It’s almost summer, which means it’s time for every pre-k thru 5th grader’s favorite church event — Vacation Bible School!
Your team has a lot of planning to do for VBS, but one thing we can help make easy are your VBS shirts. With over 25 years in the business, Uth Stuph has helped church groups make thousands of shirts (okay, probably more) for kids at VBS. Here are some tips for keeping your shirts creative and fun:
Use the VBS Theme as a Starting Point
The first and most important step in designing a VBS t-shirt is to align the design with the event’s theme. Think about the message of the week or points you’ll be touching on in small group sessions. Then take those points and ask “how can we represent this visually?” If you’re exploring the treasures of God’s Kingdom in an underwater theme, think about a treasure chest design. Are you covering the creation of the world in Genesis? Think floral, fruit & trees! Incorporating relevant symbols, characters or even VBS key scripture can make a design more meaningful and cohesive. (And it means that your kids are more likely to remember what it is they learned during the week.)
Tap into Vibrant Colors
Vibrant colors and children’s ministry go hand in hand. Embrace the good vibes of vibrant colors in your design. Consider a color palette that works with your theme while being energetic. A small point to also remember from our team: make sure that whatever colors you pick still make font or text legible. Look for contrasting colors on the color wheel to make it pop.
Toy with Typography
Yes, even your children’s ministry deserves some fun typography. Go for big, bold, or even bubbly type that will be easy to read for all ages. Avoid things like thin script fonts or really heavy serif fonts, as they can be trickier to read. At the end of the day, you need to ensure that the text is clear, readable, and visually appealing.
Encourage Participation and Customization
Take this tip with a grain of salt! We know how tricky it can be to plan VBS. BUT if you have the time, a fun way to get your children’s ministry involved is to leave a space on the shirt and time during the day where students can personalize their VBS shirt. Grab some fabric markers or paint and let them add friends’ names, VBS character art or more scripture to their shirts. This personal touch will create a sense of ownership and pride, making the VBS experience even more memorable.
Give Volunteers Polos or Separate Shirts
“You want us to order MORE shirts?” Uh… yes, but hear us out.
It gets chaotic during VBS — especially if your ministry places more of a community emphasis on it. As a volunteer, you’re likely seeing kids you’ll only ever see for VBS. That also means that a lot of those kids are seeing adult volunteers for one week. To make it easier for younger kids or new kids to know who to come to,
This can also help improve the safety of the event. If volunteers and leaders are required to wear matching shirts and lanyards, it’s easier to spot the adults who aren’t involved (or supposed to be there).
With these tips, you can create a t-shirt design that captures the essence of the event and leaves a positive impact on everyone involved. Let your creativity flow and make this VBS a truly memorable experience! Feeling stuck? That’s where we can come in. The Uth Stuph team has 25+ years of experience designing VBS shirts (and all sorts of group t-shirts) that people will love. Give us a call or fill out this handy-handy little form to get a free quote.