In 5th or 6th grade my Mom's church asked for kids to volunteer to help out at church day camp for little kids. I said yes. For the sole purpose of helping those poor kids! Every time something was mentioned about God, etc., I just asked the little ones "do you think that is true? ? Does that make sense to you?" I didn't want to get in trouble, so I didn't make statements, just questions, but I didn't want them to get caught up in bunk. I'm sure I did not make a dent in anyone. But my little kid mind sure wanted to.

I made a pincushion for my mom who liked to sew and an ashtray for my dad (a lifelong nonsmoker). My mom actually did use the pincushion but looking back at the crafts in general they were very gender-stereotypical.

I was little and skinny... constantly got the crap smashed out of me in endless games of "Red Rover" Fuck VBS!

My mom always tried to send me to the different vacation bible schools, but I always got kicked out of them. Not for doing anything bad, just for questioning the stories and stuff. After a few years (and different churches in town) she finally she gave up...lol

I live in Arkansas and was driving around in a few of the smaller towns and it seems there is a competition between churches to get kids to attend VBS. Signs were everywhere. I live in the BUCKLE of the bible belt.

We made waste baskets out of striated plywood, cut on a bevel with hand saws no less. Once I made a gun rack. I mainly remember the cookies and Kool Aid.

Lots of singing, praying, bible readings. It was hot and humid, and I was happy not to be home working. The people were well meaning but mistaken IMO, but who knows? Maybe I am mistaken.

Generally fairly benign if it is not an extremist church.

Free baby sitting for a couple hours.a night/afternoon/morning for a week.

I see them as generally a recruitment drive because the parents will typically come to see the program at the end of the week. So they are not going to do anything to piss someone off.

Butts it the pews = $$$

But if you didn't know the church was fairly benign I wouldn't risk it if your kid wasn't good at identifying bullshit when they see it.

(An ashtray. That's pretty funny.)

My sister and I spent a number of summers in south Florida, with our grandparents. One year, they sent us to southern baptist vacation bible school.
I still remember thinking it was so stupid and I didn't want to be there.
The worst part (that I can remember-I've blocked out all the preaching) were
the damned songs. They would take regular pop songs and change the words
to make them more "christy".
I remember constantly telling them that I didn't want to go there, or to mass
on Sundays. They forced it anyway.

Being told I'm inherently evil and I have to appease an invisible man in the sky cause if I don't he will burn me for eternity even though he loves me unconditionally but only if I make him happy