Don’t le
t publicity fall through the cracks as your team prepares for VBS. This countdown overview and checklist will help you and others keep on top of publicizing your Big Fish Bay VBS.
| Time | Vacation Bible School Publicity Countdown |
| 3 months before Vacation Bible School | Choose publicity team members. Order materials that help you promote your Vacation Bible School. Announce the Vacation Bible School dates in your church bulletin. Plan ways to involve everyone in getting out the word—children, parents, Vacation Bible School leaders, church leaders, members, and friends. |
| 2 months before Vacation Bible School | Hang the weatherproof banner in a conspicuous location. Mail invitation flyers to church families, children who have attended Vacation Bible School in past years, and neighborhood children. Build a float to use in a community parade. Leaders and teens can dress in Big Fish Bay apparel and walk beside the float, handing out promotional and novelty items as they go. |
| 1 month before Vacation Bible School |
Involve children by giving them promotional items to wear and share. Hold a “Make a T-Shirt Day,” using iron-on transfers so students become walking advertisements for VBS. Challenge students to wear their T-shirts to school and to invite friends to Big Fish Bay. Display theme posters. Record on your church’s voicemail an exciting announcement about Vacation Bible School. Record Big Fish Bay songs as your background music. Send news releases to local newspapers, radio stations, and local cable television stations. Post information on your church’s website and social media sites.  |
| 1–2 weeks before Vacation Bible School | Set up a Vacation Bible School display at church or in other public places. Perform skits (see the Will Ketchit [“Ketch”] Skits in the Director Guide or Director Resources CD Set) or puppet shows (see Big Fish Bay puppet resources) at a local family park or gathering place. Hold a telephone campaign. Mail postcards.  Have one of the puppet characters visit Sunday School, children’s church, and children’s Bible club classes. Launch your Vacation Bible School during a special Sunday service. |
This is part 1 in a six-part Sunday series, Publicize Your VBS. Look for part 2, “Interact with Your Community to Publicize Your VBS.”
More from RBP
