We set sail with all kids participating in the Yo-Ho-Ho Opening Show, a large-group experience where the Commodore of the HMS Steadfast greets the kids with warmth and enthusiasm and leads them through

• lively songs, lead by a worship leader and teen worship crew;
• a hilarious skit from Bumpo and Bones who stumble upon the day’s Bible theme;
• a movie clip from The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything;
• teasers about the day’s Bible story and theme;
• an interactive review of Philippians 4:13, the week’s theme verse;
• worshipful songs; and
• a blessing prayer for the day.

Rowboat Bible Stories - with lots of pretend action where kids use all their senses participating in a Bible story that will stick,

Discovery Bay - sensory tables, block play, and open-ended art that reinforce the Bible story. Each area of Discovery Bay is staffed with a Shipmate member to reinforce the Bible lesson, Scripture, or day’s theme, so that the lessons flow seamlessly throughout the day.

Cheesecurl Cave Snacks and Science - cooking up Bible story—reinforcing snacks and amazing science fun,

Squawk-Along Songs and games - with lively music, movement, and games.
Preschoolers will love Discovery Bay! With nearly a full hour of child-directed, play-based Bible learning, children will sail through activities at their own pace. They’ll get out and about “like the big kids” when they visit Rowboat Bible Stories and Cheesecurl Cave Snacks and Science. And they’ll get to relax and shake their sillies out with all their preschool pals during Squawk-Along Songs and Games.

They’ll rotate in crews to four individual sites. Kids will spend thirty minutes at each site, focusing on the day’s Bible story and Bible memory verse from different perspectives, bringing all their senses and learning styles into play.

Spyglass Bible Theater - the kids are involved in fast-paced Bible dramas with elements of suspense, surprise, and lots of “wow” factor. Kids “feast on the Word,” creating treats as they process the story, with each element of the treat reinforcing an important aspect of the story and a Bible truth. Yum!

Whipcrack Island Games - not your ordinary VBS game site! Grumpy pirates greet the kids each day with good-humored pirate blarney. The first game is rowdy, giving kids a great opportunity to blow off steam. The second game teaches kids the Bible memory verse in a lively treasure hunt or game-show format. So kids do much more than work up a sweat! No crew members leave Whipcrack Island without hiding the Bible verse treasure in their hearts!

Rock Monster Science Lab - kids discover how the laws of science support Bible truths. Though they don’t blow up the room, kids love concocting amazing experiments that drive the Bible truth home—another really cool innovation that you won’t find in other VBS programs and a truly memorable part of the day!

Clapping Rock Crafts - substantial projects that kids will cherish long after coloring pages and busy-work projects have hit file thirteen. Kids will create faux leather treasure bags laced with leather and made glitzy with beads. The treasure bags will contain the Bible Memory Verse Doubloons they earn each day. They’ll decorate a parachute with their own burning bush stories; create a pirate headwrap to rival Captain Jack Sparrow’s; put pom-pom figures of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in a specially painted treasure chest; make a bound treasure map; and spread the good news in clear plastic bottles filled with colorful goodies and the gospel message. Each project reinforces the Bible theme. Talk around the table is scripted to review the Bible memory verse and give kids a hero’s challenge to complete while the lesson is still fresh in their minds.

The kids will wrap up the day at the Yo-Ho-Ho Closing Show, coming together as a community to sing, see a slide show of the day’s activities in which they are the stars, review the Bible theme, participate in a rowdy rendition of the week’s theme verse, and hear a tantalizing teaser about the exciting adventures in store for them the next day.