Rocky Railway VBS: Ideas I never actually tried

Every year, I start brainstorming VBS ideas as soon as the theme is released… some of the ideas I try and they’re awesome (you usually see those here), some I try and they’re duds… then the remainder I never have time to test or use. Typically, I just delete this brainstorming list after VBS… but I thought I’d share it in case you want to take these ideas and bring them to life!

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  • Washi tape train tracks – The first night, give each crew a piece of posterboard, some markers and a roll of washi tape. First, let them use the washi tape to make train tracks on the posterboard. Then crews can use markers to decorate the posterboard with one of the bible verses. Use these posterboards around VBS as decorations. (Could also use as a prep party activity.)
  • Tie dye socks – buy white socks and Rit dye – each student gets to make 2 pairs – one to keep and one to give to a friend (Jesus’ power helps us be good friends).
  • DIY lacing cards (for toddler/preschool) – print or decorate cardstock with the bible verse or theme-related cutouts, laminate whole sheet of cardstock, hole punch lots of holes around the edges of the paper, use a shoestring to weave through the holes
  • Placemats – Use a sheet of colored cardstock as a train, cut photos of each student into circles for train wheels and glue on, have students add bible verse to train with markers, laminate, send home as placemat.
  • Preschool color sorting: Gather colored items (counting manipulatives, plastic bottle lids, etc). Cover several shoeboxes with different colored paper around each one (the same colors as manipulatives). Students sort manipulatives by color.
  • DIY felt board set – cut train themed shapes out of colored felt, let kids play with on felt board
  • Toilet paper/paper towel tube train – paint toilet paper or paper towel tube (or cover with construction paper), then glue on large buttons as wheels. Hole punch the front and back of each train car and tie together with string/yarn.
  • Train your mind to think about positive things (train craft)
  • Decorated wood whistles – purchase wood whistles, let each student decorate with ultra fine point sharpies
  • Pastel mountains – color with pastel chalk on black paper, cut out black paper in triangles (to look like mountains), glue to white paper, use markers or chalk to write Jesus’ power pulls me through or a bible verse in the sky area, laminate so chalk doesn’t rub off.
  • Tape resist painting – make God is greater than my highs or my lows symbols on white cardstock paper with painter’s tape, paint whole page (shaving cream painting?), pull off tape
  • Dot art – Get white cardstock, dot markers, paper die cut train or mountains. Place die cut paper in the middle of cardstock, dot on top of & all around it, remove die cut paper, write bible verse in the white space (could use qtips and paint instead of dot markers) – optional lesson: leave room for God (talking about being intentional with your priorities/time)
  • Tissue paper pieces – Jesus gives me HOPE – Before lesson, cut out HOPE from white construction paper or white poster board. Give each crew a sheet of tissue paper. Encourage them to tear it into small pieces (bigger than a quarter, smaller than a dollar). Once the paper is torn up, ask the crews what value the paper has now. It’s torn into small pieces and doesn’t seem like it’s useful. Encourage each crew to glue their pieces on the large letters so you end up with a colorful collage. Just like the tissue paper, we can feel torn up. Sometimes the world rips us apart. We feel like we’re falling apart and what good are all these little pieces of trash? Jesus takes all the broken pieces and makes them beautiful, gives each of us a purpose.

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