Earthquake shuffle (tag with hulu hoops as base)

Prepare: Earthquake shuffle

• Several Hulu hoops (various colors) scattered on the ground
• Paper and pencil- list ways for kids to move between the hulu hoops, such as "everyone with a red shirt move." Include things like colors, letters in names, favorite rides that kids have ridden on such as roller coasters, trains, cars and so on.)

Play: 

• Guide each child to choose a hulu hoop and stand inside it. 
• Choose one child (it) to remain outside the hoops.
• Give directions for kids to move to another hoop.  As kids move "it" will try to tag a child outside a hoop who then will become "it"
• Yell "Earthquake shuffle" occasionally for everyone to move to another hoop.  
• Mention that God helped Paul and Silas during the earthquake.  God helps us. We do not have to be afraid.  
• repeat the game as long as the kids are interested. 

No prep or easy prep ideas for games

Game - Colossal Speedway- (Easy prep-  but could be done with no prep)

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Prepare:

• Construction Paper circles (1 red, 1 Green)
• Paint Stick- Tape the circles to the stick (One on each side)

Play:

• Tell children that they will pretend to be race car drivers on a track.  They will have to follow the lights to know when to go and when to stop.  
• Show children the stick.  Remind kids that red means stop and green means go.  
• Guide kids to turn a pretend steering wheel. 
• Play a game of "Red Light, Green Light" 
• Tell kids that God is with them wherever they go.  
• Continue playing as long as children are having fun. 

Tips:

• Ask older kids to take turns holding the stick and be the caller
• Give each child a hula hoop to stand in and use as her race car.  
• Play this game with partners by adding the swim noodles.  Guide two friends to hold onto a swim noodle half as they stop and go. 

Partner Toss 'n Scoop

• Scoops made by cutting off the bottom of a plastic jug.  (1 per child)- to make milk jug scoop: Cut off the bottom part of an angle, starting below the handle.  Discard the bottom and place masking tape along the sharp edges of the top.  
• For younger kids give only one partner a plastic "scoop".  Hand the other child the foam ball.  Children may take turns tossing the ball and catching it with the "scoop"
• Small foam balls (1 for each pair of children)

Play

• Demonstrate with another leader how to toss the ball into the air to a partner who will catch it with the "Scoop"
• Group kids in pairs.  hand a foam ball to one child in each pair.  Give each child a plastic "scoop"
• Encourage the kids to toss the ball into the air to one another and catch it with their "scoops"
• Praise kids for working together with their friends.  Say: "God gives us friends who help us.  Thank you God, for friends" 

VBS Wild Ride

Prepare:

• Foam noddles cut in half to look like a safety bar  on a roller coaster.  
• 2 rope or tape roller coaster paths (on the ground for kids to follow)
• Design paths to wind back and forth with loop the loops. 

Play:

• Form two equal teams. Guide each chld to find a partner on his team.  Instruct each team to line up in front of a path. 
• Hand a foam noodle half to the first pair of kids in each line.  Instruct each pair to hold onto the safey bar (noodle) and race together down the wild ride path. 
• Instruct partners to bring the noodles back to the next pair of kids in line. Continue until everyone has had a turn to play. 
• Remind kids that Paul's friends helped him escape in a basket.  Friends love and help us.

Tips:

• Make the safety bar look more authentic by wrapping it with black or silver tape.  
• Use a rope path for smaller groups
• Additional rope paths for larger groups. 

A Friendly Hand- This game requires some prep

A Friendly Hand 

Items needed: 

• 2 large scarves
• 2 laundry baskets
• masking tape
• and small balls (1 for every 2 children)

2 "start" lines made with tape.  Place an equal number of balls and one scarf at each "start" line.  Place the baskets several feet in front of the lines.  

• Form two equal teams behind the starting lines. Guide each child to find a partner on his team. 
• Explain that one child will hold onto one edge of the scarf while the partner holds the other edge. A leader will place a ball on top of the scarf.  
• Guide partners to carry the scarf (with the ball) to the basket and then roll the ball into the basket.  
• Instruct partners to bring the scarf back to the next pair of kids in their line. Continue until everyone has had a few turns to play.  
• Remind kids that God gives us friends who help us. 
• Challenge kids to go faster each time you play. 

Easy last minute game- Park Scramble

Park Scramble: 

Items needed: 

• 5 tickets per child, 
• 5 buckets scattered around area. 
• number of buckets should match number of tickets

Station a leader at each bucket.  Give each child 5 tickets (or less)- number of tickets should match match number of buckets. 

• Tell kids that when you yell "Park Scramble" they will race to a station, drop one ticket in the bucket and complete the activity.  Then they will run station to station completing the tasks.  When they have finished they will come to you, shout: "God helps me!" and be seated.  

Demonstrate how to do each activity (to be done five times) Jumping jacks, hop on one foots, jump high, spin in a circle and wave hands high and low and yell "Whee-e-!"

• Yell  "Park Scramble" and start the game.
• Praise kids for obeying the rules. "Paul Obeyed God. Kids can obey God to.!"

Other Options: 

• Instead of an "All-Play" game, place kids in 5 groups, (one at each bucket) Guide each group to do the same task and then move to the next task.
• Jumping Jacks may be hard for younger 3's.  Guide them to jump out and in with their legs or march with high steps. 

Decorating and game ideas

These are just a few ideas from the VBS training event.  However- remember that the point of decorating is to "Catch" the kids attention and draw them into learning about Facing Fear and trusting God.  The best decorations are the ones that serve as decorations, but also as props for lessons and ideas.  There will be more ideas on this to come.  If your decorations also go along with your Bible lessons, then you doubled the use with half the work and prepared for teaching the Bible as you made the room inviting and fun.

Turnstiles

Game idea

Roller Coaster- Great for pictures

Balloon Catch- Game

Riding a roller coaster

Pool Noodle Roller Coaster

Make a track around the floor.
The students can follow it to stations, or into the room.
Have two students stand side by side and hold a pool noodle
Line students up behind each other, each with a pool noodle and that makes the roller coaster
Call  up , down as they follow the "track" and that makes the roller coaster ride