Vacation Bible School Publisher Report Card

Give Your VBS Publisher a Grade for 2008!

Every year Vacation Bible School publishers work hard to design materials that will meet the needs of directors, teachers, helpers, and students. So, for 2008 how did they do?

Your input will help the rest of us choose for 2009. What did you like best about your curriculum, theme, and materials? What did you like the least? What are some changes the publisher could make to improve their VBS? Would you use their materials again or not?

We're not asking for your name, so your answers are anonymous. You have the freedom to be completely honest! Here are our latest results, so be sure to check as you plan for Vacation Bible School 2009! Grade your publisher at the bottom of this page

Check out the report card for 2007

Grades for 2008

Answers In Genesis

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Conservative Baptist

Cedar Ridge, CA

The overall theme and how everything was connected.

All of the snacks were too sugary-not enough healty foods

Create better snacks

Recommend: Yes

Augsburg Fortress

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Episcopal

Virginia Beach, VA

The scriptural emphasis of being good stewards of God's creation. All of the lesson plans supported this theme in a very creative way. I was especially delighted that the arts and crafts did NOT involve pre-packaged kits. We used recycled materials and lots of opportunity for the children to create unique works of art. And the music was great. Music and theology are our two big factors when selecting VBS curricula.

The opening skit was too sophisticated for young children AND I dislike using video. We have such a short amount of time to interact with the children that I really hate putting them in front of a TV. (We did not use the video in our storytelling workshop but used our own ideas.)

More child-friendly skit. More decorating ideas.

Recommend: Yes

Bogard Press

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Missionary Baptist

Rison, AR

Salvation based, great new craft book, very afforable.

Nothing

Recommend: Yes

Cokesbury

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

DISCIPULOS DE CRISTO

MANATI, PUERTO RICO

THE BIBLE STORIES FORMAT,THAT ARE PRESENTED AS AN INTERACTIVE DRAMA AND THE SCIENCE LAB.

PRICE A LITTLE HIGH

I WISH THEY HAD THE ASSEMBLY TIME SKITS IN SPANISH ALSO

Recommend: Yes

United Methodist

Columbus, GA

Children and adults loved the theme. The Bible stories were awesome, craft were right with the age-level. Songs and skits were great! Recreation and snack was wonderful. The one area that all the children kept telling their parents about was the science/discovery area. What a great way to show students the great power and workings of their Creator. It was a great VBS for decorating. We had 378 children registered along with 88 adult and teen helpers. It was a great week. We love the colors of the day. We even had the snack in the color of the day.

I can't think of anything negative.

I would like to see a preschool/kindergarten reflection guide like the one that is available for the elementary age. Our preschoolers so rotate to different areas on a smaller scale than the elementary.

Recommend: Yes

David C Cook

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Wesleyan

Houlton, ME

Themes, music, tie-ins with lessons in each activity

Non-reproducible! Had to do our own crafts and Bible stories, as the books weren't as easy and good as last year.

Make material reproducible, as in prior years. Improve crafts and Bible Story. We are in Day Three at our church, and the kids LOVE it. But, we had to do a lot of adapting and using our own ideas to bring it up a notch.

Recommend: Yes

Baptist

Newport News, VA

The songs (My God Does Miracles was a big hit!!!), bible dramas, PE games, and Science activities!!!!

Non-reproducible this year.

Allow reproduction for books and other items.

Recommend: Yes

Gospel Light

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Non-denominational

Hopkinton, MA

Drama & Music

Recommend: Yes

Baptist

Chula, GA

Theme and curriculum was awesome

Recommend: Yes

Group

Grade / Denomination / City & State	What did you like best?	What did you like the least?	Ideas to Improve
A Roman Catholic Topeka, KS	The music and the themes	The curriculum was great, but you have to spend a lot of money to purchase crafts and program resources from Group and then you have to purchase several other items on top of the kit.	Improved HolyLand Adventures Theme. More Music, more things offered by the Easy VBS. Recommend: Yes
C United Methodist Jackson, MI	The theme, the bible story.	The fact that most everything is seperate from the kit (Like decoration stuff) And the Decoration CD I paid 20 bucks for was totaly sucky.	Better decorating ideas and posters included kit. Recommend: No
A Non Denominational Apple Valley, CA	The Music, Bible stories.	no way to improve--it was great	keep it up--Crocodile Dock is going to be fun Recommend: Yes
B Baptist Colbert, GA	Great theme	Price, we have to change things round to fit our church, crafts, mission project are the 2 main things.	Have a simple starter pack and allow churches to buy more things a la carte Recommend: Yes
A Baptist Philadelphia, PA	Bible activities - the kids really got the point, and they won't soon forget the lessons. And the music is fantastic, as always.	Price	List all required materials for every day for each station in the Director's manual, including the reasons why each thing is required. That way you will know what is needed at a glance, and if you can substitute something else, since the reason for the item would be listed. Recommend: Yes
A Non Denominational Franklin, NJ	Theme	Wanted more ideas	More options. Recommend: Yes
A Nazarene Westminster, CO	Music, Theme was awesome, flexibility		Recommend: Yes
B Evangelical Free Arroyo Grande, CA	Theme, music	have to buy music, no drama, not enough optional activities	more options, drama Recommend: Yes
A United Methodist Easton, PA	The Power Lab Science theme was fantastic. This theme caught my attention as soon as I saw it and knew that kids would really respond to it. And they did. My church is small, so I scaled a lot down due to lack of resources, but it didn't matter because the material was totally workable. The music was really great too. This VBS was a huge success for my church. We doubled our enrollment this year!	The crafts and craft ideas were a bit lacking. We have a small budget, so buying pre-packaged crafts is not an option.	Having more craft ideas and options to work with would make this program an A+. Recommend: Yes

LifeWay

Grade / Denomination / City & State	What did you like best?	What did you like the least?	Ideas to Improve
A Southern Baptist Decatur, IL	They are trying to teach children the Truth not superheroes of the TV kids are believing in today.	Would like more clip art.	More resources , we are having a great time getting ready and are excited to start this years VBS. Recommend: Yes
A Baptist Farmington, KY	The plan of salvation is so easy for children to understand. Also the vast amount of ideas and information is great. The music was great.	It was great.	Would like to purchase the preschool music cd separately from the preschool kit. Recommend: Yes
A Baptist Ely, MN	The lessons are Christ centered and relevant to what our children need to hear! The truth that is found in scripture.	The cost of the student packs.	It is great, make the student packs an option. Recommend: Yes
A Southern Baptist Alton, IL	The Bible content was great and the planning was easy.	This year the VBs theme song was not on the Children's Music CD for the leaders to work on along with the daily music lesson. Also the DVD with the motions for the songs could not be duplicated for our church use as in the past. There freo teachers could no t owrk on motions before VBS unless we spent almost $35.00 for each one. We have over 100 leaders.	Let us make copies of music motions again. Make student pieces optional and make sure that there is enough supplies so that VBS schools that meet later in the summer will have the material they need. we had ours in late June and found it hard to find some of the suggested craft items that Lifeway produced. Very disappointing. Recommend: Yes
A Baptist Grandview, MO	It was a fun theme, easy to decorate and the materials are very easy to use. The children were very excited throughout the week. The plan of salvation was well presented with 12 children making decisions.	Nothing.	The schedule was a little tight to get everything in which included the missions segment. I would have it during the Worship Rally. Recommend: Yes
A Southern Baptist Cookeville, TN	The Music!!!!! Jeff Slaughter does a great job each year with the music. The kids are still singing it! Wiki Wiki was my favorite!	Very costly to purchase the learners cards for everyone when you have over 350 kids!	Quantity discounts for learner material and other things bought in bulk. Recommend: Yes

Standard Publishing

Grade / Denomination / City & State	What did you like best?	What did you like the least?	Ideas to Improve
A Non Denominational Louisville,KY	It was well put together and very strong Bible Stories and loved the emphasis on serving others.	The music seemed at times too low for the kids and hard to learn.	The music. Recommend: Yes
A American Baptist & United Methodist Rinard Mills, OH	Kid's of all ages loved the music, the puppets, and the games. Loved that the whole VBS focused on servicing others. Easy to decorate for.	Cost. Each year the price goes up and you get less materials for your money than the year before.	Nothing. Other than the cost, Standard puts together a great bible school. Recommend: Yes
A Non Denominational Chelsea, MI	Very strong biblical curriculum. You can tell they (SP) start planning with God's Word in mind first and then come up with the kid's theme. The application activities (why should kid's serve) really got the kids to understand and believe.	Price	Lower pricing. Recommend: Yes

Walk by Faith Press

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Baptist

Rogersville, AL

It was a great Christ centered program; and was very affordable compared to most other companies!

Needed a preschool and youth curriculum added.

Recommend: Yes

WordAction

Grade / Denomination / City & State

What did you like best?

What did you like the least?

Ideas to Improve

Nazarene

Sanford, FL

Theme Serving others.

Great material

Keep up the great work Thanks!!!!

Recommend: Yes

Grade Your Publisher!