VBS Promotion Playbook: A 4-Week Countdown That Increases Registrations

VBS fills up with kids from your community—if they know about it.

Every year, churches scramble to fill spots. Registration opens, a few church families sign up immediately, and then... silence. A week before VBS, you're either turning people away or begging for more registrations.

The problem usually isn't interest. It's awareness and momentum. Families outside your church don't know VBS exists. Families inside your church forgot to register.

Here's the 4-week promotion plan that fills your spots before VBS week.

Before the 4 Weeks: Set the Foundation

Promotion doesn't work if the basics aren't ready.

Lock down the details:

• Dates and daily times
• Age range (be specific: "entering K-5th grade" not "kids")
• Cost (if any)
• Theme
• Registration capacity

Get your systems ready:

• Online registration form working
• Capacity limits set
• Confirmation emails automated
• Waitlist system if needed

Create your materials:

Before you promote, you need things to promote with:

• Posters for your building
• Yard signs (if you use them)
• Digital graphics for social media
• Flyers for community distribution
• Shareable graphics for parents to send

Recruit volunteers:

Start volunteer recruitment before you start family promotion. Nothing worse than full registration and not enough workers.

Consider early access:

Give your congregation first dibs. "Registration opens for church families on [date]. Public registration opens [one week later]."

This rewards your people and creates urgency.

Week 4: The Launch

Registration is open. Announce it everywhere.

Bulletin:

Dedicated section with all the details:

• Dates, times, ages
• Cost (or "free")
• QR code to register

Email:

Hero section. VBS is the main thing this week.

Include:

• All the details in a scannable format
• Clear registration link
• "Sign up today—spots fill fast"

Social:

Announcement post with:

• Eye-catching graphic using your VBS theme
• All essential info
• Registration link in bio or post

Create a Facebook Event. Make it public. Invite your congregation to share it.

Website:

Your VBS page should be live with:

• Complete details
• Registration form
• FAQ (drop-off, snacks, what to bring)
• Contact for questions

Community promotion:

If you promote beyond your congregation:

• Flyers to local businesses (ask permission)
• Community bulletin boards (libraries, coffee shops)
• Schools (if they allow—many don't)

The goal:

Create first-wave momentum. Get 25-40% of your spots filled in week one.

Week 3: Community Push

Expand beyond your congregation. Reach families who don't know you yet.

Facebook strategy:

• Post in local parent Facebook groups (if allowed—check group rules)
• Post on Nextdoor
• Ask congregation members to share the Facebook Event

Paid option:

$20-50 on Facebook ads can reach a lot of local parents.

Target:

• Geographic radius around your church
• Parents with kids in your age range
• Interests like parenting, family activities

Keep the ad simple: what it is, when it is, how to register.

Email:

Reminder to congregation:

• "Have you registered?"
• "Know a family who might be interested? Share this link."

Include shareable content—a link or graphic they can forward.

Social:

Build excitement:

• Last year's photos (with permission)
• Theme teaser: what kids will experience
• "Spots are filling up!"

Track registrations:

Are you on pace? If you want 100 kids and you have 30 after two weeks, you need to push harder. If you have 80, you might ease off and focus on waitlist prep.

Week 2: Final Push

Create urgency. Spots are running out (or will be soon).

Bulletin:

"VBS is in 2 weeks! Have you registered your kids?"

Include:

• Registration deadline (if you have one)
• Final spot count: "Only 20 spots remaining"

Email:

Urgency-focused:

• "Spots filling fast"
• Direct registration link
• FAQ answers: what to bring, drop-off/pick-up, snacks

Social:

• Countdown posts: "2 weeks until VBS!"
• Behind-the-scenes: supplies arriving, decorations starting
• Registration reminder

Text (if you use it):

One message to your congregation:

"VBS is in 2 weeks! Register your kids: [link]"

Personal invites:

Ask your congregation to personally invite families they know. A personal invitation beats a social media post every time.

Prepare for full:

If you're likely to fill up:

• Set up a waitlist
• Have a communication ready: "Registration is full. Join the waitlist."

Week 1: VBS Week

Registration is closed (or nearly closed). Now focus on the experience.

Before VBS Starts

Reminder to registered families:

Email 2-3 days before:

• What to bring
• Drop-off and pick-up times and locations
• What to wear
• Contact for questions

Text reminder:

Day before or morning of Day 1:

"VBS starts tomorrow! Drop-off is at [time] at [location]. See you there!"

Social:

"We're ready!" post. Building decorated, volunteers trained, excitement building.

During VBS

Daily social posts:

• Photos from the day (with appropriate permissions)
• Kids having fun
• Highlights: crafts, games, songs

Stories:

Real-time updates for parents. Especially valuable for parents who are nervous about leaving their kids somewhere new.

Avoid:

Close-up photos of kids without clear permission. Wide shots and activity photos are safer.

After VBS

Thank-you email:

Send to all registered families within 24 hours:

• "Thank you for letting us love on your kids!"
• Photo slideshow or highlight video link
• "We'd love to see you on Sunday"

Highlight content:

• Video recap (even a simple slideshow works)
• Photo album on Facebook
• "In case you missed it" post

Visitor follow-up:

For families who aren't regular attenders:

• Add to your visitor follow-up process
• Personal invitation to Sunday services
• Information about kids ministry

These families trusted you with their kids for a week. That's a relationship-building opportunity.

The 4-Week Summary

Common Mistakes

If registration opens on Monday and you don't announce it until Sunday, you've lost a week of momentum.

VBS is a community outreach opportunity. If you only reach church families, you're missing the point.

Without a deadline, people procrastinate. "Register by June 1" creates urgency.

VBS introduces families to your church. If you don't follow up, you've wasted the introduction.

If you can handle 100 kids and you promote aggressively, you might get 150 registrations. Know your limits. Have a waitlist plan.

VBS is one of your best community outreach opportunities of the year. Promote it like it matters—because it does.

Four weeks of consistent promotion. Clear registration process. Genuine follow-up.

That's how you fill your VBS and turn it into lasting connections.