This part of the VBS program requires double planning;

• Planning in case of good weather

• Planning in case of bad weather

• Planning in case the weather can’t make up it’s mind. Raining one minute, sunny the next minute. Sometimes both sun and rain happen together. Go figure.

The recreation leader must also consider the limitations of the church site.

• Is there space inside to conduct a recreation activity ?

• How will recreational noise, cheering, etc. affect other parts of the program such as bible study?

• Is there an adjacent site that could be used?

• Is there any outside covered space?

In short, the recreation leader must have a bag full of tricks, activities to suit all occasions.

 

(Assistants demonstrate stacking four soft drink cans. The bottom can is placed on a bowl floating on water.)

The church in Fagaras had a long 150 foot walkway 12 feet wide of regular shaped stones. The number of children involved prohibited conducting a recreation activity inside.

 However, the church had obtained a 10′ x 10′ canopy suitable for shelter and a space to conduct an activity. There was a small shelter area at the end of the walkway. See how the VBS team leader met the problem.

All children have a balloon tied to the ankle of one foot. Here you can see two opposing lines. One (or more) children from each line meet in the middle and try to stomp on their opponent’s balloon, bursting it.

(Purpose: Bounce a ball on the table in front of you and then land in one of the cups.

Get a ball in each cup. E.g. Five white balls in different cups.

Now it is yellow’s turn. Note he has already missed two.)

Each child has a stack of different colored cups. One cup on the top of each stack is a different color. That is the marker cup.

The purpose is to take the cup off the bottom of the stack and put it in the cup on the top of the stack.

The person who gets the marker cup back on top of the stack is the winner.

An open paper handkerchief box is tied around the waist to two children. Six ping pong balls are placed in each box.

Object: To be first to dislodge all of the ping pong balls from your box.

Children can wiggle and squirm, even almost lie on the ground to dislodge the ping pong balls.

The above games are examples of games for limited space, and rainy or clear weather. This Recreation leader met the challenge – the games must go on!

Next time, see some examples of VBS volunteers in action.