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I am about to finish my first VBS as director! It has been a WONDERFUL week! I am so excited about next year and was wondering how you decide when you schedule your VBS. I do not want to do it so close to the 4th of July Holiday again! I have heard that VBS scheduled for early August has been very successful in the past because there is not much going on elsewhere. Too early in June is too early. I just wanted to get some advice! What do you consider when scheduling?
Thanks,
Layla
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Our church is one of those June schedules, but it works for us because too late in Alaska summers, and everyone is too busy fishing/traveling, and too close to school starting again wouldn't work either. And now that it's been the 2nd & 3rd weeks of June for so many years, the community expects it -- and some families depend on it. We offer a full-day 'KidsCamp', unlike any other churches in our area, so changing it to a different part of the summer might not go over too well.
God Bless!
~Cassie
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ~Matthew 28:19-20
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We have ours right away because we are a farm community and August is all about the fair! I think it just depends on where you are and what is going on in your community.
Pictures taken on vacation at Lake Junaluska, NC.
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We scheduled VBS the last week in June for several years, but fought people being gone on vacation, as well as baseball playoffs. Last year, we did it the last week of July, but the football teams were already practicing, and we didn't have the attendance we had in the past. This year we did it June 15-19, and although I know we lost a few to vacations, we had a good turn out. We always wanted it a week or two after school gets out, so the kids wanted something different than sitting around the house. We're in Central Texas, so the later the hotter, and over 100 degrees is just really hard to handle, even if it's just for games. Survey your leadership team, and go with a majority, not a bossy one.  Announce early your dates for next year, though, so people can plan. Maybe even send postcards to your 2009 campers and staff in April next year telling them the dates, so families can plan to be in town during VBS.
Shawn Parker
Eddy, Texas
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Junior Member
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Wow! Thank you all for the words of wisdom! I'm here in Texas too. We do all of our games in the gym so the heat is not the major issue. I guess I need to just start listing every thing I can think of that could interfere. Then start marking off dates! Thanks so much! I hope you realize how much your bits of advice help!
Here's to 2010!
Layla
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| I think you have to take into consideration what works with your area's school schedules first and foremost. Most kids don't want to go to VBS the week after they've gotten out of school, and many families schedule vacations those first two weeks in June. Our VBS this year was June 22-26. I don't know if the timing had anything to do with it, but we increased our attendance by 26% this year... AND, a neighboring church had done the same VBS just the week before! Hope1 in Tennessee Y'all
Hope1 in Tennessee Y'all  Neh. 6:3 [MSG] ..."I am doing a great work; I can't come down."...
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this year we did it the week right after school got out...i mean the kids were out on friday..we had vbs three days later...we had a fantastic turnout...some parents commented that they liked it because the kids hadnt gotten into the habit of sleeping in yet...
a few years ago we did it in july..way too hot, and hard to get people/workers cuz they were on vacation
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| I think if you announce your VBS theme and dates well in advance then volunteers can plan around VBS. I'll be announcing VBS 2010 in January 2010. God Bless, Josh
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I think it's a great idea to announce the dates early. We have had great success having ours the week after the last elementary schools dismiss for the summer. Now that most of the school districts put their yearly calendars online it is a lot easier to plan ahead.
Ms Debbie
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We have ours the same week every year, 1 full week after the public schools get out. This year it was June 22nd-26th. This was our 4th year of doing it that week, and I'm finding that people definitely save the date. Our VBS is entirely outdoors, so we like to do it early in the summer. We've had perfect weather every year. 
Candi
Wife to Ken
Mom to Jacob (8), Sarah (8), and Emma (6)
VBS/camp Director for Lapeer Community Church!!
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