If you’re a kids ministry leader, chances are you’ve asked the question “how will we do VBS this year?” There are a lot of paths you can take: should we just do everything online? Should we have small groups meet in the homes of church members? Should we just wait until late August to be safe?
Even though this is a hard decision, we need to be decisive as summer comes closer each day. Some of our partners at Playlister have opted for VBS at-home. If you’re considering this option, we want to share top tips from our partners who are doing VBS at-home for the first time and tips from leaders who have done this before.
What is needed for VBS at home?
To accomplish VBS at home all you need is a laptop and cords to connect your laptop to your TV. Depending on your laptop and TV you will need once of the options below:
Using HDMI. Connect your PC to your TV with a male-to-male HDMI cable. The HDMI port on the computer and the HDMI port on the TV will be exactly the same and the HDMI cable should have the same connector on both ends. If the TV has more than one HDMI port, make note of the port number you plug it into. Make sure you check your computer and TV to verify which of these cords you need. Most PCs and Macs will need an HDMI cable and HDMI to USB adapter.
HDMI cable from Amazon for $15
HDMI to USB adapter from Amazon for $16
Older Apple computers may need the following cord:
Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Display Adapter Cable for $10
Once you have your computer hooked up to your TV you can stream your church’s content from Playlister. This gives you the ability to get your content on not only TVs but also tablets and phones.
And remember to make your VBS at-home experience personal for your families. You miss them and they miss you as well. Try to shoot selfie-videos and upload them to a customized playlist. To understand more about the process of getting your playlist and experience ready read our post about ministry- at-home.