Planning Vacation Bible School (VBS) is one of the most exciting things a church community comes together to do. The music, the crafts, the kids running in with giant smiles. It’s the good stuff. But before any of that can happen, there’s one thing standing between you and a smooth summer: getting families registered.
If you’ve ever cobbled together a paper sign up sheet or wrestled with a generic form tool that wasn’t built for church groups, you know the struggle. Cheddar Up’s church payments tools were made for exactly this. Here’s everything you need to know about setting up a VBS registration form that works for your church, and for the families you serve.
What Is a VBS Registration Form?
A VBS registration form is how your church collects the information it needs to welcome children to Vacation Bible School. At its core, it captures the basics: child’s name, age or grade, parent or guardian contact information, and any emergency contacts.
But a great VBS registration form goes further. It’s also where you:
- Collect information for allergies, and special needs
- Gather t-shirt sizes (if you’re ordering shirts)
- Confirm photo permissions and activity waivers
- Accept payment for registration fees or supply donations
- Offer volunteer sign ups for parents who want to help
When all of that lives in one place (online, organized, and easy to access) you save yourself hours of follow-up emails and last-minute scrambles.
Why Your VBS Registration Form Matters More Than You Think
Your registration form is often the first real interaction a family has with your VBS. It sets the tone. A clunky, confusing form sends one message. A clean, welcoming, easy-to-complete form sends another.
A well-designed VBS registration form:
Reduces barriers for families. When sign-up is simple, more families follow through. No printing, no drop-off, no hassle. Just a link they can tap on their phone.
Keeps your team organized. All registrations in one place means no lost papers, no duplicate entries, and no “wait, did the Johnson family sign up?” moments.
Protects your church. Collecting allergy and medical information digitally means it’s always accessible and never buried in a folder somewhere.
Makes payments painless. Whether you charge a registration fee or collect a suggested donation, an online form handles it automatically. No cash envelopes required.
See how Cheddar Up works as a church giving software year-round, not just for VBS.
What to Include in Your VBS Registration Form
Not sure what fields to add? Here’s a solid starting point that covers what most churches need:
Child’s Information
- Full name
- Date of birth or current grade
- T-shirt size (if applicable)
Parent/Guardian Information
- Parent or guardian name(s)
- Phone number(s)
- Email address
- Emergency contact (if different from above)
Health & Safety
- Known allergies (food, environmental, medication)
- Medical conditions or special needs the team should know about
- Current medications and instructions
Permissions
- Photo/video release
- Activity liability waiver (collect it digitally right in your form)
- Drop-off and pick-up authorization (who is authorized to pick up the child)
Logistics
- Which week or session they’re registering for (if you have multiple)
- Volunteer interest (would a parent like to help?)
- How did they hear about VBS?
Payment (if applicable)
- Registration fee or dues
- T-shirt add-on
- Optional donation
Cheddar Up lets you add all of these fields to a single form (including payment collection) so families complete everything in one sitting.
How to Set Up Your VBS Registration Form on Cheddar Up
Starting from scratch every year is a time drain your volunteer coordinator doesn’t need. Cheddar Up’s VBS registration form template gives you a pre-built structure you can customize in minutes with your church’s details, your VBS theme, and your fields. Getting started takes minutes. Here’s how it works:
Create your Cheddar Up account.
Head to cheddarup.com and sign up. It’s free to get started.
Start a new collection.
Think of a “collection” as your VBS registration hub. It’s where your form lives, payments are collected, and registrations are tracked.
Customize your form fields.
Use Cheddar Up’s form builder to add the fields you need: name, grade, allergies, permissions, and anything else specific to your church.
Set up payment (optional).
If you’re collecting a registration fee or offering t-shirt add-ons, add those as items. Cheddar Up accepts credit and debit cards, and you can even allow free registrations if there’s no fee.
Share your link.
Copy your unique registration link and share it with your congregation: in the bulletin, via email, on social media, or on your church website. No login required for families filling it out. No app to download. Just a clean form that works on any device.
That’s it. Registrations start rolling in, and your whole team can see them in real time.
Tips for a VBS Registration Form Families Will Actually Complete
Keep it as short as possible. Only ask for what you truly need. You can always follow up for additional details later.
Use plain, friendly language. Instead of “Emergency Medical Authorization,” try “Who should we call in an emergency?” Small word choices make forms feel less intimidating.
Add a deadline and a reminder. Give families a clear registration cutoff date. A gentle reminder a week before closes out any stragglers.
Make it mobile-friendly. Most parents will open your link on their phone. Make sure your form looks great on a small screen (Cheddar Up forms are mobile-optimized by default).
Send a confirmation. Let families know their registration went through. Cheddar Up automatically sends a confirmation receipt, so no one’s left wondering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best free VBS registration form tool?
It depends on what you need. If you’re just collecting names and contact info, a Google Form can work in a pinch. But if you need to collect payments, t-shirt orders, or waivers alongside registration, you’ll want something built for it. Cheddar Up is free to get started and handles all of that in one form, which is why a lot of church volunteers prefer it over piecing together multiple tools.
How do I handle kids with allergies or medical needs in my VBS registration form?
Add a dedicated health section to your form with fields for food allergies, environmental allergies, medications, and any conditions the team should know about. Make these fields required so nothing slips through. It’s also worth adding a free-text “anything else we should know?” field for situations that don’t fit neatly into a checkbox. If your team wants guidance on managing food allergies in group settings, FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) is a helpful resource for volunteers and program coordinators.
Our VBS has multiple sessions or age groups. Can I set that up in one form?
Yes. You can add a dropdown or multiple-choice field that lets families select which session, week, or age group they’re registering for. This way all your registrations stay in one place and you can filter by group when you’re organizing volunteers and supplies.
How far in advance should we open VBS registration?
Most churches open registration 6 to 8 weeks before VBS starts. That gives you enough time to order t-shirts, plan snacks, and assign volunteers based on actual headcount. Opening too early (like 4+ months out) often leads to a lot of signups with no-shows. A well-timed reminder email a week before your deadline usually captures the last round of stragglers.
Can parents sign up to volunteer through the same form?
Yes, and it’s a great idea to include it. Add a simple question at the end like “Would you like to volunteer this year?” with a yes/no option or a list of available roles. Parents who are already in registration mode are more likely to say yes right then than if you follow up separately.
Your team works hard to create an incredible week for kids. Cheddar Up gives your church a free, easy-to-use VBS registration form template that handles signups, payments, and permissions all in one place. Check out a 3-minute demo or sign up for a live learning session to see how it works.
Before You Go
Your volunteers give so much to make VBS special. Make the VBS registration form the easiest part of their job. Cheddar Up handles sign ups, payments, waivers, and t-shirt orders all in one simple link. See it in action with a 3-minute demo or sign up for a live learning session.
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