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Though designed as a 5-day, 3-hour Vacation Bible School, the VBS Reachout Adventures' curriculum
materials can be used, with minor schedule modifications, in a variety of other settings such as evening VBS, week-long Bible camp, weekly
Kids' Club, Day Camp, Backyard Club, or Day Care.
The suggestions below have been written to help churches adapt the program for use in one of these alternate settings, as well as to
stimulate your own thinking on modifications you may want to consider to achieve the best program for your ministry purposes.
Evening VBS
With some minor adjustments to the schedule, VBS Reachout Adventures' program can easily be used as an evening VBS. In fact, the availability
of men and women to serve in staff positions who have daytime work commitments makes this a viable alternative for churches struggling with
staffing. Consider running concurrently a special program for parents, such as a Bible study or video series.
If the 3-hour schedule is too long for your evening, you can keep all the components by trimming most events
5 or 10 minutes (opening and closing assemblies, recreation), and eliminating the additional memory work time.
In planning the closing program for parents at the end of the final day, eliminate recreation and snacks from
the regular schedule that evening and offer refreshments with the parents.
Bible Camp
Reachout Adventures' schools are ideal for a Bible Camp setting, as the curriculum provides the adventure theme, Biblical content, lingo,
music, recreation ideas, competition, and suggested decorations, all of which are desirable aspects for a camp program.
The costumed Storyteller makes a great speaker for your camp "chapel." If you have a second chapel time each day, consider one of the following:
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Have the Storyteller present half of the lesson at each chapel. (You'll find there is plenty of material provided if you want to divide
it into two sections.)
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Devote the second chapel to a review of the lesson and life application (probably without the costumed Storyteller appearing).
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Complete the Student book's lesson worksheets in a small group discussion format during the second chapel.
The daily Bible readings are perfect for the campers' daily devotions, either individually or as a cabin
(especially for the younger ages). While you will not have the advantage of parental involvement (unless it is a Family Camp), counselors
can assist the children in meeting their memory work and service project requirements. The Recreation Packet activities can be expanded
since your facility presumably accommodates more active, outdoor events.
The Bible camp setting gives you more opportunities to interact with your children throughout the day, getting to know them and their heart-response to the Gospel and the truths of the Bible lessons.
Weekly Kids' Club
VBS Reachout Adventures' school can readily be developed into a weekly kids' club format. How much of the lesson content
can be told each week will depend on the amount of time allocated for your program.
All of the components of Reachout Adventures' school can work well in a weekly schedule. The daily opening and
closing assemblies are perfect for your whole-group times, with all or many of the ages coming together for singing, offering and memory
drill. Classrooms by grade groups fit the individual club or classroom time, with the children going to hear the Storyteller or the
Storyteller coming to the classroom. The student books will provide worksheet time during your program, and at-home assignments that
will encourage parental involvement.
While the curriculum is designed as a 5-day school, it is easily expandable to a longer term by having the
Storyteller divide each lesson into two parts, and extending the children's daily goals over a 2 week time period. While this may involve
incorporating additional memory work, there is plenty of material to cover 2 weeks per lesson/set of daily goals. This would also provide
more time for lesson application discussions during individual classroom time. Also, 2 weeks could be devoted to a dress rehearsal for
your closing program and then 1 week for the program itself. If you do not have a 3-hour period, each scheduled day could be
shortened as needed by eliminating either the closing assembly, recreation, and/or shortening the memory work time.
One area of difficulty may be that of decorations. How extensively you can rearrange your facility and decorate
will depend on the other uses of the facility throughout the week. If you are unable to keep the decorations up between meeting days, make
sure that you have easily mobile props to convey the adventure theme.
Backyard Club
With VBS Reachout Adventures' emphasis on teaching both churched children and their neighborhood friends, this curriculum is adaptable
for use as a Backyard Club in various neighborhoods. By scheduling clubs on different weeks or on the same weeks at nearby locations, the
costumed Storyteller can visit all of the different sites. When scheduled on different weeks, decorations can also be shared. Decorations
can be simple, and yet convey well the camping and hiking adventure theme.
We suggest that you select one age level of student books for the entire group at any given home, probably 1st & 2nd
or 3rd & 4th, depending on the anticipated ages of the group. (Four different worksheets and assignments within the same club would
be too complex.) Be sure to gear your expectations to the developmental level of your children, as well as their home situations.
Community children may not get help at home with daily Bible readings or memory work, so be sure to allot time during your clubs to
assist them.
Simplify the day with less elaborate arrival lineup, Scripture drill and contest, but do have singing,
perhaps using the instrumental side of the Leader's Music CD as accompaniment. The team designation is useful for games and rotating who goes first to crafts, snack, story time, etc.
Day Care
VBS Reachout Adventures' curriculum can also be used as part of a Day Care program. How you incorporate the material will depend
on the current structure of your Day Care schedule. The children will love the music; it is amazing how much they can learn of
the Scriptures and God's truth through the songs. The lesson handwork and craft projects, many of which reinforce the story, are terrific for
your regular craft time.
Older pre-school children will become engrossed in the eyewitness accounts of the Storyteller. For younger
ones, just seeing and touching the Storyteller may be all they can handle. Make sure there is nothing covering the face or otherwise scary!
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