VBS Egypt Decor

In 2010 we did our first Holy Land Adventure VBS -  Egypt:  Joseph's Journey.  Group is putting out that program again this year, so I thought I'd share our decor for inspiration for other churches.  I don't remember how all of these were constructed (was involved with some but not all of it.

The columns above were made, I believe, with stacked boxes covered by brown paper (we bought a large role).  I am not sure how the flared tops were accomplished.  The panels and the eagle above it were done on foam board (we used a slide projector to project up Egyptian clip art larger so we could easily copy it).  The hieroglyphics on the wall were just cut out of colored paper and adhered with double stick tape.  Larger items were adhered with command strips.

This Oblisk was also made with boxes.   Wish I knew more than that to share with you.  They have this desert backdrop for sale again at Group but I foudn a place selling it cheaper here. (The pyramid and other Egyptian scenery are removable, so we were able to reuse this backdrop for VBS Wildernes).   I've also seen cool desert backdrops on oriental traders, and on Amazon and even more on this pinterest page.

We made our "Nile River" out of blue plastic tablecloths, and one of our volunteers made this amazing crocodile (I think out of clay that was alter painted).   Plastic water lilies ("lotus flowers") like we used can be found here.

Do you know what my kids remember the most about our last Egypt VBS...getting to climb on top of chairs we had stacked up to help us make carpet tube palm trees.  To make these trees we cut the bottoms off of paper bags and slipped them over carpet tubes until they crumpled into a nice "bark."  The leaves were paper cut outs over umbrella frames for support (you have to destroy the umbrella...take all the cloth off of it...so next time the wind destroys your umbrella...save it for VBS!)   You can also use Christmas Tree stands to hold, and we have every year used one our flag pole stands for one palm tree.   We also made some stands with wood, but I can't remember exactly how (a poll and a large base were involved).

This fire "brazier" was made by putting a light and a small fan in the bottom of the pot, and attaching orange, red and yellow streamers (or maybe tissue paper) to chicken wire under the fan.  It looked a lot cooler in motion.

Sign made with a pole and I think some left over foam board scraps.

Our registration table.  The bricks on the side are borrowed from our God sighting wall.

We made a bridge out of bamboo and 2x4s...kinda didn't hold up very well with kids walking over it.  You can find Sphinxes like we used here.  You can find white columes like we used at various party stores (this was the cheapest I found).  You can also find instructions on how to make your own columns here. These can be re-used in most of the other Holy Land VBS programs (everyone say wilderness that they've done so far...even Galilee and Nazareth have synagogues you can use columns for).