6 Awesome VBS Theme Ideas {Updated for 2020!}

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Searching for VBS theme ideas 2020? Here’s how to choose the perfect VBS for YOUR church–check out this comprehensive list of VBS theme ideas, updated for 2020! You’ll find VBS topics, activities, and curriculum ideas for small churches, mixed ages, and more. There truly is something for everyone included in these Vacation Bible School ideas! Scroll down to check out all of the VBS theme ideas for 2020.

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Struggling to find the perfect VBS curriculum?

Are you dreading another year of “making do” with a VBS curriculum that isn’t quite a fit for your particular church?

Do you dream of using a VBS curriculum that actually meets the needs of your church–without tons of adjustments?

“Tweaking” VBS curriculum for your church (or creating your Vacation Bible School theme from scratch!) takes so much time, energy, creativity, and money. Imagine, instead, finding VBS theme ideas that are nearly perfect out of the box…

You may find exactly what you need in this post. ❤ There truly is something for everyone here!

Running out of time to plan?
Struggling to make your VBS relevant to both saved and unsaved kids?
Need a VBS curriculum that emphasizes the Gospel very clearly?
Looking for something to interest Christian kids who have “heard it all” already?
Trying to handle a mixed age group in your VBS?
Need VBS theme ideas for small churches (with even smaller budgets)?

Below, I’ve listed Vacation Bible School ideas for every single one of those situations. You’re bound to find a VBS theme idea that’s perfect for you! 😉

VBS theme ideas 2020

This list has been updated with the BEST Vacation Bible School kits for 2020 that I could find! So if you’re looking for VBS theme ideas for 2020 that are perfect for your particular church, I hope you can find what you need here. ❤

Here’s a quick overview list for you. Be sure to scroll down for details about each VBS theme idea for 2020!

1) The best last-minute VBS curriculum

You’ve waited until the last minute to start planning your VBS for 2020. You need VBS ideas for 2020, and you need them ASAP!

Also, you can’t use anything that requires too much time to prep, because you’re cutting it pretty close to the wire. You need something that’s ready to go, right out of the box, for your 2020 Vacation Bible School.

My recommendation? Try this fantastic “The Incredible Race” VBS curriculum!

VBS 2019 Theme: The Incredible Race | Answers VBS Curriculum

I am absolutely AMAZED by how comprehensive this VBS curriculum is. Seriously, the creators of this curriculum thought of everything–lessons, games, crafts, snacks, decorations… Literally everything is already ready to go.

Plus, it’s all super organized and easy to use. There are detailed guides included for every leader and volunteer–even the people serving the snack. Getting everyone up to speed will be completely “fuss-free,” simply because the curriculum is already so organized!

And you WON’T have to scurry around looking for supplies. Absolutely everything you’ll need is conveniently included in one handy kit–even things like themed signs for different activities.

With this awesome VBS theme, you can just relax and focus on sharing God’s Word with the kids during your VBS–even though you may have waited until the last minute to prep it. 😉

Check out the BEST last-minute VBS curriculum here!

2) The best VBS theme for both saved and unsaved kids

Most VBS themes are great for kids who are all from Christian families. A few are excellent for kids who are all unsaved. But what should you do if you have a mixed group?

You don’t want to skip over the Gospel message. The unsaved kids need that. But you also want to give the other kids something “meaty” to chew on.

And to be honest, it’s a challenge to find a VBS curriculum that meets both of these needs.

If you have a mixed group, check out this biblically solid lesson series.

Each lesson includes questions and activities for both saved and unsaved kids, so that you can make your lessons relevant to both groups!

This curriculum also includes fun games, crafts, and activities–and they’re all designed to help kids understand and USE biblical truth in their own lives. So when you use this curriculum, you can challenge both saved and unsaved kids to respond to the lessons personally!

Find out more about the best curriculum for mixed groups!

3) The best evangelistic VBS curriculum

What if all your kids come from non-Christian families?

Many of the kids that I teach come from one-parent homes or live with grandparents. They might go to church with their families on Easter or Christmas. They have little to no exposure to the Bible, outside of my lessons.

Obviously, these kids are not going to connect with the Bible lessons intended for Christian kids. And that’s not what I want to teach them anyway. First, I want to be sure that they have a good understanding of who God is, what Jesus has done, and what the good news of salvation means for them.

For kids from unsaved families, a VBS curriculum with a Gospel focus is an absolute must.

If that’s your situation, I highly recommend the Time Lab VBS theme.

Throughout this VBS, your kids will come to know someone who wasn’t just a man, but was also God–and they’ll also learn how to have a personal relationship with Him.

Personally, I think this is one of the best approaches you can possibly take if your kids are all unsaved. Teach your kids WHO Jesus is. Then they’ll have a great foundation for placing their trust in Him personally.

And the Time Lab curriculum will give you all the resources you need.

Grab the Time Lab VBS curriculum now!

4) The best VBS curriculum for Christian kids who already know the Bible

On the other hand, you may teach kids who have been to church since they were two weeks old.

They’ve been there, done that.

They’ve heard it all.

And they are jaded and BOOOORED to tears by any Bible story you try to teach.

Of course, you and I know that there is always treasure to be gleaned from the pages of Scripture–no matter how many times you’ve heard it or read it before. So if you teach kids who have already been exposed to the Bible, you want a VBS theme that will catch them a little off guard, dig a little deeper, and show them that they actually CAN learn a lot more from God’s Word.

The Camp Kilimanjaro VBS theme from Answers in Genesis definitely will do the trick for you!

I LOVE the VBS kits from Answers in Genesis. They are so incredibly thorough about putting them together. You’ll definitely have more than you need to pull off an excellent VBS, overall–activities, crafts, snacks, music, and more. I’ve literally had the Camp Kilimanjaro theme song stuck in my head for days now. It really is well done!

But the best part about the Camp Kilimanjaro theme is the approach. The lessons are all about wisdom, and they come from Proverbs–a section of Scripture that your kids may not have heard so many times yet.

So if most of the kids you teach come from Christian families, I highly recommend this VBS theme idea for 2020.

Buy the Camp Kilimanjaro VBS kit!

5) The best VBS curriculum for mixed ages

Teaching mixed ages is just always a challenge. You don’t want your lessons to go over the little ones’ heads… but you also don’t want things to seem too “babyish” to the older ones.

If you have a mixed age group for your VBS, though, you’re in luck, because this fun VBS curriculum about the Bible includes all kinds of options for different ages.

You can even choose different crafts and activities for different ages!

And there are separate leader guides for different ages, so you’ll know how to make the lesson relevant to both your young ones and your old ones.

Learn more about the best VBS curriculum for mixed ages!

6) The best VBS curriculum for small churches

I’m part of a small church with a small budget. I’ve stared at children’s ministry resources online, then sighed at the price and passed them by. I often dip into my own bank account to pay for supplies and materials.

If you can relate to that, then you should definitely check out this discounted VBS curriculum.

This is another VERY high quality VBS curriculum from Answers in Genesis. I’m thoroughly impressed with the materials that they create. I’d definitely choose one of their VBS kits over anything from Group or any other publisher!

Answers in Genesis creates VBS kits that are:

solidly based on Scripture (no cutesy, watered-down stories here!)
perfect for conservative churches (solid, biblical materials and traditional music–which is hard to find)
extremely detailed and thorough (it seems like they have thought of absolutely everything for you!)

I love that they include music in traditional styles. I personally believe that those types of songs are easier for kids to learn than contemporary Christian music, which can be so hard to sing. I also love that Answers in Genesis includes word-for-word Scripture songs for all the memory verses. Music is such a great way to learn, and they are definitely capitalizing on that!

In case you’re wondering, the particular curriculum that I’m recommending is discounted simply because it’s an older edition from a few years ago. You won’t be able to buy an actual kit, but you CAN get the super comprehensive digital version at a fraction of the original price–a great deal for small churches with small budgets! 😉

Get the best VBS curriculum for small churches (at a discounted price)!

Best VBS theme ideas 2020

And there you have it–the six best VBS theme ideas for 2020!

I hope you’ve found something in this list that is totally perfect for your specific situation. No more wondering where to find VBS curriculum or how to choose a VBS that meets your unique needs! 😉

But now that you’ve purchased the perfect theme kit for your VBS, what about the other details? Join the VBS Planning Challenge to get a FREE planning workbook PDF and tips for organizing your VBS! Simply enter your email below to join the challenge:

Join the VBS Planning Challenge!

And now that you’ve got the perfect curriculum for your VBS theme idea, enjoy planning the rest of your VBS–and have fun “passing the faith along” to your kiddoes! 😀