In November the Early Learning Team presented a parent workshops about Busy Bags. I headed up the program. The hardest part was choosing which of all the awesome Busy Bags to do. Of course we had to keep in mind the cost of supplies and the ease/amount of time it would take to create We presented the program at four different libraries. Three awesome turn-outs; one not very well attended but those that were there had a great time.
We also provided a quarter sheet with instructions on how to use the bag and what the child learns while playing with it.
Here are the Busy Bags the parents/grandparents made to take home:
Tangrams
How to use this bag:
Child will match the 7 tangram
to the puzzle.
Additional ways to use the bag:
Children can free-play with
the tangram pieces to create their own designs.
Playing with your child you
can name different shapes and talk about their characteristics.
This activity helps your child:
Develop problem solving
skills
Identify and name
shapes and their characteristics
Pom-Pom Fun
How to use this bag:
Child will pick up one pom-pom
at a time and push it into the hole in the container lid.
Child will place the correct
number of pom-poms on the number caterpillars.
Additional ways to use the bag:
Using the pom-poms children
can sort by color or size; count; make a pattern—either by color or size.
This activity helps your child:
·
Develop fine motor
skills
·
Practice sorting, color
names, counting, size, and patterning
·
Numeracy and number
recognition
Develop patience and
problem
Numbers Clothes
Pins
How to use this bag:
Child will clip the
corresponding number of clothes pin to the number cards.
Additional ways to use the bag:
Count the animals on each card
with your child. Talk about the name and
shape of each number.
Put the number cards in order.
This activity helps your child:
·
Recognize numerals
·
Name numbers
·
Understand one-to-one
correspondence
·
Counting
·
Develop fine motor
skills
Problem solving skills
Crazy Straws
How to use this bag:
Child
will thread felt shapes onto the crazy straw.
Additional ways to use the bag:
While
playing with your child you may talk about the different colors. You can also count how many fit on the
straw.
Challenge
your child to make a pattern with the color pieces of felt on the straw.
This activity helps your child to:
·
Develop fine motor
skills
Practice counting,
color names, patterns, and sequence
Mix
and Match Animals
How to use this bag:
Child will use pieces to
create animals.
Additional ways to use the bag:
Create a new creature by
combining different animals.
Ask your child to tell you
about their creature. Where does it
live? What does it eat? What would you call your new creature?
This activity helps your child:
·
Creativity
·
Play with words and
sounds
·
Narrative skills
·
Problem solving
Pipe Cleaner Shapes
How to use this bag:
Child will manipulate pipe
cleaners to create the same shape as on the card.
Additional ways to use the bag:
Children can free-play with
pipe cleaners. What can they make?
Playing with your child you
can name the different shapes and talk about their characteristics.
This activity helps your child:
·
Develop fine motor
skills
·
Develop problem solving
skills
·
Identify and name
shapes and their characteristics
Here are some bags we had made samples of, but did not make at the workshop. We had them available for children to play with and parents to look at for ideas for additional Busy Bags they can make at home.
Pipe Cleaners and Pony Beads
Colored Paper Clips to Sort onto Colored Paper
Pizza
Craft Sticks with Velcro on ends
Stringing Pool Noodles (counting and pattering)
Brown Bear Lacing
