Vacation Bible School season is here, and churches everywhere are preparing decorations, snacks, crafts, lessons, games, registrations, and all the beautiful chaos that comes with welcoming children for a week of gospel-centered ministry.
But before VBS begins, there is one important question every church should ask:
Is our VBS accessible for every family God has already placed in our care?
In this episode of
Key Ministry: The Podcast, Lauren Hickman shares three simple and practical ways churches can make Vacation Bible School more accessible for children with disabilities, learning differences, medical needs, sensory needs, and behavioral supports.
This conversation is not about creating a massive new program overnight. It is about choosing one next step that helps families feel seen, supported, and welcomed.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
- Create a more accessible registration process
- Use disability intake forms to prepare well before VBS begins
- Train and equip buddies to support children during the week
- Prepare simple buddy bags with practical tools
- Set up a sensory space without overcomplicating it
- Adapt lessons, games, crafts, and Bible memory so every child can participate meaningfully
Why This Matters
Accessibility is not about lowering expectations. Accessibility is about removing unnecessary barriers so every child has the opportunity to participate, belong, and hear the good news of Jesus.
Many families quietly skip events like VBS because they are not sure their child will be safe, understood, or supported. A simple intake form, a trained buddy, a visual schedule, or an adapted craft may be the difference between a family staying home and a family being welcomed in.
Three Practical Ways to Make VBS More Accessible
1. Create an Accessible Registration Process
Accessibility begins before the first child walks through the door. Churches can use a simple disability intake form to ask about allergies, medical needs, communication needs, sensory supports, restroom needs, triggers, calming strategies, and the best way to contact the family.
The goal is not to create barriers. The goal is to gather information so every child can feel safe, supported, and prepared to participate.
2. Train and Utilize Buddies
Not every child with a disability needs a one-on-one buddy or a separate classroom. Many children simply need an extra layer of support.
A buddy can help during transitions, crafts, games, movement breaks, sensory room visits, and moments of dysregulation. With a little training and a few practical tools, buddies can help children succeed while also giving classroom leaders more confidence.
3. Adapt Curriculum and Activities
Churches can make VBS more accessible by thinking through lessons, Bible memory, crafts, games, and take-home materials ahead of time.
Some children may need a visual schedule. Some may need larger crayons, a simplified craft, a movement break, a recordable button for Bible memory, or an alternative way to participate. The goal is not for every child to do everything the exact same way. The goal is for every child to participate meaningfully.
One Next Step
You do not have to fix everything this year. Start with one thing.
Choose one way to make your VBS more accessible for the families already in your church. That one step may communicate something deeply powerful to a family who has wondered if there is a place for their child.
Listen to the full episode and consider how your church can make this year’s VBS more accessible, welcoming, and prepared for every family.
