Enjoy my creation with me
This is the last day for the Creation Discovery VBS. We have had so much fun! I hope you have too! Thank you for joining us.
Scripture for the day: Genesis 2:1-3
Theme: Just like God, we take time to rest
Verse: “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy…. The seventh day is a Sabbath day unto the Lord you God.” Exodus 20:8, 10
Opening Gathering Time:
All the children meet together for singing and an introduction to today’s theme and scripture. During this time, we also had a guest scientist who had an interactive science demonstration that focused on something that God created on that day. Day 1 the scientist showed us some cool things about light.
Setting:
On the stage we had a pop-up canopy with 2 sides up. It was here that we added the items that God created each day. Our setting is complete.
Kids helped create the Setting of the Creation Story
Songs and Creation Review:
Review in a short sentence or two what God created each day and then sing the corresponding song. Today’s Gathering is a little longer, but the activities go pretty fast, so you may just want to spend 20 minutes at the activities instead of 25. Keep 5 minutes to move between places.
Power point for Songs for Gathering
- Creation Song #2
- Review Day 1 – light, day/night — & theme: Just like light, Jesus shows the way
- He is the Light
- Review Day 2—air& sky — & theme: Just like air, God is there
- This is the Day That the Lord Has Made
- Review Day 3 – land & trees — & theme: Just like trees, Jesus grows His fruit in me
- Fruit of The Spirit (with band)
- Review Day 4 – sun, moon, stars — & theme: Just like the moon, we reflect God’s love
- Great Big Beautiful World
- Review Day 5 – birds & sea life — & theme: Just like sparrows, we can trust God’s care
- God Created — need 8 volunteers – each one thinks of an animal to say into the microphone at blank; 1st 2 name birds, 2nd 2 name sea life, 3rd pair name birds, 4th pair name sea life
- Review Day 6 part A – animals
- Lord of Creation
- Review Day 6 part b – people — & theme: Just like Adam & Eve, we were created by God
- Woven Together
Interactive Creation Story
What did God do on Sabbath? Let’s read Genesis 2:1-3. God rested!
Raise your hand if you like to build with Lego. How about K’nex? Who likes to make things with food and cook? How about drawing and painting? Who likes making things on the computer? We like to create don’t we! When you get done making something, do like to enjoy it? Maybe you play with your Lego or K’nex creation. Maybe you eat those yummy cookies. Or maybe you put your drawing on the refrigerator or give it to someone special to enjoy. When God got done with our world, He took some time to rest and enjoy His creation! He said come rest and enjoy my creation with me! Don’t you like showing someone what you made? I do. I like others to enjoy my creation, too. Just like God rested, we can too. We can rest and enjoy His creation with Him!
God rested and blessed the 7th day. He made it holy. This was the first holiday! How many of you like holidays? I do too! Raise your hand and I’ll come with the microphone and you can tell us what your favorite holiday is. (Let about 5 kids answer.) Most holidays are only once a year. God wanted us to have a holiday every week! Holidays are special times to spend with family. Do you like it when Mom and Dad spend some time with you? What do you like to do with your parents? (Let about 5 kids answer) A lot of times Mom and Dad are busy, busy, busy aren’t they. God knew we would get busy. He also knew we need rest and relaxation. After a busy day, do you like to rest and relax and play a bit. God gave us a day to rest and relax and spend time with Him. He wants us to spend time with Him. He said this is our day, our special day. Come spend time with me! Today we are going to have fun exploring some ways to spend time with God. (Pray)
Theme Song
Science Presentation
Our guest scientist was our Pastor. He showed a cool science demonstration that showed how resting in God takes away our sins and how being with our church family fills us. Another option is to have a health professional show some ways rest and relaxation improves our health.
Dismissal to Stations
If it is later than usual. Reduce the time for each station.
After the Opening Gathering, the children, with their Crew Leaders move to their designated activity station. Each of the 5 Groups go to one of the 5 Activity Stations. There are about 15 children in each Crew with an adult Leader and an assistant or junior leader. How many crews there are in each group depends on how many children there are. We usually have 2 crews in each group so that we have 2 adults in each group.
Bible Crew Time:
Supplies: daily point pictures, special thank-you card paper, pencils, markers, and crayons
Raise your hand if you like holidays. I like holidays, too. In a minute, I’m going to let you talk to someone next to you, they are your neighbor. Talk for just a short bit and then take a time to listen to the other person. We will be talking about our favorite holiday. Turn to someone next to you. (Crew leaders, make sure everyone has a partner, please.) Tell your neighbor which holiday you like the best and why. (Give a few minutes for kids to share, but don’t wait for them to stop talking before calling them back to order.) Alright, it’s time to listen. Who would like to share what your neighbor told you. (Let a couple share.)
God made the first holiday on the 7th day of creation. Who would like to read about it? (Have an older child read Genesis 2:1-3. “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”) God finished his work of creation and then He rested. He blessed the seventh day and made it a holy day. He asks us not to work on that day either. It is a holiday.
God created a lot of things didn’t He? Think about something you like to make. (Don’t tell us yet.) Maybe you like to build with Legos or K’nex or something else. Maybe you like to draw, color, or paint. Maybe you like to help mom bake or cook. Maybe you like to build models or puzzles. Think about something you like to make.
I’m going to give you another time to share. This time turn to a different person. Look at the person on the other side of you. We are going to talk about something we like making and what we like to do when we are done. Be sure to give the other person time to talk and listen to them. Question #1 is, what do you like to make? (Give time for kids to share.) Question #2 is, what do you like to do when you are done making it? (Give time for kids to share.)
When God was done creating or making the world, He wanted time to enjoy it. Raise your hand if you like to enjoy what you have made. Maybe you sit back and look it over and say something like, “I did it!” or “I like it!” Maybe you enjoy playing with it. Maybe it was something yummy, so you get to eat it! Your work is done and now you get to enjoy what you made. God said, “It is very good!” He took a whole day to rest and enjoy His work. He invites us to rest on the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, and enjoy His creation. Think about what God made. Are you thankful He made them? We are going to draw pictures or write thank you notes to God for what He made.
However, it is not just God’s creation that we celebrate. We celebrate God, our Creator, too. We have an awesome God! (Show pictures of each day’s creation and the daily point)
God made light – Just like light, Jesus shows the way. Praise God that He shows us the way!
God made air – Just like air, Jesus is there. Praise God that He is always with us!
God made land, plants, trees, and fruit – Just like trees, Jesus grows His fruit in me. Thank God that He fills us with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control.
God made the sun, moon, and stars – Just like the moon, we reflect God’s love. God loves us! Thank you God for shining your light and love through me.
God made birds and all the water creatures – Just like sparrows, we can trust God to care for us. God is our Provider! He cares for us!
God made animals and people – Just like Adam and Eve, we were created by God. God is our Creator! God cares for us!
God made the Sabbath, a day of rest – Just like God we take time to rest. God gives us rest!
Crew Time
You may choose a paper at the table to write or draw a thank you note to God. We are going to put them on a special board in the hallway. You can write or draw something that God made and you are thankful for or you can thank God for who He is. He is our Creator, Healer, Provider, Guide, and Friend. He loves us!
Have various papers, crayons, markers, and pencils for the children to use to write their Thank you cards. Give the children time to write the Thank you notes to God. Thank you God.
Optional: Have some of the VBS songs softly playing in the background while the kids work.
Snack
Leader’s Script:
Did God create anything on Day 7? What did He do? He rested! He made a day for us to enjoy His creation and to spend time with Him.
Today for snack we have a special snack. It is called Shabboat Challah. It is a special Sabbath bread. It is made with three long bread sticks and braided. These three pieces of bread dough represent God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit — all together as one God.
Shabbat Challah
braided bread – Shabbat Challah — you can use this recipe or simply braid 3 bread sticks or thirds of your favorite bread dough
We also have fruit salad to remind of the many good things God created.
Science Booths
The Science booth is one station area of 5 different station areas in the Creation VBS. At this station children can visit any or each of the 5 booths for as long as they want so long as everyone gets a turn that wants one.
Booth 1 – Worship God the Creator
Supplies: cups, rubber bands, Kleenex or tissue boxes, bells, plates, Popsicle sticks, straws, dried beans, paper towel tubes, pipe cleaners, etc.
To make it simpler, choose a couple instruments and the corresponding supplies.
Activity: Get creative and make an instrument. Rubber bands around a cup or tissue box makes a guitar. Bells can be strung on lanyards, paper plates or Popsicle sticks to make tambourines or chimes. Straws can make wind flutes. Put dried beans in folded plates, paper tubes, or eggs to make great shakers. Here are some picture ideas:
When the instruments are done, softly play the VBS music so the kids can play along with it.
Booth 4 – Prayer Garden
This booth should be set apart from the others so that it’s quiet and there is less distraction. You can choose 1 or 2 of the following or other option:
Prayer wall (write prayer on wall);
Prayer in the hat (put request in hat/basket; pull one out to pray for)
Pray for the world (put a sticker on area of world map that you pray for)
ABC prayer – add to list by adding something that starts with a letter
Prayer chain – put a prayer on a link & connect with others
Confession – write a sin/burden you want to get rid on a rock with washable marker, then put the rock in the bucket of water, which shows that sins are washed away and buried in the depths of the sea. Another variation is to add a praise for something you do well written with crayon on the same rock. The sin disappears, but the praise remains. God remembers the good in us, but forgets confessed sin.
for more ideas see Insight
Booth 5 – Survey Says
Supplies: Sabbath interviews to be filled in, markers, clipboards (we made simple ones using cardboard and clips)
Activity: Children take survey on clipboard and go ask 3 people of their choice the questions then come back and fill in the appropriate squares on the bar graph to show the answers.
The results were very interesting!
Booth 6 – Listen to God’s Word
Watch Matthew or John video
Recreation
Leader Script:
What did God create on day 7? Nothing! He was done. But He did make a day for us to rest, relax, enjoy His creation and worship Him. It is called the Sabbath.
Game 1—Nature Scavenger Hunt
Have a scavenger hunt paper with items representing each day of creation that can be found in the location. When the players find the item, they check it off. A variation would be to have 3 items for each day. Divide the children into 3 teams. Each team needs to bring back 1 item from each day. These can be used for the next game.
Suggested Scavenger items:
- flashlight – light
- pinwheel or balloon – air
- flower, fruit, or vegetable
- sun, moon, or star
- bird, fish or sea creature
- animal or doll
- Bible or picture of Jesus
Game 2—Creation Relay
Supplies: Have an object to represent each day of creation for each group playing such as: flashlight, balloon, fake flower/fruit, moon/sun, fish/bird, stuffed animal (you can use the same objects and teams as in game 1); A towel to put the objects on, in order they were created, at the beginning of the relay. A basket for teams to place them on at the end of the relay. Obstacle course items (optional) Hoola hoops, jump rope, tunnel or cardboard box, etc.
Play: Team members take turns carrying the items while running across the field or through an obstacle course. The items need to be carried in the order of creation. When all the items are taken over all the team yells, “God is the Creator!” then all sit on the towel and say, “Let’s rest!” First team to have everything in the basket AND be on the towel resting, wins.
Game 3—Take a Rest
Supplies: 5 beach towels, a bell or sound device
Play: Spread out beach towels. At the sound of the bell, everyone needs to be on one of the towels. When they get on a towel, they should say, “I’m resting.” Once everyone is on the towel, the leader says, “Go for a walk.” Everyone walks around until the bell rings. Leader says, “Come take a rest.” Each time the kids “go for a walk,” the leader takes away a towel. Everyone needs to be on or touch the remaining towels.
Debrief: God gives us a full day to rest. We don’t have to work!
Game 4—Praise March
Supplies: Instruments
Play: Give each child an instrument. Get in a line. Kids play their instruments and follow the leader. Let the leader lead for a few minutes then go to the back of the line and the new leader leads for a few minutes until everyone has a chance to lead. Optional: While marching, sing a favorite VBS song or other simple song praising God.
Craft
We highlighted worship in our craft choice for Sabbath. All are kits from Oriental Trading. They included a church, Bible magnets, and creation world praising God. The church has the 10 commandments which could be replaced with a saying plaque praising God. The children did these crafts really quick and then were looking for something else to do, so we let them choose a left-over craft also.
You may choose to choose a different craft, as another option.
Children also enjoyed getting creative in the craft room with building blocks.
Getting creative and building
Closing Session
During this time we reviewed the songs and theme we did at the opening session. We also handed out the items that the children did that day, a newsletter about what we did that day, and a gift to help them remember the theme.
Gift for the day: We gave inspirational bookmarks. We had enough for all the staff and parents, too.
Activity Array 