What is VBS? Vacation Bible Schools are church outreach programs that provide fun activities and religious education to children and families during the summer or other school holidays. They are usually open to the public, free, full of activities organized around a theme, and are run by trained volunteers. VBS have been around for more than 100 years.
Kids often enjoy VBS for the social aspect. If you have friends going, you may want to go too. There are games, crafts, snacks and lots of people having fun. VBS can also be a great place to get some early work experience. The programs tend to have youth assistants, which provides appealing role models to elementary school children who
love to interact and learn from older youth. The assistants also benefit. They often produce skits together, learn organization and crowd control skills, work with community mentors, and develop deeper friendships with people of all ages.
Vacation Bible School is appealing to parents and guardians as well. This is community child care, a free or low-cost day camp, and maybe even a chance to connect with other parents and adults in your community who care about children. If you are concerned about the moral choices your children make and think being part of a church campus might help you with their spiritual education, VBS is a good way to get to know your local church before showing up at a class or worship service. Churches put on these programs specifically to address these concerns.
A few hours break from our children is probably not the reason we admit to wanting to line up all the Vacation Bible School camps and register our children for more than one, but here's a list to make that possible! This Tri-City VBS list for 2012 is hardly exhaustive and gleaned from online information; links are included for each program. Add your local VBS to the comments if I missed or incorrectly explained yours. Don’t forget to explain how to register.
Started in June: Wednesday evenings, dinner served at 5:45PM; children up to age 3 free, $2 for ages 4-12 and $3 for those above age 12, program 7PM to 8PM; Neighborhood Church, 38325 Cedar Blvd., Newark, CA; http://www.cbnc.net/#/about-us/wednesday-evening; 510-791-8555; Classes offered for ages 3 through 6th grade while youth and adults can also attend classes. No registeration, just show up. Theme: Sky Everything is Possible With God; cost: free.
June 25-29, 2012; 9AM to 11:45AM; St. Joseph Catholic Church, 43222 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA; https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/sjsmsj/gpgs/Home.aspx; 510-656-2364; Registration is closed at this time. Try next year. Theme: Sky Everything is Possible With God; cost: free.
July 9-13, 2012, 9AM to 12PM; Irvington Presbyterian Church, PO BOX 1336 or 4181 Irvington Blvd., Fremont, CA; https://www.groupvbspro.com/vbs/ez/irvingtonpres/gpgs/Home.aspx ; 510- 657-3133; K through 5th grade children welcome. Register online. Theme: Sky Everything is Possible With God; cost: $20/child, $30/for 2 children, $35/3+ children; no child is turned away for lack of funds.
July 9-13, 2012; 6PM to 8:30PM; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 38801 Blacow Rd., Fremont, CA; http://www.holytrinityfremont.org/vacation.bible.school.html; 510-402-9161; Classes offered for ages 3 to those entering 6th grade. Registration form online; return to the church by 8. July. Theme: Sky Everything is Possible With God; cost: free.
July 16-20, 2012, 9:30AM to 12:30PM; Chinese Independent Baptist Church, 37365 Centralmont Place, Fremont CA; http://www.cibcfremont.org/ ; 510-796-9882; Classes offered for children who have completed grades K through 6. Fill out form available online and return to church BEFORE 9. July. Theme: Sonrise National Park VBS; cost: $10 per child.
July 16-20, 2012, 12PM to 3PM; Neighborhood Church, 38325 Cedar Blvd., Newark, CA; http://www.cbnc.net/#/welcome/vacation-bible-school; 510-791-8555; Classes offered for ages 3 (toilet trained only) through 6th grade. Register online or through Guest Services on Sunday mornings. Theme: Sonrise National Park VBS; cost: free.
July 16-20, 2012, 9AM to 12PM; Tri-City Chinese Baptist Church, 38075 Mission Blvd., Fremont CA; http://www.vacationbibleschool.com/TCCBC ; 510-710-8414; Classes offered for children who turn 3 by June 1st up to children entering 7th grade next year. Fill out forms available online and return medical forms to church by mail or email. Theme: Adventures on Promise Island; cost: free.
July 16-20, 2012, 5:45PM to 8:45PM; Bay Area Baptist Church, 38517 Birch Street, Newark, CA; http://www.vacationbibleschool.com/bayareabaptist ; 408-710-7953; No age range indicated, contact for more information. Fill out forms available online. Theme: Adventures on Promise Island; cost: free and prizes raffled daily.
July 18-22, 2012, 9AM to 11:30AM; South Bay Chinese Gospel Church, 3360 Seldon Ct. Fremont, CA; http://sbcgc.org/outreachprograms.html ; (510) 440-8525; Classes offered for children who turn 5 on or before August 31, 2012 through current 6th graders; Registration was closed 25. May. Theme: Sonrise National Park VBS; cost: $25/ child; $2 off for each additional child in a family.
July 23-27, 2012, 9AM to 12PM; Centerville Presbyterian Church, 4360 Central Ave., Fremont, CA; http://www.cpcfremont.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=189496 ; 510-793-3575; Classes offered for ages 4 through 6th grade. Register for waiting list only with Children's Ministries Director, Lynette Erickson by email lerickson@cpcfremont.org or phone. Theme: Sonrise National Park VBS; cost: free.
July 23-27, 2012, 9AM to 11:30PM; St. Paul Methodist Church, 33350 Peace Terrace., Fremont, CA; http://www.cpcfremont.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=189496; 510-429-3990; All children welcome. Contact the church office.
July 23-27, 2012, 9AM to 12PM; St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, 27691 Driscoll Road , Fremont, CA; http://www.stanneschurch.org/VBS/index.html; (510) 490-0553; Classes offered for ages 3 through 6th grade. Registration form online; send by mail to above church address. Theme: Through the Wardrobe; An Adventure in Narnia; cost: $75 per participant after 18. June.
August 6-10, 2012; 9AM to noon; Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 38451 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA; http://www.popfremont.org/vbs.html ; 510-793-3366; Classes offered for ages 4 through 7th grade. Register online. Theme: Sky Everything is Possible With God; cost: free.
