The holiday season brings a beautiful surge of visitors to your church—families who might only attend a few times a year, newcomers checking you out, and regulars bringing their extended family. It’s the perfect time to start promoting your summer VBS, even though it’s months away!
Why Start Promoting Now?
Christmas and Easter services see your highest attendance of the year. That means you have a captive audience of families you might not see again until summer—unless you give them a reason to come back. By planting the seed for VBS during the holidays, you’re creating anticipation and giving families something to look forward to.
Parents are already thinking about summer plans in December and January. Camps fill up, vacations get booked, and calendars start taking shape. When you promote VBS early, you help families block out that week before other commitments crowd it out.
How to Promote Effectively
Make VBS visible during your Christmas services. Include save-the-date cards in bulletin inserts, display colorful banners in your lobby, and mention it during announcements. Keep it brief but exciting—just enough to spark interest without overwhelming your Christmas message.
Create a simple landing page or online registration that families can access right from their phones. Include your dates, theme, and a quick signup form. The easier you make it for parents to register in the moment, the more likely they’ll follow through.
Use your holiday events as promotion opportunities too. If you’re hosting a Christmas Eve service or New Year’s family event, have VBS information available. Staff a table where parents can ask questions and register on the spot.
Reaching First-Time Visitors
Holiday visitors are often “shopping” for a church home or testing the waters. When they see that your church offers quality programming for kids, it builds confidence that your ministry is invested in families. VBS promotion tells them, “We care about your children, and we have something amazing planned.”
Make your VBS promotion warm and inviting. Use phrases like “Join us this summer!” rather than just listing dates. Show photos from last year’s VBS that capture the joy and energy. Let families see what they’d be part of.
Building Year-Round Connection
Early VBS promotion isn’t just about filling summer slots—it’s about staying connected with families throughout the year. When someone registers in December for a June event, you now have months to engage them through email reminders, sneak peeks, and invitations to other family events.
This long runway gives you time to build relationships with families who might otherwise drift away after the holidays. Each touchpoint reminds them that your church is a place where their family belongs.
Don’t let the holiday attendance boom pass without leveraging it for summer! Start promoting VBS now, and watch as families who visit for Christmas show up again in June, ready to experience all your kids ministry has to offer.
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