Not by Accident

There was a cookbook a few years ago that was popular with moms. The author suggested ways to “sneak” vegetables into your everyday cooking so your kids would never notice. Well, I always noticed and was certain that my children would notice as well, so I never tried it. However, this concept is one that I have adopted over the years with VBS. I call it “accidental learning.”

One of the many reasons I love Answers VBS programs is because of how immersive everything is. Let me walk you through a couple of areas and share with you how it is not by accident that the children are learning about biblical truths through what they know as fun. Everything is centered around the lesson of the day.

Drama: It is age-appropriate and written with creative characters, yet the daily drama also shares how God is at the heart of everything.

Creature Feature: I love this one. Kids learn about different animals—details and facts that they find fascinating. Yet each creature points to their Creator—they aren’t accidents of nature but have been designed by God with attributes that help them survive in their respective environments.

Science: The lessons are well done as they use items that we encounter every day, along with an explanation from a biblical perspective. The kids can relate. They can touch, feel, and see this evidence for themselves. It isn’t something they just read about in a book. And they are learning that science points back to the Creator.

Crafts, Snacks, Music, and Games: Each area reinforces the daily Bible point. This allows the kids to really remember what is taught throughout the day.

With everything as immersive as it is, you can easily see that “accidental learning” can occur. The kids may not even realize that when they share how well designed an animal is, they just say that it was “designed” and that this design was intentional by the Creator. This is one aspect of biblical truth we intentionally sneak into their day so that they can remember and repeat it to others.

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Since God created everything for his glory, I can certainly do everything at my VBS to point kids to their Creator and show them the evidence of his handiwork everywhere. I appreciate that the Answers VBS curriculum is immersive, engaging, and shares that we are here by God’s design and to glorify him. We are not an accident.