Are you looking for more ideas to go with the Scuba Vacation Bible School (VBS) program from Group? The theme is "Diving into Friendship with God." This program is an immersive experience into the underwater world, using the beauty of the ocean to explore our relationship with God. Over five days, participants will engage with key Bible verses and stories that illustrate God’s friendship.

Scuba VBS Day 1: God is a Friend Who's Real

• Bible Verse: "We believe and we know you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:69).
• Story: Elijah experiences God's presence through challenges (1 Kings 18-19).

Scuba VBS Day 2: God is a Friend Who Loves

• Bible Verse: "Just as I have loved you, you should love each other" (John 13:34).
• Story: God’s compassion for Nineveh (Jonah 1-3).

Scuba VBS Day 3: God is a Friend We Can Trust

• Bible Verse: "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart" (John 14:27).
• Story: Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41).

Scuba VBS Day 4: God is a Friend Forever

• Bible Verse: "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25).
• Story: Jesus’ death and resurrection (John 18-20).

Scuba VBS Day 5: God is a Friend for Everyone

• Bible Verse: "For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
• Story: Lydia's conversion to Christianity (Acts 16:11-15).

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Davy Jones Locker Game

Davy Jones Locker is a simple game for young children at Vacation Bible School or church camp.  In this game you fish men and treasure out of the sea. Even the youngest children at Scuba VBS will enjoy this one. Everyone gets to keep whatever they fish out. See more details.

Ships and Sailors Game

This Ships and Sailors game is an active game where one player gives commands and the others must follow them. A little like Simon Says or Chicken on a Hut or Jackrabbit, except with a nautical theme. Read more.

Bail the Ship

Bail the Ship is a fun large group game for an ocean theme. It pits two groups against each other and burns off a lot of energy. It's always a lot of fun! Learn more.

Cups and Downs

This works well with the story of Elijah's ups and downs for day 1. This game splits participants into two teams, with one team tasked with turning cups right side up and the other with flipping them upside down, using about two dozen plastic cups scattered across a play area. Read more.

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Eternal Dodge Ball

Eternal Dodge Ball is the game that never ends. Using soft, no-sting dodge balls, players aim to hit each other, similar to regular dodge ball. Use this for the eternal life theme for Day 4. See the instructions.

Sea Creature Search

Pictures of real and mythical sea creatures are hidden around the area. Scuba VBS participants need to find them and determine if each one is real or mythical, highlighting that God, though unseen, is indeed real.

Compassionate Currents

Participants passing a beach ball using only puffs of air. When the ball drops, the last person to touch it shares a personal story of love, emphasizing the spread of kindness like currents in the sea.

Navigating the Reef

Create an obstacle course designed to mimic a reef, using pool noodles, stuffed toys, and other soft ocean themed objects. One blindfolded Scuba VBS participant maneuvers through, guided by a partner’s voice, fostering trust without sight.

Eternal Tide Relay

Water balloons are passed along by team members who try not to burst them, representing the careful transmission of God's eternal word and the gift of eternal life.

Dive into Friendship

Kids diving into a kiddie pool or or bin filled with foam to retrieve cards with the word 'friend' in various languages, matching them to a poster and learning about global friendship.

See more youth ministry games.

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Sea Slime

One creative idea for Scuba VBS is sea slime. This activity not only captures the attention of young people but also provides a fun, tactile experience that can make learning more memorable. See the instructions.

Cork Ship in a Bottle Craft

This is a simple ship in a bottle craft, not the type that takes days and days. It is easy to make. The kids can take it home and use it as a centerpiece to remind them of Scuba VBS. Read more.

Ocean in a Bottle

Create a dynamic ocean environment inside clear plastic bottles using water, sand, blue food coloring, small plastic sea creatures, and glitter. They fill the bottles halfway with water, add a layer of sand and sea creatures, and top it off with more water mixed with blue coloring and glitter, then seal and shake to bring the ocean to life.

Coral Friendship Bracelets

The Coral Friendship Bracelets activity allows kids to craft vibrant, ocean-themed bracelets by braiding different colors of embroidery thread and adding small sea-related charms, such as small shells or fish. Then they exchange bracelets to symbolize sharing God's love like sharing the beauty of a coral reef.

Trusty Ships

Participants build small floating ships using corks, toothpicks for masts, paper for sails, and rubber bands to hold everything together. These ships are tested in water to see which can handle 'stormy' conditions, illustrating trust in God’s guidance.

Eternal Ocean Necklaces

String together blue and green beads along with fish or cross charms to symbolize the eternal beauty of the ocean and God's everlasting presence.

World Ocean Painting

Use sponges to paint large canvases with blue and green to depict the oceans around the globe, adding elements that reflect the universality of God's love. Show it off in your main gathering space for Scuba VBS.

Sharksicles Recipe: Make these ocean themed popcicles!

Fishy Crackers and Dip: Serve fish-shaped crackers with a blue-tinted cream cheese or yogurt dip. Kids can spread the dip onto their plates and place the crackers so they look like they're swimming in the ocean.

Octopus Hot Dogs: Cut hot dogs into halves, leaving one end uncut to form the octopus head. Slice the other half into several strips to make tentacles. Boil briefly until the tentacles curl up. Kids can add dot eyes with mustard or ketchup.

Blue Jelly Cups: Fill clear cups with blue gelatin and let it set. Before serving, kids can top the jelly with gummy fish or whipped cream to resemble sea foam, creating a mini ocean scene.

Sea Turtle Apples: Slice apples into rounds and use grapes cut in half for the turtle’s head and legs. Kids can assemble these on their plates, arranging them to look like little turtles.

Banana Dolphins: Make a small cut in the stem of a banana to create a mouth, and insert a large blueberry to look like the dolphin is holding a ball. Kids can place the bananas in cups filled with blueberries and grapes to represent water and additional sea creatures.

Sandwich Starfish: Use a starfish-shaped cookie cutter to cut out sandwiches. Fillings can be simple like cheese or peanut butter. Kids can add raisins or small veggies to decorate their starfish sandwiches.

Beach Pudding Cups: Layer vanilla pudding with crushed vanilla cookies to create a beach effect. Kids can add gummy fish or umbrella toothpicks to complete the beach scene.

Scuba VBS is not just about learning; it's about experiencing God's unending friendship through fun and engaging activities. Each day provides a new way to see how we can trust, love, and believe in a God who is always there for us. Join us as we dive deep into these truths with creativity and joy using these bonus ideas!