Here's an idea....

[MommyRat]

of what our VBS was like.

http://www.hdbc.org/photos.htm

Most of the pictures are of our kids, but you can kinda see our decorations in the background. There are also a few pictures of them in crafts. And as you can tell, the favorite snack day is always smores, which is why it was well photographed! This was our first year for centers and we loved it! The kids were constantly doing different things and it was very exciting for them. And it took the pressure of teaching off the guides (who were the teachers) and they developed closer relationships with the kids and had a great time too. We actually decided the sell a DVD of the video we took each day along with the pictures we took. All the proceeds will go to the missions project which focused on Operation Christmas Child.

[houseparent]

very nice!

[tstewart113]

What beautiful children and fun decorations!

[denise60]

MommyRat
Your pics are great
It looks like on Tuesday the kids made the galaxy tubes from the craft book. Can you let me know how that went and did the kids like the craft. Thanks
Denise

[winnipeg]

Great pictures!
Look like you all had an amazing time.

You gave me an idea - I have that spece fabric you used. I bought some for sheets for my boys - great decorations in the meantime.

Thanks for sharing,

[NormaVK]

Looks like lots of fun. You are a great photographer too.
Norma

[TrinityJen]

Thanks! I liked how you used the silver blankets on the walls with planets on them.

[DisneyCyndi]

Thanks so much for sharing.

[MommyRat]

MommyRat
Your pics are great
It looks like on Tuesday the kids made the galaxy tubes from the craft book. Can you let me know how that went and did the kids like the craft. Thanks
Denise

Weeeellllll, that one didn't go so well. I ran crafts for the last 5 years in our VBS and handed it off reluctantly this year to direct. (that was the hardest part of directing!) Our craft center leader came to me for advise on which crafts to choose and I thought this one was an obvious winner. We had done the snowglobe type craft last year with SonTreasure Island. Unfortunately, the galaxy tubes need some alteration.

Be very careful with choosing your corks. We had difficulty finding ones made for liquid use and ended up with the ones at Hobby Lobby in the sand art section. They fit the tubing great. When she made one the week before, it leaked. She brought it to me and I tried and mine didn't. But the day of, almost all of them leaked. I think it was a combination of the wrong type of corks and the kids not allowing the hot glue to dry before handling them which forced water between the glue and the tube before it sealed. Here are my suggestions: 1. Try to find/order liquid grade corks. 2. With or without those corks, use a paraffin dip after hot glueing the cork in place. That will seal it quickly from the outside. Many people have the paraffin warmers for personal use made for dipping your hands. It cools quickly. 3. Be prepared with plastic baggies for the kids to put them in after crafts just in case you have a few leak. We had ours on the seats in the sanctuary since we did centers not classrooms and we were very lucky to have caught them before they ruined any seats.

I have done crafts both in and outside VBS with all ages of kids. Most of the time, I have to rewrite at least part of a craft to fit the time constrants and space requirements of our VBS. Don't hesitate to customize a craft for your setting and ALWAYS try it out before hand. It's even best if you buy what you need to make one, try it, then if it works well for you, go buy the quantity you need. There have definitely been times I wish I had the craft editor in my room while I was doing a craft to give them my thoughts!

[denise60]

MommyRat
Thanks for all the great advice. I am the craft leader and have been doing VBS and lots of other crafts for kids programs for 13 years and I understand what you are saying about modifications that need to be made and doing them ahead.
I also thought that this would be a great craft. We are really trying to stay with the spy theme and not do alot of space type crafts, But this was on my back up list. I just wondered if it would be worth my time to try it out. We usually have around 100 kids and don't have much extra time. The leaking is what I worried most about. Can't have watery glitter all over the church.

Thanks again for the advice.
Denise

[MommyRat]

We had 118 on our high day with about 60 of those being the 3rd-6th grade that attempted this craft. Again, I don't want to completely discourage anyone from trying this craft, just know the flaws going in to it.