Day 1 Virtue Demo: RESPONSIBILITY

You’ll need:

• Government Passport (this can be an old expired passport)
• Radical Ride VBS passport

Our virtue demonstration today teaches us about the virtue of responsibility.

Ask:

Who can tell me what the word “responsibility,” means?

To do something with great care and attention, taking initiative and following through.

What are some ways you can practice responsibility at home?

By doing your chores, getting ready for school on time, brushing your teeth, helping mom or dad, etc.

What happens when you’re not responsible with these things?

It makes others sad or upset, people could get hurt, you lose their trust, etc.

What are some things about your faith that you need to be responsible for?

Taking the time to pray everyday, going to Mass every Sunday, Confession, praying before meals, loving others, receiving Sacraments, etc.

Explain:

When we practice responsibility in the little things, it helps us to become responsible for some of the bigger things.

What happens when you’re not responsible in your faith?

You could lose your faith, you are less likely to make good choices, you make Jesus sad, it causes you to sin, you could miss out on God’s exciting plan for your life, miss out on a great friendship with Jesus, etc.

Demonstrate:

Do you know what this is? (hold up passport)

Do you know what this is used for?

To prove identification of who you are when you travel. A passport is an official document issued by the government. It certifies the owner’s identity and allows admittance into other countries.

Who here has an official passport at home? Has anyone here had to use their passport to travel to a different country? Ask a few kids where they have traveled.

Take your time and flip through the pages of your official passport, show children a stamp or two, telling them where you have traveled.

Explain:

This morning at check-in, you all received your very own VBS Radical Ride Passport! Show VBS passport. This special passport will help you practice responsibility this week. When you travel, you need to be very responsible to make sure you don’t lose your passport. You will be responsible for it each day of this VBS. Please keep this with you at all times in your travel bag. Make sure you get your passport stamped or signed by your group leader.

(Opt.) Throughout the week, you may also receive Radical Ride prize tickets to stick in your passport.

Repeat after me: Lord Jesus please help us to grow…in the virtue of responsibility… and help us be more responsible in our faith... Amen.

Day 2 Virtue Demo: TRUST 

You’ll need:

• A blindfold
• A small stool

Ask:

I am going to do a little demonstration about the virtue of trust.

Who can tell me what the word “trust” means?

Having complete confidence in a person or a plan, having faith, believing in someone.

Who are some people we put our trust in?

God, friends, parents, bus drivers, pilots, etc.

Explain:

When we travel in an airplane, we put out trust in the pilot that he will take us to our destination safely!

The pilot trusts that the air traffic controller will give him the best commands to fly the plane at the proper speed and height in order to take off, fly and land safely.

Trust is when you hand over a situation to someone or something. It sounds easy, but sometimes it can be very hard to do.

Demonstrate:

I will need two volunteers.

Choose a small child and an adult volunteer.

Ok, I need (name of child) to stand in front of (name of adult) with your arms stretched out and your legs straight. On the countdown, I want you to fall backwards and trust that (name of adult) will catch you. Make sure the adult is prepared to catch the child under his/her arms.

Get the audience involved by having them countdown: “3, 2, 1! Trust!” Ask the child: Was it easy for you to trust that (name of adult) would catch you? Why or why not? 

Ok, let’s try something slightly different that will require a little MORE trust.

This time (name of adult) will blindfold you. Blindfold child.

Now get ready to fall back again.

Get the audience involved by having them count: “3, 2, 1! Trust!” Take the blindfold off.

Are you ready for the next level of trust?

Now, step onto this stool. (Name of adult) is going to put this blindfold over your eyes again.

Remember to stretch out your arms and keep your legs straight.

Have adult volunteer ready to catch the child.

On the countdown, be prepared to fall.

“3, 2, 1! Trust!” Wow, way to go! That’s amazing how much trust you had!

The Bible says: (show Bible) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart…” Proverbs 3:5.

Explain:

When things are going well, it’s a lot easier to trust God, but when times get harder, it takes a deeper level of trust. When we put our trust in God, we can be at peace knowing that God is in control.

Knowing God is our loving and caring Father, we can trust Him more than anyone or anything in the whole world!

Repeat after me: Lord Jesus…help us to trust you at all times… and remember that you are always in control... Amen.

Day 3 Virtue Demo: RESPECT

You’ll need:

• 1 dozen raw eggs
• Cookie sheet (with sides)

Today our demonstration is going to teach us about the virtue of respect.

Ask:

Who can tell me what the word “respect” means?

Treating others with extreme kindness and politeness, honoring someone, etc.

How would you describe this raw egg?

Breakable, fragile, delicate, etc.

This egg represents our hearts. Our hearts and bodies are very delicate. We need to remember that everyone has a heart that resembles this egg. We need to treat others very gently with our words and actions to avoid hurting them. We need to be respectful.

Demonstrate:

I need 2 youth leaders to come and help me.

Have your volunteers hold the cookie sheet and give them each an egg.

Let’s say that you were rude to your mom or dad. Have one leader crack an egg.

See what happens when we are disrespectful? Can you see what damage disrespect does to a person? Show the cracked egg.

What are some other examples of things we do that are disrspectful?

Hand the leaders more eggs.

Have the children try to list a few other examples of being disrespectful. Each time an example is mentioned, crack an egg on the cookie sheet.

(Talking back to parents, name calling, bullying, laughing at others, gossiping, lying, taking something that does not belong to you, fighting with others, saying inappropriate words, etc.)

Show the kids all the cracked eggs on the cookie sheet.

Being disrespectful causes a mess and a lot of broken hearts!

Set the cookie sheet aside. Have your volunteers stay standing.

Explain:

If we have caused damage to anyone, we must ask for their forgiveness. We need to treat others how we want to be treated. This is why respect is such an important virtue.

The Bible says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27

Demonstrate:

Hand an egg to one of your volunteers. As each example is mentioned, have the volunteers pass the egg gently, back and forth to each other.

Can you think of some ways we can treat others with respect?

Treat others how we want to be treated, not judging others, include everyone, speak kindly, be gentle, accept authority (obedience), serve others, be generous, be courteous, love everyone like Jesus would, etc.

Remember to respect everyone equally just as Jesus would do.

Repeat after me: Lord Jesus…please show us how to be gentle with others…and respect all people at all times. Amen.

Day 4 Virtue Demo: ZEAL

You’ll need:

• 2 birthday sparklers
• A wet cloth (to lay flat under lit sparkler)
• Lighter

I am going to do a little demonstration about the virtue of zeal.

Ask:

Who can tell me what the word “zeal” means?

A strong desire and eagerness to do something good, when you are “all fired up” to do something good, etc.

Show sparkler. Does anyone know what this is? A birthday sparkler.

Can you please describe this sparkler, just the way it is?

Grey, dull, boring, not very attractive, etc.

It is not very exciting is it?

Now watch what happens when I light it up!

Demonstrate:

We are going to ignite this sparkler with a lighter, which represents the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the zeal we need to spread our faith and sparkle the light of Christ to others.

Light up sparkler and while it burns, explain: What a difference! This is what zeal is like. When a person is filled with zeal, they look like this glowing sparkler. Your zeal for your faith is very exciting and it will help draw others to Jesus. Everyone will want what you have, and you will be so excited that you will want to share the joy of Christ with others.

Ask: What are some ways you can “sparkle” the love of Christ to others?

Being joyful, being excited about your faith, helping others, being kind and generous, encourage others, etc.

The Bible says: (show Bible) “Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in Spirit, serve the Lord.” Romans 12:11

Repeat after me: Lord Jesus…help us to have more zeal for you…and to sparkle and spread your light to others... Amen!

Day 5 Virtue Demo: HUMILITY

You’ll need:

• 2 containers- each filled with a handful of red play dough Important: 1 container will be filled with soft play dough and the other one will be filled with hard/dried out play dough
• (Opt.) Table

I am going to do a little demonstration about the virtue of humility.

Ask:

Who can tell me what the word “humility” means? Or what being humble means?

Considering others as more important than yourself, not being prideful, thinking of others first, not talking about yourself all the time, etc.

What are some ways you can practice humility everyday?

Putting others first, admitting mistakes, treating others with respect, not boasting, not being prideful, not bragging about what you have, etc.

Demonstrate:

I need 2 volunteers. I’m going to give each of you a container of play dough.

Hand 1 container of play dough to each child.

One of you has soft, fresh play dough and one of you has dry, hard play dough. You have up to one minute to mold the play dough into the shape of a heart. Go ahead and mold your heart!

They can use a table as a surface to mold their play dough hearts.

When the minute is up, ask the child with the soft play dough:

Would you please show everyone the heart you just made?

This heart is made of soft play dough. Raise it in the air. It represents our hearts when they are soft and humble.

Ask the child with the hard play dough.

Would you please show us your heart? This heart that is made of hard play dough (raise it in the air) represents our hearts when they are prideful, hardened by sin.

Thank the volunteers and ask them to go back to their seat. Place the hard heart in one hand and the soft heart in your other hand.

Ask:

Which heart would you want to be? Remember, the soft heart is the humble heart.

Which play dough is easier to work with? The soft heart.

Explain:

Guess what? Did you know God thinks the same thing? He has a much easier time working with those with soft, humble hearts than with those with hard, prideful hearts. The more time we spend with Jesus in prayer, the more we will be molded into His image!

The Bible says: “… God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6 Repeat after me: Lord Jesus, teach us to be humble…and give us the grace…to put others first before ourselves. Amen.