Crave takes place in a whimsical world that's one part food lab, one part factory, and one part kitchen—all blended together into a colorful environment kids love.

The best part? You can make it your own. Whether your church leans into a kitchen, bakery, farmer's market, food factory, or something completely unique, Crave's flexible décor lets you add your own flavor.

Probably less than you're imagining!

You’ll need the same amount of food as you’ve used in any other Group VBS.

Taste & See Treats (aka: snack station) is the only station completely centered around food.

You’ll explore food science and food photos and food puns in other stations, but you won’t need to purchase or store extra amounts of food.

It’s kind of like how in Scuba, stations referenced underwater life, but didn’t have kids actually go scuba-diving. 😊

We understand your concern, and have been thinking about that from the very beginning.

As we developed Crave, we intentionally considered kids with allergies, sensitivities, and complicated relationships with food. We discussed these topics throughout concepting, at focus groups, and during our field test because every child matters deeply to Jesus—and to us.

We kept food nuances in mind as we chose Bible verses, posed questions, decorated and designed, and as we hosted kids and grownups at our field test.

While food creates the environment, Crave’s main ingredient is Jesus. We want to help kids grow a deeper and sweeter friendship with him. We hope that kids—especially kids who endure tough stuff around food—trust in Jesus’ love and care for them.

We've done our best to create an experience that's thoughtful and welcoming while recognizing there's always more to learn. We encourage you to review the program and prayerfully decide what's best for the children in your ministry.

So, here’s the thing…the food theme isn't about food—it's about Jesus.

Jesus called himself the bread of life. At Crave, kids enjoy the goodness of Jesus. They’ll taste and see why Jesus satisfies our deepest cravings—beyond tasty food. They’ll hear stories from Jesus’ life and discover these key Bible truths that truly matter in life as kids.

Jesus gives purpose when wondering kids crave a reason.
Jesus gives joy when discouraged kids crave delight.
Jesus knows what they need when dependent kids crave help.
Jesus gives forgiveness when imperfect kids crave another try.
Jesus gives peace when worried kids crave calm.

By the end of the week, kids discover that nothing satisfies like a friendship with Jesus.

Day 1: Kids smell and taste pieces of small mandarin oranges (2 oranges per Crew; no food waste at Crave VBS field test!)

Day 2: Kids get a small sip of plain lemon juice to compare with a splash of sweetened lemonade.

Day 3: No food or food ingredients used.

Day 4: Kids mix surprising, food ingredients (included in the day’s Imagination Station Crew Pack) with a few drops of food coloring for a tactile experience.

Day 5: Kids test small amounts of lemon juice, distilled white vinegar, baking soda water, and ginger tea. This is not a taste test. Kids also make a meaningful keepsake that includes a small amount of dry rice and dried herbal tea from tea bags.

This is only available in NLT.