Trailhead VBS — Day 5: Go and Tell: Jesus Sends Us Out

Welcome all trail crews back to Base Camp for the final day. Gather kids by crew on the floor or benches, youngest crews up front. Open with a song your church already sings and a friendly welcome. Do a quick recap: 'All week we've been following Jesus every step. Today we learn where He sends us!' Let each crew shout its crew name and introduce today's theme word: SENT. Hold up a backpack and pull out items one at a time (map, water bottle, trail snack) and ask, 'What do hikers take when they go somewhere new?' Then say: 'Jesus sends us out too — and the best part is He promised to go WITH us.' Pray a simple prayer to begin. Teen helpers lead crew entrances, hold the cheer signs, and help littlest hikers find their spots. KEEP ENERGY HIGH BUT BRIEF so the day starts on time.

Tell the story of Jesus sending His followers out (Matthew 28:18-20) after the resurrection. Set the scene: the disciples meet the risen Jesus on a mountain — a real trailhead! Jesus tells them He has all authority, then gives them a big job: 'Go and make disciples of all nations... teaching them... And surely I am with you always.' Emphasize two things with hand motions: GO (march in place) and I AM WITH YOU (hug arms across chest). Then read Acts 1:8; later, just before He went back to heaven, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will give them power to be His witnesses near home and far away. Big idea: Jesus doesn't send us alone; He goes with us and gives us His Spirit. PRESCHOOL ADAPTATION (4-5): Shorten to one sentence per idea — 'Jesus said GO, and Jesus said I'm WITH YOU.' Use the two hand motions and repeat three times; let them march around a pretend mountain. OLDER KIDS (grades 4-6): Ask what 'witness' means (someone who tells what they've seen and know) and point out the places in Acts 1:8 get farther and farther from home — God's love is for the whole world, starting right where they are.

Crews move to their trail-crew spots (shade outside or a corner inside). Every crew has a screened adult leader plus teen helpers; no helper is ever alone with a child. Review the memory verse together (Matthew 28:19-20, short form: 'Go and make disciples of all nations... And surely I am with you always.') using the hand motions, then work through the warm-up and dig questions, saving time for the apply question. Hand each child a paper 'footprint' and let them draw or name one person they could share Jesus' love with this week. Leaders: keep every child included and affirm every answer. PRESCHOOL: Just do the two warm-up questions and let them color a footprint. OLDER KIDS: Use the deeper dig question and let them brainstorm real ways kids their age can be 'witnesses' at school and home.

Crews rotate to the craft station (teen helpers restock supplies and help with glue and names). Kids decorate a paper or foam footprint with the word GO and 'Jesus is with me,' then add it to a shared 'trail' banner winding across the wall — showing the whole group being sent out together. Kids take a second small paper footprint home as a reminder (if you use keychains or magnets, older kids only: small magnets and keychain parts are a swallowing hazard for 4- and 5-year-olds). PRESCHOOL: Pre-cut footprints and use stickers instead of small beads or tiny pieces (no choking hazards for ages 4-5). OLDER KIDS: Invite them to write on the back the name of one place or person they want to share God's love with.

Outdoor (or gym) relay in shade where possible: crews line up and 'carry the good news' — a beanbag 'message' — down a trail course of cones, hand it off, and the next hiker goes. Variation: 'Reach the Ends of the Earth' — teams move the message to stations labeled 'home,' 'town,' and 'far away' (tie-in to Acts 1:8). Provide water at the start and a seated water-and-shade break halfway through; watch for overheating. PRESCHOOL: Shorten the course, let them walk not run, and skip the competition — everyone 'wins' by delivering the message. OLDER KIDS: Add a fun challenge like balancing the message on a paper plate. Teen helpers run cones, model the course, and cheer; an adult keeps the water and sunscreen reminders going.

ALLERGY CHECK FIRST: review each crew's allergy roster before anyone eats; no sharing. Serve a build-your-own trail mix with pretzels, mini crackers, dried fruit (like raisins), and sunflower seeds, with a 'summit' cup of water. COMMON ALLERGENS PRESENT: wheat/gluten (pretzels, crackers), and sunflower seeds (a seed allergy for some kids). Keep it nut-free like the rest of the week and skip brands labeled 'may contain nuts'; read labels. ALLERGY-SAFE SWAP: offer a nut-free, gluten-free option of plain popcorn (older kids only, never preschoolers), rice crackers, and raisins in sealed single cups prepared away from nut products. PRESCHOOL (4-5): Avoid whole nuts, seeds, and popcorn (choking hazard); give them raisins, soft cut fruit, and rice crackers only. Teen helpers hand out pre-portioned cups and wipe tables; an adult supervises and handles any allergy questions. Say a short thank-you prayer for the food.

Gather crews to hear about real people who 'go and tell' — a missionary family or ministry your church actually supports (use true, age-appropriate facts from your church's materials; do not invent stories). Show photos or a short map of where they serve. Connect to Acts 1:8: God's love goes from our town to the ends of the earth. Then do a hands-on service response the kids can actually complete: assemble simple encouragement cards or a small care item for the missionary, a local shelter, or homebound church members. Explain clearly who the cards go to. PRESCHOOL: Let them decorate a pre-folded card with stickers and 'God loves you' already printed inside. OLDER KIDS: Invite them to write a short note and pray by name for one place on the map. Teen helpers distribute supplies and collect finished cards for the leader.

Families join the kids at Base Camp for a short celebration. Welcome parents and guardians warmly. Sing one or two songs your church already sings that the kids learned this week. Invite a few crews to show the GO motion and shout the memory verse together (Matthew 28:19-20, BSB, short form). Give a 2-minute recap of the whole week's trail: God made you and knows your name, Jesus is with you in the storm, Jesus comes looking for you, Jesus died and rose again, and now Jesus SENDS us. Have kids point to the footprint banner they built. Share one invitation for families to keep following Jesus together at home and at church this Sunday. Thank volunteers and teen helpers by name. Close by praying a blessing over the families as they are 'sent out.' Hand out take-home footprint keepsakes and any sign-up or next-steps info. Families joining the program does not replace check-out: crews stay seated with their leaders until the end, and each child is released only to an authorized adult at the crew's spot using your normal sign-out, even if a parent is standing right there. Before the program starts, remind families of your photo policy and ask them not to post pictures that show other people's children (some children, including those in foster care, must not appear online).