Over 20 DIY VBS Decoration Ideas for Any Church

Who can forget the excitement of attending Vacation Bible School as a kid with touchable decorations hanging on the walls, spread out throughout the church, overflowing into the classrooms, and sometimes even the parking lot and yard?

Some smaller churches may think they don’t have the budget to decorate for VBS, but with a plentiful supply of “Do-It-Yourself” how-to videos and available online resources to draw from, even the smallest congregations have the opportunity and possibility of creating and crafting VBS decorations on a dime.

Still, some leaders may wonder whether it’s even possible in our day and age to present VBS decor that captures attendees’ affection and attention without big screens or special technical effects.

As more church events rely on digital tools, big screens, and even AI-generated content, is it still possible to create a fun, welcoming VBS with tangible, hands-on decorations instead?

The good news is that VBS DIY decorations are possible and help us allow kids to have real-life interaction with each other while learning, making new friendships, and growing spiritually. Let's look at some ideas to help inspire you and your VBS team.

Budget-Friendly VBS Decoration Ideas 

If we’re unsure where to begin finding budget-friendly DIY VBS decorations, we can ask the Lord to lead and guide our footsteps. As Proverbs 16:9 reassures, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

We can start by checking with local businesses that donate to non-profits, such as DIY stores, craft and hobby establishments, big box stores, thrift stores, grocery stores, and appliance stores for large cardboard boxes to use in making larger decorations.

We can also inquire about what might be on-hand and on its way to the dumpster, such as paint, plywood, 2x4s, paneling, plants, garden décor, fencing, outdoor furniture and other décor items that could fit with your VBS theme.

To discover VBS DIY treasures, consider inviting the church youth or singles group along for a fun decoration shopping spree at the local Salvation Army or Goodwill store.

The following are over twenty DIY VBS decoration ideas for any church.

VBS Decoration Inspiration—Get Excited for VBS!

Jesus invested in children as Mark 10:16 describes, “And He took the children in His arms, placed His Hands on them and blessed them.”

We, too, can invest in their lives, following Jesus’ command in Mark 16:15 “to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation,” even if it is in our own backyards.

• Let’s come together. To stir up excitement for VBS decorations, ask kids and adults within the church congregation to submit DIY ideas while you are in the planning stages of VBS. Often people have untapped ideas and are just waiting to be invited to participate.
• By early invitation. Throw a pre-VBS party, where volunteers are recruited for a day or evening of decorating fun. Make it a night to remember with music, food, and plenty of smiles. Have a theme, a selection of craft ideas and supplies ready for attendees to choose to complete, encouraging people to be creative and have plenty of fun.
• All the children of the world.  DIY efforts can start even before VBS begins by inviting kids and volunteers to help create a welcoming atmosphere, where each participant is outlined on craft or wrapping paper rolls, then creates and colors their person in with an assortment of crayons, markers, or paint. The finished product is then placed securely on the walls throughout the church.
• Party like VBS. Create paper chains for a party-themed atmosphere, using them to decorate, highlight, and frame various VBS spaces. Start by cutting strips about 1 inch wide and 7 inches long from colorful construction paper, linking them to form a chain and securing with glue or staples.
  
  

DIY VBS Decoration Ideas for Different Themes

Here is a list of easy DIY VBS decorations that are super fun and require minimal supplies.

• Create a garden, jungle, or beach. Trim real branches with leaves and flowers from trees and bushes, such as palm trees and sunflowers, and borrow potted plants, ladders, and more.
• Set up desert or rocky scenes. Wrapping paper, newspaper filler, sponges, paintbrushes, and black, gray, and white paint help create paper boulders and rocks for creeks, springs, and mountainside VBS themes.
• Design water settings. Blue plastic tablecloths, shower curtains, shiny blue tinsel fringe decorations—all found at dollar stores and outlets—work to create ponds, lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.
• Fashion a fireplace. Cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, and paint are all you need to create a cozy fireplace for a VBS atmosphere, whether it’s for a home, lodge, or camp theme.
• Call in the animals. To create Noah’s ark, a zoo, or safari, a DIY way is to use a projector to shine images on construction paper, cardboard, or other traceable surfaces to trace, cut out, and add details to an array of animals.
• Wild, wild west. For creating western VBS themes, check to see about borrowing wheelbarrows, wagons, straw, hay, saddles, troughs, and barrels from the community or church members. Many communities have Buy Nothing or other similar groups.
  
  
   

Bible-Based VBS Decoration Ideas

• Biblical landscapes.Create immersive biblical backdrops with rolls of solid-color decorative paper, fashioning a starry night, lush garden, or desert oasis scene to set the stage for activities and stories.
  • DIY How-To: Take a ruler or tape measure to measure the space and cut the rolls, marking your place with removable adhesive hooks or double-sided tape to secure without damaging walls and doorways. Add interest and depth by layering different colors and designs together.
• Biblical murals.Include the kids in a collaborative making of biblical murals that go along with the VBS theme by having it prepared ahead of each day, then have the kids complete it at the end of the day.
  • DIY How-to-Do: Secure large pieces of craft paper rolls on the walls from floor to the top of the kids' height, sketching out biblical scenes to be completed as each lesson is taught during VBS with paint, crayons, and colored markers.
• The Bible brought to the stage.For a VBS theme where kids are divided into groups and given parts of the Bible to recreate on stage, where they study, learn their parts, set up the decorations for the stage, and share their assigned story with the rest of VBS.
  • DIY How-to-Do: Offer premade decorations to carry on stage for each presentation, which may include cactus made out of PVC pipe or cardboard for desert themes, paper boulders and rocks, potted plants, and more.
    
    

More bible-themed VBS decor possibilities

• Jesus facing temptation in the desert. Decorations could include paper mountains, rocks, cactuses, desert flowers, rubber snakes, and reptiles.
• Noah’s Ark. If possible, borrow a small row boat to be brought in and made up as the ark, adding donated stuffed animals, or traced animals on paper or cardboard.
• Nehemiah rebuilding the wall. With craft foam blocks, cardboard painted or marker-outlined blocks, VBS staff, volunteers, and kids create the rebuilding of the wall, with attendees building it up each day by adding blocks they’ve earned through scripture memorization and participation.
• Zacchaeus in the tree. A small beginnings theme, with trees made out of cardboard or PVC pipes, painted with cut-out or real leaves attached. 

Tips for Making VBS Decorating Fun and Impactful

By adding some fun, creative DIY decorating touches, VBS becomes a memorable and impactful experience for all who attend.

• Open doorway entrance.Create a doorway that reflects the VBS theme for kids to pass through each day on their way to VBS.
  • How-To: Use paper rolls or a shower curtain to cover doorways, add cut-out characters, shapes, and more from construction paper, create a time machine portal designed for traveling back to biblical times or an animal theme for a Noah’s Ark or Creation theme.
• VBS photo ops.Create photo op spots throughout the building (outside, too!) with VBS backdrops where kids can have a digital photo taken to remember each day. Text or email photos to each child’s family at the end of VBS.
  • DIY How-To: Create VBS-themed spots, whether biblical or other, offering props and quick costume changes for fun and memorable photos.
• Pathways to adventure.Like Dorothy, who followed the yellow-brick road to the land of Oz, create a pathway that leads to the main meeting room, classrooms, or craft areas for kids to follow. 
  • DIY How-To: Secure paper rolls on the floor with painter’s tape, adding road signs, arrows, stepping stones, and footprints cut from paper or tape for added fun and direction.
    
    

Showing Children the Way

Luke 16:10 describes how whoever can be trusted with a little, can be trusted with much. VBS gives us the opportunity to put that into action, using what little we might have to create something exciting, enriching, and memorable, impacting and transforming young lives for a lifetime and eternity.

Through VBS DIY decorations, we can help to lead kids in the right direction. As John 14:26 says, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

As well, Proverbs 22:6 urges, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Happy decorating!

Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.