Vacation Bible School planning guide
Plan a smoother family check-in for VBS.
VBS brings repeat arrivals, new families, and a busy welcome table. A clear attendance routine helps everyone know what to do on day one and what becomes easier on day two.
- No email or phone needed for additional people
- Saved people for the next visit
- App kiosk and mobile web/QR check-in
For your program
Before the first family arrives
Decide what you are counting
Group check-in records the primary adult and each selected child at the same event. It fits family VBS sessions and family nights where everyone participates. If you need only children counted at drop-off, do not treat a parent’s required visit as child-only attendance.
Separate registration from arrival
Collect enrollment, permissions, emergency information, and activity assignments through your existing registration process. Adding a name in group check-in is an attendance convenience, not registration or approval to participate. Additional people do not answer the primary visitor’s custom questions.
Rehearse the first-day and returning-family flows
Try a new adult check-in, add a child by name, and submit that child’s attendance. On a later visit, confirm that the saved person appears and choose only those attending. Place a short parent-first instruction beside the kiosk or QR code.
From arrival to attendance
Check yourself in, then your people.
Enable Group check-in from the Group/Family Checkin page in your organization’s app or dashboard menu. The setting is off by default, and it is also available in Kiosk Settings.
Use the app on a shared device, or share a web check-in link or QR code. Visitors using the web flow do not need to install the app.
- Complete the usual check-inThe first visitor provides the identity details and answers required by your organization. Their own attendance is recorded first.
- Select saved people or add a nameAfter confirmation, choose who is here today. Add someone new with a name and optional email. Adding alone does not record attendance.
- Check in the selected peopleEach selected person gets a separate visit using the primary check-in’s event. Additional people do not repeat the contact fields or questions.
- Review the result and finishCheck each person’s result before leaving. Saved people remain available for future visits to the same organization.
See the actual web experience
From a name to a recorded visit.
Captured from a local demo account for Maple Community Church. All names and details are fictional. Tap a screenshot to view it at full size.
1. Add someone by name
2. Choose who is here today
3. See each successful check-in
In practice
Five mornings, five session records
If each VBS family session needs its own attendance view, prepare one event per day. Switch the app device to that day’s event or share its matching web link. Saved people stay available within the organization, but families still select who is attending each day.
Your setup checklist
- Before VBS: enable group check-in and test the event, primary questions, and child name-only addition.
- At arrival: ask the adult to finish their own check-in, select the children present, and wait for each result.
- After each session: review recorded attendance and prepare the next event; keep pickup and child-safety procedures separate.
Use a separate event for each session you want to review independently. Event-specific setup requires Events access. You can also record group attendance without an event.
Choose the right attendance flow for your program.
Group check-in works best when the primary visitor and their selected people attend the same gathering. The primary visitor is counted too, and all additional visits inherit that event. It does not assign people to separate rooms or collect a separate questionnaire for each child.
For children’s programs, continue using your established registration and safeguarding procedures. MemberMaker does not provide security labels, authorized pickup verification, or proof of guardianship.
Before you get started
VBS Check-In Guide for Family Attendance: questions and answers
Does this replace VBS registration or child pickup software?
No. It records attendance after an adult checks in. It does not manage enrollment capacity, payments, permissions, medical intake, security tags, or authorized pickup. Keep those tasks in the systems and processes you already use.
How do I turn on group check-in?
Open Group/Family Checkin in your organization’s dashboard or app menu, enable Group check-in, and save. The same setting is also available in Kiosk Settings. It is off by default and applies to the app kiosk and web/QR check-in for that organization.
Do children need their own email or phone number?
No. Additional people can be added by name alone. Email is optional. The primary visitor still completes your normal check-in fields and questions; selected people do not repeat them.
What happens if an email already belongs to someone?
An existing member must approve the link by email before they can be selected. Pending links cannot be checked in. Name-only additions create separate people and never match or merge by name.
Can family members attend different events in the same submission?
No. Each additional visit uses the primary visit’s event, or no event if none was selected. Event-specific setup requires Events access for your organization. Group check-in also works without an event.
Does checking in the group check anyone out?
No. Group check-in is offered after a successful check-in, not after checkout. Selecting someone who is already present does not check them out.
Ready for your next gathering
Make the next family arrival easier.
Create your web account, set up your organization, and enable Group check-in when you are ready.
