:
  • Cake Walk
  • Bible Drawing Game
  • Lazarus Wrap Up
  • Soda Pop Ring Toss
  • Bible Scripture Fishing
  • Ice Cream Pinata
  • Hula Hoop Game
  • Ice Cream Bean Bag Toss
  • Balloon Broom Sweep
  • Wiggle Worm Roll
Cake Walk:    I just put tape down on the floor and used tape to shape the numbers on the floor.  I used a very large empty pickle jar to draw the numbers out of. I taped a paper of the words "CAKE WALK" on it. It had pictures of debbie cakes on it.  We had the church people bring a cake or a box of debbie cake to help out with this game. If the child won then they went and picked out the debbie cake box they wanted then went to go have a seat and finish watching the rest. This gives everyone a chance to win doing it this way.
Bible drawing Game:    I just used a 9oz. clear plastic cup and wrapped tinfoil around it. I printed the picture of the ice cream cone that says underneath it "Bible Drawing Game". I cut it out and taped a toothpick to the back of the picture and then taped it to the cup.  I then wrote down words like : Adam and Eve, Bible, Angel, Snake, Devil, Heaven, Samson, Noah's Ark, 12 Disciples, Lazarus, 3 boys in Fiery Furnance, Jonah and The Whale, Etc.... on pieces of cut out paper. I then put those pieces of paper down in the cup for the kids to draw out. One child at a time would draw out one of the pieces of paper. Then they would begin to draw the picture of the word they see on the marker board for the others to guess. Who ever guesses it first gets to go next.
Lazarus Wrap Up Game:  is where there are two teams and you give each team a roll of toilet paper. The kids need to line up in a straight line. The first kid takes the toilet paper roll and begins to wrap it around them and then passes it to the kid behind them. They do the same thing. They do this till it gets to the back of the line and then they do the same thing and pass it back up. First team to empty their toilet paper roll wins.
Soda Pop Ring Toss:  we put some tape down on the floor in a square and then put the soda pops in all lined up inside the square. We bought some glow in the dark bracelets at walmart and used those for the ring toss. This was cool because the rings were glowing. They got three tries. If they got the ring on the pop they won the soda pop. We just had the church people bring a 2 liter soda pop to help out with this.
Bible Scripture Fishing: I actually used an old science project board that was in the shop building that had old pictures of a science experiment on it and turned it into the Bible Scripture fishing game board. I just found some pictures online and added some typed scripture to it and taped them down. The kids would take a fishing pole that had a clothes pin hooked to the end of it and would throw it over the board that was sitting on a table. Then someone behind the board would hook on different prizes like packages of M&M's, Candy bars, Ziplock bags with the ice cream template stapled to the top filled with different items like Jell-o, Kool-aid packages, and other prize items. We had paddle balls, tiny glow in the dark lizards, cheap star sunglasses, whistles, birthday blowers and other miscellaneous items. Attach a scripture to the clothes pin as well. Have the child read the scripture when they retrieve the prize.
Hula Hoop Game:  Have the kids line up. Time each child on how long they hula hoop and write it down. The child that goes the longest is the winner. 

Balloon Broom Sweep: Split the kids in two teams. Give each team a broom and one blowed up balloon. Have the teams race to sweep their balloon all the way down to the finish line and come back. The first team who gets done wins.

Wiggle Worm Roll: Have the kids get in two teams. Have each team member roll to the finish line and then run back and tag the next person to go next. First team who finishes all their players wins.

PRIZES:
  • Ice Cream Cone Bowls
  • Ice Cream Cone Shooters
  • Ziplock Bag Treats
  • Candy Bars
  • M&M's
  • Paddle balls
  • Tiny Glow In The Dark Crosses
  • Cross Necklaces
  • Christian Stampers (Stamps a christian picture)
  • Whistlers (bday section at walmart)
  • Birthday Blowers (bday section at walmart)
  • Funny Shaped Sunglasses (in birthday section at walmart)
  • Helium Filled Balloons  (we bought a helium tank from walmart)
  • Spinners
  • 2 Liter Soda Pops
  • Debbie Cake Boxes
  • Sand Filled Cross -from oriental trading
  • Jesus Keychains- from oriental trading

OBJECT LESSONS:
Ice Cream Cones- I used a blender and two different colored cones to tell the object lesson behind this. I held up the two cones and just compared the cones to us. It is a vessel that holds something. That is what it was made for. We are vessels too and was made to hold the Holy Spirit. We come in different sizes and shapes just like the cones do. God made wach one of us different. I used a blender to do a demonstration about how we use our words. The blades represent words the cut like a knife. I threw the cone in the blender and blended it up. I asked the kids if someone could put the cone back together for me. Of course no one could. I told the class that our words are very powerful and cut like a knife. Once it's been said we can't take it back. It can destroy and cut people into if we are not careful about how we use our words. Life and death are in the power of the tongue the bible says in proverbs 18:21.

Ice Cream Cone Shooter- I held the ice cream cone shooter up and told the kids that we are like the ice cream cone. We are the cone and the ice cream is like Jesus. We are a vessel that hold Jesus in our lives. We don't want to do anything to kick Jesus out of our lives. Hit the button on the side to pop the ice cream out. Talk about how when we sin we kick Jesus out of our lives. Talk about the different sins that are in the Bible. Then pop it back in place and say we need to keep Jesus in our lives. Let's try not to sin and when we fail we can always ask Jesus to forgive us for our sins. 2 Peter 2:20-21 speaks of knowing the Lord and then turning away from him.

Flashlight- I held the flashlight up talked about how we need to let our light shine too. We need to show others the light of Jesus. If our light is out then we can't see. We need to have it turned on to see the way in the dark. We are a light in the midst of those that live in darkness. Use the Bible scripture
Matthew 5:16-  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Pillow Case/Canned Food- Have the kids stand in a circle and pass an  empty pillow case around in a circle. Then add can of canned food into the pillow case and pass around. Talk about how this represents sin. It's really not that heavy. Then when it gets back around to you add another can and give this sin a name like lying. Be sure you name each can of sin that you drop in. Add several cans on the third time around. This time have the kids try to hold their arms straight out and hold the pillow case filled with cans. See how long they can hold it without dropping it. This may seem kinda of easy at first but your arms will get tired. As the sins increase your will get burdened down. You are not able to carry those sins around because they are to heavy for you. Then take all the cans out and tell them this is what happens when we ask Jesus to forgive us of all our sins. He lifts the heavy burden from us. Pass the pillow case back around.

Toolbox- I used a toolbox and filled it with a plastic cooking spoon, whisk, Pen, Computer Keyboard, Christian Shirt, Hammer, and a Video Game Controller. I taught the kids how this was God's toolbox. God likes to use different people. We all do not do the same things. He calls us all to different jobs.

I pulled out the cooking spoon and whisk and asked the kids what it was. They were not expecting me to pull out cooking utensils from the toolbox. Sometimes people can get it in their heads that God only uses the Sunday school teachers or preachers. God has given each one of us gift to use for him. Sometimes the very thing that you enjoy doing the most is the very thing God gave you to use for him. Maybe you like to cook. You might be wondering how cooking could be used for God. Well you could bake cookies or casseroles and visit people and take it to them.

The Pen could be for those to write encouraging notes to those who need it, poems, draw christian cartoons, christian lyrics. God uses christian music writers to reach the lost or the hurting.

 The hammer is for people that like to work and build stuff. How about a missionary who helps build buildings and orphanages.

The video game controller is for people who love to play video games. These people go on to make christian educational video games. If you love to play video games then you could make christian games to reach those who need it. God gives us special likes and gifts and it's up to us to put it to use. If we don't use it will go to waste.

The keyboard is for those that love the computer. God can use people (like me heehee) to make Christian websites that offer materials to Sunday school teachers. They can make christian clipart, Bible coloring pages and more.

The Christian shirt is for people who like to sew or anything to do with the clothing industry. You could go into making christian clothing and add scripture logos to shirts or even be a designer.

God needs to use our talents and gifts to reach people. I even talked about how if you like to fish and hunt that God can use that too. You could hold fishing derby's and draw the lost in using that and then give them a message of salvation through demonstration or reach them somehow by showing the Love of Jesus to them. There are many ways to use your talents to reach others. Just dig deep and find out what it is that you love doing the most. Matthew 6:21  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Helium and Balloons- Take one balloon with no air in it and hold it up. Tell the kids how this lifeless balloon represents those without Jesus in their lives.  Now fill the balloon with air. This is people that fill themselves with things other than God. Like building themselves up own their own ideas without God. Being puffed up in their own mind. Now let the balloon go. This will take off across the room and make a funny noise. Tell the kids that doing this will lead to destruction. Things will not go right if you keep going in that direction. Now fill the balloon with helium. This represents the Holy Ghost.  When we fill our lives with the Holy Spirit we can soar to places with God that we never thought we could go. He lifts us up. He breathes new life into us. Notice how we could not lift ourselves up, but the Holy Spirit can. We need to submit our lives to him.

Pepper Sin- Grab a bowl of water. Talk about how our life is like this bowl of water. Clean and pure because we have Jesus. Then grab some pepper. Talk about how sometimes we can sin and shake a little bit into the water. Then grab your blood of Jesus bottle (small bottle filled with water , soap and red food coloring) Add one drop of the blood of Jesus to the water and watch how the sin scatters to the sides of the bowl. When we apply the blood of Jesus to our lives he will remove the sin out of our lives. The soap makes the pepper scatter to the sides. Be sure to cover the pepper up with some white paper and use a black crayon and write the word SIN on it. Then cover your other bottle with white paper and write the words "BLOOD OF JESUS" on it. Draw a small blood drop on it.

Jacket/White Shirt- Ahead time write up some sins on pieces of paper or note cards. Write one word on each card. Lying, Cheating, Adultery, Covet, Murder, Disobedient To Parents, etc..   Get a volunteer to help you. Have them put on a white shirt over their other shirt. Now begin to talk about how this represents our heart before we sin. It's pure and white with no stains on it. Then take one of the sins and add some tape to the back of it and stick it to the persons white shirt. Talk about what this person did and what the Bible says about this. Continue with each sin sticking them to the shirt. Now once your done with this tell the kids that sometimes we like to hide our sin. Make the person put a camo jacket or just a plain jacket on and make them zip the jacket up. We try to hide our sins so one else can see them but they are still there and God can see them. The only way to get rid of them is to ask God to forgive you of the sins and he will remove them. Take the jacket off the person and then remove the sin labels. This will make their heart pure again.

Sucker Heart- Print this paper out and hold it up the kids or you can use an actual sucker if you want. Use a tootsie Roll sucker. This teaches the kids that the middle is the soft heart. When we sin we get a hard outer covering on the outside. We try to cover and hide the sin by applying a wrapper over us. The only way to fix this is if we ask Jesus to remove our sin. He will remove the wrapper and melt away all our hard outer layer and get to the middle of the soft heart.  I got this from the Kids Sunday School Place Website. This was so good. Printable version of sucker sheet.
Diamond and Coal - Romans 5:3-....tribulation worketh patience. Talk about how a diamond use to be a piece of coal. How if formed deep within the earth and was under a lot of pressure for a very very very long time in order to become like this. Sometimes in life we will undergo a lot of pressure and things the we do not like. We will have trials and tribulations in this life. This will make us strong in the long run. This creates patience, experience and hope. This makes us into a person that will be able to reach others that need it.  We may get impatient to get to that place of where the diamond is and don't want to wait. But the experience and pressure is what will make us into something beautiful and strong. We can shine like diamonds in time.. Just be patient and endure the trials and pressure when they come. God will help us through it. You will turn out strong in the end. A diamond is very strong and sturdy and the most wanted of gems. A diamond is used in many pieces of jewelry. To be used like that will require pressure. That is the only way. Coal Sheet  and Diamond Sheet

Cell Phone: Use a real cell phone to get this message across. Tell the kids how we can call God anytime we need to talk to him. We have to have his number to reach him. You can't just use any number to reach my phone and it's the same way with God. You can have to use his number to reach him. His number is JESUS. The only way to God is through his son. The scripture that goes with this is John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
 We can talk to God anytime we need to. He is always there listening and ready to talk we need him. He will never leave us or forsake us. Have someone hold up this Cell Phone Sheet while you talk about this.



FOOD AND SNACKS:

SONGS:
  • Jesus Is Sweet : Sung to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin"  (Printable Version)
  • Jesus Came And Died For Me:  Sung to the tune of "Mary Had A Little Lamb"  (Printable Version)
  • Jesus Is The One For Me: Sung to the tune of "London Bridge"  (Printable Version)
REWARDS:

Ice Cream "Jesus Is Sweet" Award of Recognition
Colored yellow background
Colored White background

Bookmarks:

Doorknob Hanger:
Jesus is Sweet doorknob hanger Colored

Name Tags:
Jesus is Sweet Name Tags Colored

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