• Since Vacation Bible School (usually referred to as VBS) is held during the summer, a tropical theme is suitable. Your VBS kids may spend many summer days at the beach or a pool and may enjoy walking into your tropical oasis. Use themed decorations to create a relaxing getaway for your Bible school students.
  
  

Beached Stage

• VBS often starts out the morning or evening with some type of opening ceremony that includes greeting the kids, songs and maybe even puppet shows. Some have a closing ceremony that is similar. Get your Bible school kids set up for a tropical atmosphere by creating a beach-like scene on your stage for opening and closing ceremonies. You'll need several beach towels (the number will depend on the size of your stage area) and at least two beach chairs, though one for each person who speaks during your opening and closing ceremony is preferable. Set the chairs at opposite ends, then add some palm trees or a beach umbrella in the center. If you're using a beach umbrella, use a bucket with sand to hold it in place. Or, instead of a beach umbrella, stick some tiki torches in sand buckets and light them. Add a few beach balls and a cooler. Don't forget to have the people doing the ceremonies wear beach attire such as a grass skirt, a straw hat and leis.
  
  

Tropical Bulletin Board

• Keep your tropical theme going by decorating a wall or bulletin board in each room with tropical-themed decorations. Line the bulletin board (or section off a 4- by 5-foot area on the wall) with blue butcher paper and outline it with a tropical-themed border. Draw a wavy line going across the board about 1 foot from the bottom to outline for sand. Add light brown construction paper to fit in that area. On both ends of the board, create palm trees by rolling dark brown butcher paper into a tube-like shape, then taping it to the board. Make palm fronds out of green construction paper and add them to the top of the trees. In the top center of the board, use lettering to create your theme verse, if your program has one. Otherwise, type the daily verse in the word-processing program on a computer, then select "poster" when you print it. This way, you can change the board verse daily. On the board, add some tropical-themed cutouts. You could also display your attendance chart on this board.
  
  

Table Decorations

• Place a plastic, disposable tablecloth on each table (size will depend on the table). Outline the edges with grass skirts (cut them at the waist line so you can open them and add them around the table). Put some hibiscus flowers around the edge of the table as well. Add a bowl with some pineapples, mangoes and other tropical fruits in the center for decoration. You can use the fruit for snack time or save it to serve with other refreshments if you end your VBS with a performance followed by a time of fellowship and refreshments. Alternatively, use plastic fruit.