After-Christmas sales are one of the best times to stock up on VBS supplies. Clearance aisles are full of items that can be reused for décor, classroom experiences, and games—often at a big discount. With a little planning, you can find versatile pieces that work for Rainforest Falls, Rome, and Galaxy and save both time and money later.
Rainforest Falls
Solid Blankets – Crew blankets are used to create seating areas for each Crew in different stations. We found that solid, neutral-colored crew blankets looked best alongside the vibrant rainforest backdrops.
Packing tape – Essential for building box structures and taping plastic backdrops as you bring your VBS scenes to life.
Boxes – Wrap boxes as stones using the Stonewall plastic backdrop for Dave’s Cave on Day 3 and the Cross and Tomb on Day 4.
Green paper – Great for creating rainforest canopy leaves and folded paper leaves.
Green tissue paper – Perfect for adding texture and fullness to the rainforest canopy.
Wrapping paper tubes – Use these as the top bar of the waterfall under the water fabric. They can also be cut down for the Day 5 preschool craft, Home Tree Home.
Used wrapping paper – Makes excellent filler for Rainforest Rocks on the main set and for the No-Paint Waterfall.
Packing foam – Ideal for creating sturdy bases for Foliage Clumps.
White twinkle lights – Used to create stars for a special experience during Day 1 Rooted Bible Adventures
Bluetooth speakers – Helpful for playing rainforest sounds in classrooms and music during games.
Rome
Bluetooth speaker – Perfect for playing cave sounds in the Underground Church to help create an immersive atmosphere.
Packing tape – Handy for securing décor elements and assembling box structures throughout the set.
Boxes – Wrap boxes as stones using the Stonewall plastic backdrop to create the Underground Church setting.
Electric or flameless candles – Used in the Underground Church to add safe, atmospheric lighting.
Gold dishes – Chargers and bowls work well for holding supplies and helping set the scene in marketplace experiences.
Galaxy
Solid-colored blankets – We used gray blankets to help ground the space-themed décor and keep the set visually clean.
Bluetooth speakers – Work great at the games station for music and sound effects.
Twinkle lights or other fun lighting – Help create a galaxy of wonder. We used puck lights on the main set along with the Space Station lights included in the poster pack.
Stars – You can never have too many stars when building a galaxy-themed environment!
A little post-Christmas shopping can go a long way. Picking up simple, versatile items now means fewer details to juggle later and more time to focus on creating meaningful experiences for kids. These small, budget-friendly finds can make a big impact when your VBS décor starts coming together.
