Are you using Group’s Rocky Railway VBS this year? For Imagination Station, Group has object lesson with a small gizmo toy that you send home with kids each night. However, these gizmos are pretty pricey for some churches. Earlier this week I shared some simple ways to save money on Imagination Station supplies.

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Borrowed Blessings!

Today I’m going to share some alternative ideas for Rocky Railway VBS gizmos. These items are similar to Group’s Imagination Station gizmos and will allow you to use basically the same Imagination Station script with your kiddos.

Are you looking for craft or DIY Imagination Station alternatives? I’ll share DIY/craft ideas later on, so stay tuned! I’m still testing ideas.

Day 1

Today’s Group Gizmo: Off-rail roader ($.99 per kid)

Group Gizmo’s purpose:  As hard as you try to keep your life on track, sometimes life goes a different direction than you’d like. Even when life goes off track, Jesus’ power helps us do hard things!

Alternative idea 1: Give each crew a roll of painter’s tape (for more fun and a little more money, give each crew a different color of tape). Let them decide how long to make their track (it should be a straight line, though). Give each child a pull back car and let them try to get their car to the end of the track. If crews are successfully making it to the end of the track, make the tracks even longer!

Alternative idea 2: Give each crew a piece of posterboard to use as their “landing pad”. They can place it wherever they want their flyers to land. Give each child a spinner toy and let them try to land it on the posterboard. If crews are doing well landing on the posterboard, you can make it more difficult by giving them a regular sized sheet of paper for their landing pad! I’d also supply each kiddo with a gallon sized ziploc bag to put their pieces in at the end of the rotation, so they don’t lose them at VBS. You could do the same lesson with a glider plane and skip the ziploc bags. (Cost: $.17 per spinner toy or $.23 per glider plane)

Remember: Even when our lives go off track, Jesus loves us and wants to help us get back on track!


DAY 2

Today’s Group Gizmo: Hope ‘n’ Hover ($.99 per kid)

Group Gizmo’s purpose: Jesus gives us hope, which lifts us up when we’re feeling down, just like our breath lifts the styrofoam balls.

Alternative idea 1: Give each kid a pipe ball toy. Use the script as written. (Cost: $.74 per kid)

Alternative idea 2: Give each kid a bouncy ball (I like these Rocky Railway bouncy balls for $.54 each or these colorful bouncy balls for $.32 each). Explain that when we’re feeling down (aka when you drop the ball), if we seek Jesus we can have his HOPE and it will lift us back up (aka when the ball bounces). We’re not always going to “bounce back” on our own – only when we seek Him will we find the deep hope that we long for. (Be careful with younger kiddos – some bouncy balls are really small and could be a choking hazard!) Keep in mind that handing out bouncy balls is pretty quick, so I’d plan a challenge or game of some sort so your Imagination Station doesn’t turn into a game of bouncy ball dodgeball. 🙂

Another alternative: This would be a great night to do a service project, reminding kids that we can share the HOPE of Jesus with others! You could pack crisis care kits, decorate suncatchers for your local nursing home patients or make kindness rocks and hide them around your community!


DAY 3

Today’s Group Gizmo: Bold Blasters ($.89 per kid)

Group Gizmo’s purpose: Jesus gives us the power to soar higher than we thought possible.

Alternative idea 1: Give each kid a flying frog. Explain that on their own, they are unable to fly. When we cling to Jesus, we have the power to go far beyond our own power….. just like when they help the frog, it will fly way farther than it could on its own. (Cost: $.27 each)

Alternative idea 2: Check out these eagle gliders – I love that they already say “Jesus lifts me up”! It’s basically the same object lesson as above – Explain that on their own, these eagles are unable to fly. When we cling to Jesus, we have the power to go far beyond our own power….. just like when the kids help the eagle, it will fly way farther than it could on its own. (Cost: $.30 each)

You could actually do this same lesson with glider planes, spinner toys or bouncy balls if you didn’t use them earlier in the week.


DAY 4

Today’s Group Gizmo: Perpetual Paper ($.99 per kid)

Group Gizmo’s purpose: Jesus’ love for us is never ending.

Alternative idea 1: Hold up a wedding band. Did you know that one reason people exchange rings is because it signifies their love for one another? Can you show me where this ring begins or ends? It doesn’t – you can just go around and around and around. Unfortunately human love fails… we make mistakes and we don’t always love each other like Jesus wants us to. The good news is that Jesus’ love for us truly never ends. (You might be able to use a hula hoop instead of a wedding band for this object lesson, but check yours to see if they have visible seams where they start/end.) Just like the loop of a wedding ring has no visible beginning or end, you can spin a frisbee around and around without finding a spot where it ends. Give each kid a frisbee-type toy and challenge them to share Jesus’ love with others. I found these foldable flying discs (pictured above) for $.40 each or these 7″ frisbees for $.56 each.

Day 4 is always the story of Jesus’ crucifixion, so we usually try to do a cross activity. You could easily tie in that Jesus’ love never ends with pretty much any cross activity.


DAY 5

Today’s Group Gizmo: Power Bands ($.89 per kid)

Group Gizmo’s purpose: Jesus’ power pulls us through.

Alternative idea 1: Make your own power bands using these wood beads, “coal” beads, cross beads and stretchy string.

Alternative idea 2 (larger beads): For younger kids (or just easier bracelets), I’d advise using larger wood beads like these (light and dark to represent wood and coal), cross beads and thicker stretchy string.


I’ve tried to add all of these ideas and more to my Rocky Railway VBS Amazon idea list! Have you found any other frugal gizmo alternatives? Feel free to share yours in the comments!

I am a long-time Vacation Bible School lover.  I’ve lead in several capacities throughout the VBS world and am currently our church’s VBS director.  It is a joy for me to be able to share VBS ideas and resources with others!  Let me know if there are any specific VBS items or ideas you need help with.

This article has 7 comments

  1. Mina Reply

    Exceptional resource. I love these alternatives. They are so much more cost effective. Thank you for sharing.

  2. Amanda Snell Reply

    Thank you for sharing this, I’m trying to do my own at home this year and this was a great resource!

  3. Diane Dillon Reply

    Thank you so much for sharing these ideas. Vbs items are costly & these do help. Thanks again!

  4. Lorri Reply

    LOVE THIS!!! I thank God for His gift of creativity in you!!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.