I attended vacation Bible school a few times when I was a kid. To be completely honest, I struggled immensely. I couldn’t find the specific passages the teacher was talking about or correctly answer a question. While we had Bibles in our house, I didn’t know much more than the story of Adam and Eve and Noah and the Ark. As you could imagine, it was difficult to keep up with my fellow peers.
When we think about the children attending vacation Bible school, we might be reminded of our own time in VBS. While my time wasn’t ideal, I know many kids benefited from this summer program.
Ask the Lord to provide the children going to vacation Bible school this summer with the positive aspects, while leaving out the negative aspects. God can do all things; He longs for the little children to come to Him. This is told to us in Matthew 19:14, “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’”
1. A Prayer to Hear the Gospel in a Meaningful and Impactful Way
When children attend vacation Bible school, they need to hear the gospel in a way that is meaningful, impactful, and understandable to them. If a child hears the gospel but it doesn’t make sense or the team leader doesn’t explain it to them in a meaningful way, then it will not stay with the child. They will forget what they were taught, and the gospel will take no root in their lives.
Whether you personally have children going to vacation Bible school this year or not, you need to be praying for all children to hear the gospel. It is not too complicated for children to understand. While some aspects of Christianity can be more difficult, the gospel is meant for everyone. Jesus tells us, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Therefore, we need to pray for children to understand the gospel and place faith in the Lord.
Dear Jesus, please help the children attending vacation Bible school this year to hear the gospel in a meaningful and impactful way. I want them to come to know You and place faith in You. I don’t want them to miss the gospel or for it to go over their heads. Please help the team leaders to help the children understand the gospel in a real and tangible way. Thank You, Lord. In Your Name, I pray, Amen.
2. A Prayer to Be Understood by Team Leaders and Other Children
Many children are not understood by team leaders and other children while they are attending vacation Bible school. As I mentioned earlier, I was one of these misunderstood children. I needed help, but no one was willing to help me find passages or slow down for me. At points, it felt as though all of the children already knew where every book of the Bible was located and had all the answers to the Bible on a hard drive in their minds.
Sadly, many of these children don’t truly know the Lord and are just trying to excel in vacation Bible college. In order for change to be done, team leaders and other children attending vacation Bible school need to be understanding of new kids or those who did not grow up in church. They need people who are truly helpful, sympathetic, and understanding. If a child is met with a cold, hurtful person at vacation Bible school, they will remember it for the rest of their life and this may impact any future decision to place faith in Jesus.
Dear Lord, please help the children in vacation Bible school to be understood by their team leaders and the other children present. I firsthand know how it feels to be ostracized by others at vacation Bible school. I don’t want anyone to be hurt in this way. Instead, they need to be surrounded by Christians who encourage them and support them in their knowledge of You. Help the team leaders and other children to be kind, caring, and understanding of one another. Amen.
3. A Prayer to Form New Friendships and Grow in Friendship with Jesus
All children need friends at vacation Bible school. If they don’t have friends, they will not be very excited to go every day. Rather than sitting by themselves, kids need to form new friendships at VBS. Praying for children to form new friendships will help them create lasting friendships with other children who have a background in the Lord.
However, we should also pray for children attending vacation Bible school to grow in their friendship with Jesus. Jesus is our greatest friend and He is with us through all things (Psalm 23). As believers, we need to be praying for all children to grow in their friendship with Jesus over the course of vacation Bible school and to know Him better. Even if a child doesn’t make any friends while there, they can still enrich their friendship with Jesus, the greatest blessing of all.
Dear Jesus, please help the children attending VBS form new friendships while they are there and grow in their friendship with You. Your friendship is greater than all things and I praise You for being my best friend too. Help all children know that You are their greatest friend, too. Please help them to know You on a deeper level and help them to make friends with the other kids. I praise You, Jesus. Amen.
4. A Prayer to Stay Steadfast When Things Are Hard
Sometimes, vacation Bible school can be very hard. Maybe the topic at hand is too complicated to understand or the Bible passage to be memorized is simply too long. Other times, it could be the vacation Bible school a child is attending has some bullies or teachers who are trying to make things hard for certain kids. As much as I wish this wasn’t true, there are many adults and children who want to make things hard for kids who are different from them. As believers, we need to pray for these kids to remain steadfast when times are hard.
They don’t need to give up, but rather, to continue to faithfully follow Jesus and learn more about Him (Galatians 6:9). This can be accomplished by praying for the children and asking the Lord to help them. Even when times are hard, they can rise above it because of the Lord. Jesus can provide comfort, steadfastness, and power to overcome any struggle. Pray for the children attending vacation Bible school by asking the Lord to be their steadfast strength.
Dear God, children can struggle at vacation Bible school for various reasons. Maybe they are having a hard time finding certain passages in the Bible or memorizing their passage for the week. Sometimes, it can be something more serious, such as bullying or mean team leaders. Please help them to stay steadfast when things are hard and to know that they are serving You. Help them to see You through the vacation Bible school they are attending and to find strength in You. Amen.
5. A Prayer for Good Health
While this prayer might sound basic, it is needed. Without good health, children will struggle with vacation Bible school. If they are sick, they won’t be able to attend vacation Bible school or stay focused on the tasks at hand. This is why it is important for us to pray for every child to have good health this summer.
God can protect them, but we also have to practice good hygiene. This means ensuring team leaders and children alike wash their hands, use hand sanitizer, and are up-to-date on the proper vaccines to protect against preventable illnesses. If a vacation Bible school doesn’t have these standards established, there will be issues at one point or another. God can help keep children healthy, but we must also take advantage of the resources He has given us.
Dear Jesus, it is common for health issues and viruses to spread during vacation Bible school. Please help the children who are attending this year to be kept safe from these illnesses. Help all of them to stay happy and healthy. Prevent them from getting sick and spreading germs to others. Thank You for protecting them. In Your Name, I pray, Amen.
Originally published Friday, 04 July 2025.