2011 Vacation Bible School Software Suggestions
Cokesbury, Abingdon, Augsburg, PCUSA, Group, Cook, Gospel Light, Standard
(don't see your VBS curric listed? email neil@sundaysoftware.com)(Also on this page, my 2010 recommendations because many are still being sold)
View my
Summer suggestions for using software to
SPICE
UP your Summer Sunday School classes
They now include "theme decorating" ideas for special summer
classes.
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3 great reasons to use software in your VBS:
#2 Software can help keep older children and younger youth interested in your VBS. One of the shortfalls of many VBS programs is that they tend NOT to appeal to older children (grades 4-7). Supplementing your activities with software can help. --And the older kids can be great software helpers too. #3 Software can make your Vacation Bible School more attractive to new families and infrequent attenders. Kids love computers and will want to come back to your church. When neighborhood families are making their decision about "which church" or "which summer events" to sign their kids up to, ...using computers adds appeal to your church's offering. See my Summer Software Suggestions for several "Do It Yourself" VBS-style lesson sets and classroom theme-decor ideas!
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Here are my VBS software suggestions for 2011 Scroll down to find your curric. If not listed here, email neil@sundaysoftware.com and I'll create suggestions for you. Or, see my Story->Software Cross Reference for software referenced by Bible story. (Click here to scroll down for my 2010 VBS suggestions)
Five days focused on the Parable of the Sower, Mark 4) with dual emphasis on stewardship of creation and personal spiritual growth. When asked to recommend software for this parable, I've always thought the story lends itself to being illustrated in Kid Pix. One of the fun things I've done with this story over the years is to make the ground, plants, thorns, and bird talk using the 'talk aloud' features of either Kid Pix or Let's Talk CD (whatever the kids type, the computer speaks aloud). It's a great way to have the kids 'voice' key ideas, and have them respond to questions without feeling put on the spot. This is an inexpensive downloadable curriculum looks really good. I like the way it is all themed on this important parable, and addresses the important of planting God's word, and the word that is implanted in each of us.
Augsburg's Baobab Blast (released in 2010, see my 2010 notes below)
A cooking themed VBS.
Session One Today's Special:
Israelites Celebrate Passover
Bible Story: Exodus 13:3-10 Software: Jesus in Space CD. Mission 2: Lt Stu visits the Planet Whamo to help the Whambots learn about the Last Supper and its connection to the Passover and Seder meal. You can jump ahead to the Seder-Passover game played in the Whamo Labs. Lt Stu must find the parts of the Seder plate and answer questions about the Passover and Last Supper.  Session Two Today's Special: Festival Celebrations
for the IsraelitesBible Story: Leviticus 23 Bible Bite: Don't forget to do good and to share what you have, because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices. (Hebrews 13:16, CEB) Software: Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game... do the Hebrews passage as a memory verse. Session Three Today's Special: Jesus Celebrates the Festival of Booths Bible Story: John 7:37-44 Bible Bite: Believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1b) Software: Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game Session Four Today's Special: Jesus Celebrates Passover Bible Story: Luke 22:8-20 Bible Bite: Do this in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19b) Software: Use the Last Supper/Seder/Passover "mission" in Jesus in Space CD. Session Five Today's Special: Celebrating the Festival of Weeks and Pentecost Bible Story: Acts 2 Software: See my Pentecost web page for several lesson suggestions including "Pentecost Pirates" using Kid Pix or Let's Talk CDs. Abingdon Press' Island Odyssey These are all great memory verses. Use Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD at the end of each lesson. You can also use Bible Crosswords and Word Search CDs to have kids or teachers create Bible verse puzzles to play onscreen or print out.
Presbyterian Church USA... They don't produce their own, rather, they are selling previous year's vbs curriculum and recommending other publisher's new curriculum. Group's Pandamania
Day
2: 1st Kings 18, Elijah
confronts the Prophets of Baal Day
3: Jonah Day
4: Luke 22: Jesus
dies and is resurrected Day
5: 1 Samuel 1: God gives Hannah
a baby.
Day
1: Luke 1, Birth of Jesus
Day
2: Isaiah 43, the meaning of Jesus' name Day
3: John 14: In my father's house
are many rooms. Day
4: Ps 122: Let us go to the
house of the Lord, Mary teaches about Passover and the story of the boy
Jesus in the Temple. Day
5: Galatians 5, Serve one
another in love. Gospel Light's SonSurf Beach Bash Day
1: Luke 2, Jesus the Boy
goes to the Temple Day
2: John 4:
Jesus heals the son of the
official Day
3: John 19-20, Death and
Resurrection. Day
4: Luke 15 The Prodigal Son Day 5: Matthew 28, Acts 1, Great
Commission, Jesus' Ascends to Heaven Gospel's Light's SonRock Camp and Harvest Fair VBS currics ...email Neil@sundaysoftware.com for software suggestions if you're using these. David C Cook's
Day 1: Matthew
20, Parable of the complaining workers Day 1: Luke
10: Good Samaritan Day 3: Matthew
18, Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Day 4:
Luke 15: Prodigal Son Day 5: Luke
19: Parable of the Talents, Servant to buried the money
Are you using "last year's" VBS curriculum?
Here are my VBS software suggestions
from 2010: Cokesbury's Galactic Blast Session One - The Creation Story, Genesis 1
Session Three - Jesus knows the woman at the well, John 4
Session Five - Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24
Cokesbury/Abingdon's PRAISE PARTY
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Augsburg’s
BAOBOB BLAST Day 1: Trust
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 VBS
Memory VersesMany VBS curriculums have daily memory verses. That makes Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD one of the most popular for our VBS customers. You or the kids edit-in the verses, add comments and a quiz to each verse, then play onscreen. Quizzes, Puzzles and Take-homes Quiz your kids at the end of VBS or the end of each day by using Fall of Jericho Quiz Making/Playing Game. In the Jericho program you create a set of questions that summarizes all your VBS lessons. Play it on DAY 5 as a group. You can also do this in Bible Grand Slam (Bible Baseball software). Create Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches each day or for certain days using Bible CrossWords and Word Search CDs. These puzzles can be played on screen, or they can be printed out for the READERS. These puzzles could be something your OLDER STUDENT TECHIES create for the younger pals and give them at the end of the lesson to take home. |
Group Publishing's
JOSEPH'S JOURNEYEach day is a different part of Joseph's Story.
Software: Use our Joseph's Story CD. Break it into parts, of have the older kids play it all the way through in the final two days. www.sundaysoftware.com/joseph
Also found in Play and Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children, www.sundaysoftware.com/playand.htm
Group Publishing's HIGH SEAS EXPEDITION
Day 1: Peter freed from Prison, Acts 12
Day 2: God comforts Paul in storm at sea, Act 27
Day 3: Paul survives snakebite, Acts 28
Day 4: Peter and John teach about Jesus, Acts 3
Day 5: Community of Believers share, Acts 2
Software to Use: Life of Paul CD covers Paul in the book of Acts.
Paul CD overview: www.sundaysoftware.com/lifeof
See complete outline of Paul CD at www.sundaysoftware.com/paul.htm
David C Cook's Wildwood Forest
Day 1: Gideon, Judges 7
Software: Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD to do the day's verse from 1 Samuel 17:47
"It is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's." www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvinDay 2: Fiery Furnace, Daniel 3
Software: Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD to do the day's verse from Psalm 47:2
"How Awesome is the Lord Most High, the great King over all the earth!" www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvinDay 3: Paul and Silas in prison, Acts 16
Software: See my software lesson suggestion at www.sundaysoftware.com/crossref.htm.
"Singing in Jail" story found in Play and Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children, www.sundaysoftware.com/playand.htm
Day 4: Elijah meets God in the Cave, I Kings 19
Software: Elijah & Jonah CD has the story of Elijah on Mt. Carmel, escaping to the cave at Horeb. www.sundaysoftware.com/Elijah-Jonah
Day 5: Wild Love -the Birth of Jesus, Luke 2, Matthew 2
Software: Fluffy and God's Amazing Christmas Adventure CD ...various parts of this CD will do the Xmas story great! www.sundaysoftware.com/fluffy
Gospel
Light’s SonQuest
Rainforest
Day 1: Parable of the Soils/Sower
Software: Use Kid Pix to illustrate, www.sundaysoftware.com/kidpix.htm
Day 2: The Lost Sheep, Matthew 18
Software: Use Prodigal Son CD to look at the Lost & Found Son, www.sundaysoftware.com/prodigal/prodigal.htm. Lost Sheep also found in Play and Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children, www.sundaysoftware.com/playand.htm
Day 3: Good Samaritan, Who is my Neighbor? Luke 10
Software: Good Sam the Samaritan CD, www.sundaysoftware.com/sam.htm
Day 4: Knock, Seek Luke 11
Software: Use Cal and Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD for this memory verse. www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvin
Day 5: Parable of the Talents "use it or lose it" Matthew 25
Software: This parable is one of the 6 stories in Awesome Bible Stories CD, www.sundaysoftware.com/awesome
A servant girl speaks up, and God's power heals
Naaman.
2 Kings 5:1-14
The story of Naaman has some good visuals, several characters and good lines. I would suggest my "photograph tableau" concept where you photograph the kids acting out parts of the story, then pull (import) the images into Kid Pix or a wordprocessor to make a storybook. For younger children, you're going to need older helpers. Create 4 or 5 story scenes and print them out. Have the kids take turns arranging the printed scenes in the correct order. You can add captions or 'talk bubbles' to the pictures.
Shepherds see baby Jesus and tell everyone about the Savior.
Luke 2:1-20
Fluffy and God's Amazing Christmas Adventure CD has a shepherds section and quiz. www.sundaysoftware.com/fluffy
An army officer goes to Jesus, and Jesus heals his servant.
Matthew 8:5-10, 13
Two things jump out at me that suggest this would be a good story to create dialog for an animated character to speak aloud
in Let's Talk CD, www.sundaysoftware.com/lets-talk. 1) Why did the officer think he "wasn't good enough" ? Have him elaborate on that idea. 2) There was a crowd following Jesus, and many in that crowd were probably upset that Jesus would heal the servant of an "enemy." You can bet that some were also thinking, "if Jesus can heal this man without even seeing him in person, why doesn't he just heal all the sick people right now?" You can open up the "Talk Now" module in the Let's Talk program and pose a series of questions to your students in a similar vein, and have them response. For young children, have "keyboard buddies" help them create the words.
A boy shares his food, and Jesus feeds more than 5,000 people.
John 6:1-13
Found in Life of Christ CD (older) and Play and Learn Children's Bible CD (younger.
A young man shows courage, and Paul lives to serve Jesus.
Acts 23:12-24
This interesting story introduces us to the fact that Paul had a sister and nephew. The nephew tells Paul about a plot to kill him, and is sent to the Roman centurion who gets Paul out of town. Unlike some other of Paul's friends and relatives, the boy was named neither in the scripture, nor church tradition.
For younger children, I might have them illustrate in Kid Pix in a super outfit that represented the boy's traits and character
What would be a good super-hero name for what he did? --make an emblem.
What qualities did he possess?
Other questions:
How did the simple courageous act of warning Paul affect Paul's mission?This story might call for some map work. Caesarea is on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and has extensive ruins, including that of the governor's house.
[Note: I wish this lesson extended to verse 35... to include the exciting visual of Paul being taken to Caesarea by armed escort, and the centurion Claudius' letter to Governor Felix in defense of Paul. For older kids, I would do a lesson where I "brought charges" against one of the kids in my class for spreading lies and preaching about Jesus, and then have my students create a letter in defense. For drama I might do a mock trial.]
Concordia Publishing's
PLANET ZOOMDay 1: Jesus the boy in the Temple, our Savior, came to seek and save the lost. Luke 2
Software: Use Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD for today's memory verse. www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvin. Also found in Play and Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children, www.sundaysoftware.com/playand.htm
Day 2: Jesus Feeds the 5000, our Savior, does big things, John 6.
Software: Use Life of Christ CD's lesson on Feeding of 5000. Also found in Play and Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children, www.sundaysoftware.com/playand.htm Use Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD for today's memory verse. www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvin
Day 3: Jesus raises Jairus' daughter, our Savior, says, “Believe!” Mark 5Software: Use Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD for today's memory verse. www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvin
Day 4: Jesus rose from the dead, our Savior, tells us to go and tell, Matthew 27
Software: Life of Christ CD. www.sundaysoftware.com/christ.html and Jesus in Space, Emmaus story. www.sundaysoftware.com/jesus. Also found in Play and Learn Children's Bible CD for younger children, www.sundaysoftware.com/playand.htm
Day 5: Peter rescued from jail. Jesus, our Savior, works through His people Acts 12.Software: Use Cal & Marty's Scripture Memory Game CD for today's memory verse. www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvin
SeaQuest from Regular Baptist Press
| Day | Lesson | References | Software |
| 1 |
Hidden Treasure: |
Matt. 9:9-13; Matt. 13: 44-46; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32 |
The Treasure and Pearl are two of the four
"short parables" in Galilee Flyer CD. The other
two parables of the Kingdom are mustard seed and leaven. These
are grouped in the same game as Treasure and Pearl. www.sundaysoftware.com/flyer.htm
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| 2 |
Lost Treasure: |
Luke 15:1-10 |
Prodigal Son CD cover the whole
"lost and found" teaching.
www.sundaysoftware.com/prodigal/prodigal.htm
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| 3 |
Real Treasure: |
Luke 15:11-32 | |
| 4 |
Wise Treasure: |
Matt. 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49 |
A good memory verse for Cal & Marty's Scripture
Memory Game CD,
www.sundaysoftware.com/luther-calvin
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| 5 |
Eternal Treasure: |
Luke 12:13-34 | The Bigger Barns parable is very visual. You might illustrate it and apply key text in Kid Pix. For older children, I would have them come up with "today's equivalents" to "barns" (more ipods? bigger house? cool shoes?) |
Don't see your preferred VBS on our list? Email neil@sundaysoftware.com for software suggestions for your VBS!
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