Summer is the perfect season for water balloons, popsicles, and sharing the love of Jesus. If you’ve ever wanted to bring the joy and impact of Vacation Bible School right to your neighborhood, hosting a Backyard Kids Club VBS is the way to go! It’s a simple, flexible way to reach kids and families who may never step inside a church building but would love to come to your yard.
Whether you’re part of a church looking to go beyond your walls or a family ready to make your backyard a mission field, here’s everything you need to know to get started.
A Backyard Kids Club is essentially a VBS in miniature, designed to be hosted outside the church, in homes, parks, or community spaces. It uses a modified version of the same Lifeway VBS theme and Bible content, but streamlined for a smaller setting. It includes Bible stories, music, games, crafts, and snacks packaged in a more portable format. If you want to learn more about how it differs from a traditional VBS structure, read this blog.
Backyard Kids Club is designed for approximately 20 kids. You’ll need one Directors Guide for your church and then one Backyard Kids Club Kit (box) per BKC site. The kit includes all the basics needed to do a Backyard VBS: promotion instructions, snack ideas, folders for a children’s and a preschool Bible study each day, activities for crafts and music, recreation cards, music CDs (for both preschool and children), and a choreography DVD. You’ll notice that, unlike the traditional VBS materials, BKC does not include a missions rotation.
Why Host One?
- It’s personal. Kids feel safe and welcomed in small groups where relationships grow quickly.
- It’s outreach-oriented. Neighbors who might not attend church may come to your backyard.
- It’s flexible. You can choose the dates, times, and format that work best for your group.
- It multiplies ministry. Your church can host multiple clubs across the city instead of just one on-site event.
How to Plan a Backyard Kids Club VBS
1. Pray and Plan
Start by praying for your neighborhood. Then choose your dates (3–5 days works well), time of day (mornings or evenings), and target age group. Usually, it lasts around 1.5–2 hours per session.
2. Build Your Team
Recruit a few volunteers! This requires fewer volunteers since it’s smaller in scale. A few families or a small group can host a Backyard VBS. Lifeway’s Backyard Kids Club includes six areas of responsibility: Team Leader (This would be your VBS Director role or host if doing VBS offsite), Snacks, Music/Worship Leader, Bible Study Leader (we would recommend recruiting two Bible study leaders, one for kids and one for preschool), Recreation Leader, and Crafts Leader. Each role in the BKC Kit has its own folder with simple teaching plans that are easy to follow and require little prep and supplies (since a typical use is outside). So, this could be done with a minimum of seven volunteers, remembering of course that you always want to have a minimum of two adults with children at all times for safety and accountability.
3. Invite the Neighborhood
Create simple flyers, post in local Facebook groups, or knock on doors. Let parents know it’s free and fun, and be clear about safety (background checks, allergy awareness, etc.).
4. Create Your Space
Use what you have: a pop-up tent for shade, blankets or lawn chairs for seating. Keep it simple and kid-friendly.
5. Focus on Relationships
The heart of a Backyard Kids Club is connection. Laugh, listen, learn names, and share the love of Jesus in a natural, meaningful way.
6. Follow Up
Invite families to church, a family fun night, or a back-to-school event. Relationships built in your yard can lead to gospel conversations long after VBS ends.
You don’t need a big building or stage to do big ministry. All you need is a willing heart, a few supplies, and a backyard. Hosting a Backyard Kids Club VBS is a simple way to make an eternal difference!
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