Let’s head north to the coolest place to explore the coolest book on the planet – The Bible! Operation Arctic takes your kids to the top of the world and encourages them to dig deep into God’s amazing Word.
CRAFTS & SCIENCE: If you’re familiar with Answers in Genesis, you know that science is right up their snow-covered alley. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that crafts and science go hand in hand at Operation Arctic. For instance, kids will explore the science behind snowflakes, what makes them special, unique, and how they declare God’s power and love. And each science section relates back to the truth that God’s Word is unique and full of truth!
BIBLE POINT: It’s no secret we’re going to check out the Bible when the program is called “Vacation Bible School,” but the level of reverence and honor Answers VBS gives God’s Word in this curriculum is truly refreshing. The daily Bible points help your kids understand the validity and power of the Bible in a fresh and impactful way. On Day 1, Blizzard the polar bear helps us see that the Bible is the “Book of Books – unique in every way.” Snowball the arctic hare shows up on Day 2 to tell us that God’s Word has “had an Incredible Impact upon our world.” Everybody loves a narwhal so we meet Spike on Day 3 as he dives deep deep to prove that the Bible is the “Bedrock Base of our lives.” Then on Day 4 Shaggy the musk ox learns the good news that the Bible is a “Letter of Love,” our introduction to the plan of salvation. Finally, on Day 5 Dash the husky speeds our sleds home knowing that God’s Word is “Exciting to Explore as we learn it, love it, and live it.” As you spell out B-I-B-L-E for your kids, Operation Arctic also spells out the truth that the Bible is the infallible Word of God that leads us to Him.
It’s gonna be a fun-filled ride with the Bible by our side!
SETS & PROPS: This isn’t the first snow-themed VBS ever, so if you’ve been around some time, you know that snow scenes and props can be pretty easy to create – if you’ve got enough white butcher paper. Ha! Operation Arctic’s backdrops and vinyl scenery isn’t super exciting, but it does set the scene pretty well. We were a bit confused as to why the animal characters are so well developed while the human characters seem very flat and one-dimensional – kind of like Small World dolls at Disneyland. That said, one of our favorite props is their photo opportunity stand ups. Your kids will love popping their faces onto the bodies of native eskimos in furs, a snow owl, or moose.
PRO-TIP: Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of balled up white paper to create piles of snowballs for your stage set ups. Your youngest volunteers can participate in making them on your VBS decorating day, and they make a hilarious prop for your skits, contests or games.
MISSIONS MOMENT: One of Answers VBS best kept secrets is the incredible missions moment DVD that comes with their starter kits. For several years, Answers has partnered with Children’s Hunger Fund to encourage churches to give toward programs serving hungry children. The daily videos and included support materials introduce you to amazing kids in desperate situations around the world. The best part is the focus on these kids being served by local churches whose primary focus is not social work, but Gospel proclamation. Pretty cool indeed.
PRO-TIP: Also included in the kit is a box made for collecting coins. Go ahead and pop for coin boxes for each of your VBS kids. There’s nothing more exciting than seeing the kids come in each day ready to share how much money they raised for the hungry kids around the world. Each quarter provides one meal, so give your kids a way to give and watch as their generosity and compassion grows.
MUSH! Let’s go!
APOLOGETICS: Another of the things that makes Answers VBS unique is their desire to equip your kids for sharing their faith. Each day is filled with rock solid doctrine backed up by scripture and science facts that back up the Bible’s claims. As 1 Peter 3:15 says, “…Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
EXTRAS: Answers VBS keeps moving upward as a serious contender with the big two VBS publishers. They’re using creativity, tradition, and tech innovations to make their offering better each year. Here are some of our favorites from Operation Arctic:
- Starter Kit Backpack – We can’t get over this cool gear bag that the starter kit comes in. Besides being a great tie-in to the theme (looks like a snow sled on its side), it becomes a perfect day pack you’ll use all year long.
- Traditional and Contemporary Songs – Answers VBS is one of the last VBS publishers to continue to offer traditional songs in their VBS packages. We’re encouraged by this as all churches are different and unique in their approach to worship. It’s great to know that a publisher continues to keep this in mind.
- Digital Director – VBS is probably the biggest event your Children’s Ministry puts on each year, and you need great tools to bring it all together. Answers’ new Digital Director promises to be an awesome way to keep all your kids’ info, volunteers, promotions, and schedules on track. Those who already purchased Operation Arctic get a sneak peak at Digital Director in the Spring.
Purchase your copy of Operation Arctic from Answers VBS HERE.
