We have had a hard time with nametags during VBS for the past two years. In the younger grades kids are just too rough with them and they tear easily. It happens in the older grades as well. We have used hole reinforcements but they did not seem to help. One worker used metal eyelets to reinforce the holes which worked well. Is there any way this can be done before purchase? Or another idea that would work? It is just fustrating to have to make new nametags for 50% of the kids that are in your VBS class each night while you are trying to do other things as well. Thanks for your support!

The records team have name tags cut for each night using blank labels,so if the kids loose them (they always do) they will have a new one each night. This is one of the duties of our record team. We are fortunate that someone donated huge rolls of address labels (like the ones delivery people use)so we do not have to buy any. Hope this suggestion helps.

we use new ones every day too - last year i think we ordered them from lifeway - they were sports themed.

One idea you may try is to put masking tape on the back of the name tags to reinforce, and "hole punch" before adding your lanyard.
Purchased Name tags can get pricey when you have a large group of children (we usually have 250-300). Another idea is to make extra "blank" name tags using card stock ahead of time, hole punch them, and give each teacher a few extras, so all they will have to do is write in the childs name and replace the okd tag.

We worked very hard on the nametags this year to make sure that they were super-sturdy and could withstand a whole week. They are kid-tested, and I've yet to see one broken. The rope loops through a laminated name tag so there is no metal clip to pull on the name tage. Check your local LifeWay store for a sample, or read more here.

I do like the new nametags, and they look like they will hold better-of course, the actual proof will be when we give them to children. Children that are caught deliberatly trying to destroy their (or another's) nametag will wear one made with construction paper and yarn,

We too had a problem with the Lifeway nametags. They are kind of expensive, especially for the smaller churches, and the kids don't want to wear them. Especially the prek and toddler classes. We are going to try something new this year. We are color coding leis to the classes and each child will have a lei colored to their class. Then on night 1 in crafts we are making our own leis with surfboards to hang in the middle cut out of milk jugs with their names on them. Then the children will wear the leis they made each night and take them home on parents night. They are much more likely to wear something that they made themselves to show it off to everyone. We are just cutting flowers out of construction paper, using yarn to thread it on, and cutting up neon straws in 1 inch pieces to space the flowers. Then the leis we use for thier first visit we are going to give to parents on parents night as they enter our program. If you contact century novelties you can get leis for pretty reasonable if you buy a large amount. We are getting 2000 for $220 plus shipping.

we are using the lifeway nametags this year, but instead of putting the kids regular names on them, we are going to try to look up each child's name in Hawiian and then put their name in English on the back. I hope the kids will enjoy this idea enough that they'll want to keep it as a reminder of their Hawiian name.

Qur group is also doing the Hawaiian names and the their English names. I am doing them on Surf Boards. Everything seems to girlish. So give the boys a break. Love in Christ

We have found a website listing names alphabetically for the Hawaiian translation. It also gives tips to speak the names properly. The site is http://www.alohafriendsluau.com/names.html. I hope this helps.

We got the blank sticker nametags for night 1. In the craft rotation the kids will be making leis with flower petals we ordered from oriental trading. We also cut surfboards out of foam sheets that we are attaching with yarn for nametags. We are not letting them take this craft home until family night. They will be presented with their lei every night as they check in. We cut extra surfboards out in case of a problem.

We are doing something similar to Ms. Barb. A member in our church donated enough lei's for all the kids and volunteers. We are taking the Lifeway nametags and attaching them with the ball chain that is included for the truth tags, as we aren't using the truth tags. Even if you were, you could still attach them. I have been wearing my lei to work all week this week just to see if it would make it, and so far so good!

We used Lifeway's nametags during VBS last week and they worked great! Did not have one problem with them. Thanks!

The name tags work well, unless they get wet! Most of the Recreation Reef games this year involved water, and the children and teachers forget to take off their name tags when they play, so they get wet and we did have quite a few that broke through the hole. We did have extras, though, and had some "Aloha - My name is" sticker nametags to use for backups. Our kids like to stick small stickers from the different rotations site leaders on their LifeWay name tags each year.