Adventures in PEI and Beyond!: Sharing Games and Crafts Ideas for the Joseph Bible Story in a VBS Camp

The annual vacation bible school took place at the beginning of August in Waterloo

After our two weeks of holiday in Asia, we were busy as soon as we landed in Canada.

We had a week of leadership training for the teens prior to the Vacation Bible Camp the following week.

There was a leadership camp prior to the children's VBS day camp

This year was the first year we ran a week of leadership camp for the teens and the responses were very good!

Leadership camp prepared the leaders for their roles in VBS

Without any advertising, only through words of mouth, we had fourteen teens signed out for the week long camp!

This year our bible stories focused on Joseph, his relationship with his brothers and his rise to power in Egypt.

Most leaders felt confident to teach their group of kids

During the leadership camp, the teens learned the songs, something about teaching children and the bible stories.

Michelle came back to help co-direct the camp

They also had time to practice their drama skits for the VBS children.

The leaders enjoyed learning meal preparation

The leaders learned to developed their leadership skills, gain independence and confidence.

They did a fine job working with kitchen equipment

The even learned how to prepared their own meals.

The leaders prepared their own meals for the whole week!

In fact, surprisingly learning to prepare for their own lunches turned out to be one of their most favourite activities!

Some of the leaders came up with some creative crafts and games and I would like to share them here so that other VBS directors and leaders can also use them in the future.

Leaders cut out the Joseph coat for the children before class

Craft # 1
Joseph's Coloured Coat

Step 1 - This was a craft prepared for kids aged 5 -7 years old.

The leader prepared a template for Joseph's coat and pre cut a number of pieces prior to our craft time.

The dye/ paint were made out of shaving cream and food colouring!

Step 2 - Get a tray and put about half of a small can of shaving cream in it and stir it up to make it foamy.

Add a few drops of food colouring in the foam and mix the colours.

Each child takes turn and lay one side of their paper coat to this colourful mixture.

The paper will pick up the colour. Let dry on a flat surface

The youngest kids did this craft with good results

The same craft can be modified for older children or children with different learning abilities with the following changes :

- Have a few templates cut out, pass them among the children.

- Children trace the template on white paper and each cut out a coat

- Each child colours his/ her coat with their favourite colour

- For brighter / older children, they can draw designs on the coat and discuss how this special coat make Joseph's brothers feel

Craft # 2
Making Chains - Joseph Trusted God When He Was Chained in Prison

- Leaders show children how to make 2 inch folds on pieces of paper, can use recycled paper or old newspaper or magazines
- Children cut out strips of paper along the folds

- Using clue or tape, children make loops out of the strips of paper

- Attach the loops together to make two chains for themselves

( These chains can be used for a game in which children can race each other with these chains attached to their hands and feet like Jopseph being held in prison )

- Or children can make a long chain to decorate their room

Game # 1
Joseph Running Away from his brothers who were jealous of him

Walking in pairs, children are safe from their enemies

Choose a couple of children as Joseph's brothers to chase the other children.

Joseph and all other children will walk in pairs. When they walk in pairs, they will be safe from Joseph's brothers.

Every 15 seconds, a caller will yield " Joseph goes home" Then Joseph and the children leave their partners and run towards home.

After 5 seconds, the caller yields" Joseph be careful!" all the children have to be find and attach themselves to a partner to be safe.

These who are left standing alone or were touched before they find a partner become Joseph's brothers who will chase after the other children. The game ends when all the children get home safely or when there are too many caught by Joseph's brothers.

Game # 2- Joseph getting away from his brothers

Children need to know three key words and their actions in this game

Row - Have all the players standing in rows and extending their hands in full. They can be 5 or 7 people to a row.

Alley - All the players in the entire rows turn clockwise 90 degrees

Post - All the players stand where they are and put their hands down

Pick one person to be Joseph who is running away from his brother.
Pick another person as Joseph's brother chasing after Joseph.
Pick one person being the caller of the three words - Rows, Alleys, Post
Joseph and his brother have to be running within the perimeter of the players forming rows and alleys.

Listening to the caller's instructions, all the other players stand and form Rows or Alleys blocking Joseph's brother from getting to Joseph.

However, if the instruction is Post. then all the players will have their hands down and Joseph can be caught easily by his brother as there will not be any barriers between them.