Each of the resources below is available for download as a pdf file and/or image. In many cases, I have also provided the Canva Template Link so that you may edit the file to make it better meet your needs.
Please give me feedback regarding any issues with these resources as well as any additional resources you would find helpful.
We always order the Bible verse posters that go with our VBS curriculum. Still, we like to have the verses up in as many rooms and hallways as possible. These 11″ x 17″ versions allow us to print additional Bible verse posters so that we can keep them front and center for the kiddos.
We used the New Living Translation, which is the standard translation used by Group Publisher. The Canva Template link below will allow you to edit if your church prefers a different translation or font.
Nothing beats Group’s beautiful and colorful Bible Point posters, but our budget only allows us to buy one or two sets. We print these 11″ x 17″ posters to fill up space in hallways, stairwells, and even the restrooms! As always, I will honor Group’s copyright rules and only share files with their clipart removed. But if you are a Canva user, you can just pop those buddies in to make a poster of your own. For non-Canva users, I’ve provided the background as a jpg file below so that you can use any design program to add the buddies.
Here’s the Canva Template Link for the 3 horizontal posters. You can simply add the Bible Buddies or get creative and further embellish the posters to make them your own!
And the vertical buddy posters are here…
Not a Canva user? Here are the jpg images that you can use in any design program.
STATION SIGNS
Printable station signs are an inexpensive way to make sure everyone knows where to go.
I saw this image on Pinterest (this is not my own) and fell in love with the decorating idea! This is new decor for me, but after chatting with others who have done it previously, we plan to purchase blue plastic tablecloth in rolls. We’ll use magnets to drape it across our drop ceiling. For the silhouettes, I haven’t decided if we’ll use black trash bags or light posterboard. I’m afraid Kraft paper will curl in the summer humidity. I’ll post a picture of ours after our VBS!
To make it easier, I put together a file of sea animal silhouettes (and some scuba divers too). These can be projected and traced if you want them larger than 11″ x 17″.
Full Disclosure: I don’t charge for anything on this site, but as an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
54 Inch X 100 Feet Plastic Table Cover Roll Disposable Tablecloth with Slide Cutter
This is the best deal around at the time of this post, but prices seem to fluctuate daily so be sure to check places like Walmart, Hobby Lobby, Party City, etc.
TRYMAG Magnetic Hooks Heavy Duty, 28Lbs Super Strong Magnet Hooks for Hanging, 25 pcs
If you have drop ceilings, magnets like these are a gift! We plan to use them to drape the tablecloths overhead. In places where we want to hang jellyfish or seaweed, we’ll attach the hooks. You can also use the magnet without the hook, so we’ll use those for spots where we just need to attach the tablecloth to the ceiling. Easy Peasy! My love language!
WHAT MATERIAL SHOULD BE USED FOR THE BLACK SILHOUETTES?
I’ve been polling people for the past couple months to find out what material they used. It turns out there is a wide variety of material that seems to work well (based on experienced VBS decorators). Here’s what I learned:
Black Kraft paper or bulletin board paper: This was the most common material used by those who have already created this effect. I worried it would curl in the summer humidity but was told that it didn’t. Some tacked it down with a glue stick or glue dots. One advantage is that it is easy to trace and cut. We bought this roll from Amazon for Stellar and still have a bunch leftover. Black paper comes in handy every year! I’m confident it will do the trick!
Landscaping Fabric Some found landscaping fabric to be less expensive than the paper. That might depend on the quantity you need. Tracing and cutting weren’t too hard of a challenge, but not quite as easy as the Kraft paper. Also, because the less expensive option comes folded, you’ll have best results if you leave your silhouettes lying flat on a table for a week or so before using them.
Light-weight Posterboard “Lightweight” seemed to be the key! This worked for many, but some felt it would be too heavy and stretch the tablecloths or pull them down. If you don’t have a way to hang the blue plastic securely (as in magnets, tucked under a drop ceiling tile, etc.), I wouldn’t go this route. I purchased this pack of 25 (amazing deal!) for some other projects, but I think it would fit the bill if you want to go the posterboard route.
Black Plastic Trash Bags There was definitely success with this route (and it’s probably the cheapest!), but tracing was trickier and cutting with precision was harder since the plastic wanted to move while cutting. These want to slide on the tablecloths, so you definitely want to adhere them with a glue stick, glue dots, or another tacky option. These are 30″ x 33″ and could be sliced on one side and opened if you needed any giant silhouettes.
Black Plastic Tablecloths were also the choice for some VBS decorators, but others said you could still see through those under the light so the silhouettes didn’t pop very much. It probably depends on the thickness of the plastic, but if you have some tablecloths lying around, you might want to give them a try!
EASY 6′ SHARK, DOLPHIN, OR OTHER FISH With the amazing deals on Walgreens and CVS banners, I thought I might order a 6′ banner of a shark on their nice quality photo paper (on a 60% off week, that’s just $12.60). Spray some adhesive on cardboard (or foamboard) to attach it and cut it out. For $13, I’ll have a nearly 6′ shark (and I’ll fill in the rest of the space with other fun fish I can cut out, including some smaller sharks). I’m uploading a few high-resolution options here in case any of you would like to do the same. Just be sure to click on the image you want so it shows up large on your screen. Then right click for the “save image as” option to save it to your computer in full resolution so your banner isn’t grainy.
Here’s the Canva Template Link in case you want to swap out any fish!
INFLATABLE SHARK Is your time more precious than your money? If you’ve got the budget for it, forget the cut-outs and go for this inflatable 79″ shark!
Full Disclosure: I don’t charge for anything on this site, but as an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
Extra Large Inflatable Shark Pool Toy,79inch Shark
Sticky Scriptures is supposed to be the inside of a submarine. We’re thinking of doing a submarine hallway too. Here are some super easy, printable portholes to add to that decor.
Check out my Pinterest page to see pictures I’ve collected of Submarine ideas. Go to Canva for the png files or to add your own porthole scenes.
Prefer a yellow submarine look? Here are the same portholes with a yellow background. That’s actually what I’m going for this year. I loved Stellar, but after all the grey and silver, I’m thoroughly enjoying the bright colors of Scuba!
FACE-IN-HOLE PORTHOLES (ADD YOUR FAVORITE LEADER’S FACE!)
Here’s one more fun porthole idea. Kids love to see the fun leaders mixed into the decor. If you’re a Canva user, these portholes are designed so you can upload photos of some of your leaders and pop their face right into one of the scuba divers.
Here’s the Canva Template Link for the Face-in-hole scuba divers if you want to give it a try.
PORTHOLE BANNERS
Both Walgreens and CVS run amazing sales on their paper and vinyl banners, enabling you to purchase a 2′ x 6′ or 2′ x 8′ banner for $12 to $25 depending on the size, material, and sale week. Need quick, easy decor for a submarine interior? These banners can be popped up on the wall in no time!
2′ x 8′ Banners
Feel free to modify these in Canva to make them fit your purposes.
2′ x 6′ Banners
Feel free to modify these in Canva to make them fit your purposes.
JONAH AND THE BIG FISH BIBLE ADVENTURES ALTERNATIVE
If you haven’t seen the absolutely AMAZING fish created by Sara Blasko and Ashley Oliver, you have to check this out!
Rather than working with large sheets of black plastic and fans, here’s what they did:
Set up a pop-up canopy, but keep it lowered down (theirs was 12′ x 12′).
Use lots of blue tablecloths to cover it.
Pick up some giant googly eyes from Amazon (or make your own with white and black cardstock).
Cut out the tail from cardboard or foam board and cover it in more tablecloths.
Cut out foam or cardboard for the shape of the mouth and edge it in bulletin board border (or whatever teeth you feel like making).
And don’t forget the inside! Seaweed hanging, a sound machine, an open can of tuna for the “aroma”… BRILLIANT! Sara and Ashley even had a bubble machine in theirs (although you probably want to turn that off before the story). THANK YOU, SARA AND ASHLEY, FOR LETTING ME SHARE YOUR GENIUS IDEA!!!
I’m not going to call this “easy” because it definitely takes commitment to put something like this together. However, this is an inexpensive option as long as someone in your congregation will loan you the canopy. And let’s face it, we don’t do VBS to do easy! We are creating a FIN-TASTIC week for these kiddos, and this will be a Bible story they will never forget!
Of course, if you do go this route, you might want to rethink the tomb on Day 4 since you won’t have the black sheeting to reuse for this story. Depending on what you come up with, Amazon has some beautiful, reusable backdrops that would set the scene nicely and could be used from year to year.
All the thematic decorating is so much fun! But in the end, what really matters is that our VBS week leads children closer in their relationship with Jesus. These posters go right along with the theme, but they also share the message of salvation. They’re sized to be printed as 11″ x 17″ posters. We also include these in a booklet we put together for each child.
Ready for some groans? And hopefully some smiles too!
Here is a joke page/poster for each day of the week. Put them all up or change them daily. Or use them while waiting to kick off each day, during snack time, etc.
Hey Tammy! Marsha from FB…again…thank you!!! Your designs are all amazing, and so useful. I wouldn’t have nearly enough time, energy or creativity to do what you do, and they add such nice touches around our spaces (or directly in the sessions!) Many blessings upon you as you continue to do great work and serve your kiddos.
Tammy, you have such a generous heart to share all of your technical talent with us. You’ve blessed us over and over. I suspect you’ve created things that you didn’t even need because you saw someone else had that need. Truly a servant’s heart. God bless you!
I couldn’t be more grateful for this resources. Thank you so much for sharing it with others and for using your talents to bless the kingdom. I’m sure all of our VBS’s and the way kids experience the teachings wouldn’t be the same without them.
THANK YOU! So so grateful for the resources you have provided, we are doing an under sea theme vbs/kids conference, and can’t say thank you enough! May God continue to bless you!!
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