Preschool Activity Bags (aka Busy Bags)

As we gear up for school to start around our house, I've been looking for ideas of things to do with my younger son while I work one-on-one with my older son. I've collected quite a few ideas for Preschool Activity Bags, also referred to as Busy Bags. The idea is to have a self-contained activity that you can pull out and set your little one to work on without having to run around and collect materials or dream something up on the spot. I'd like to share 15 Busy Bags that I'll be putting together with a group of friends next week. I decided it would be fun to get a group of 5 together to split the work and cost of the supplies. In my researching, I've also found various blogs that host "Busy Bag Swaps" where you make 15-20 bags of the same activity and mail them to the host. She then divides out all the bags and you receive 15-20 different Busy Bags.

Here are the bags we'll be making. They are all hyperlinked to the original post.

1. Clothesline by Money Saving Mom

2. Number Wheel by Walking by the Way

3. Animal Match Grid by Walking by the Way

4. Gift wrap Collage Letters by Walking by the Way

5. Noodle Necklaces by Walking by the Way

6. Shades of Color by Walking by the Way

7. Measure It! by Walking by the Way

8. Spooning Beads by Walking by the Way

9. Number Frogs by Walking by the Way

10. Double Trouble Shapes by Walking by the Way

11. Missing Number (it is similar to the idea seen here).

12. Colored Egg Carton by My Delicious Ambiguity

13. Popsicle Stick Puzzles by The Amazing Mess

14. Lacing Cards by Tot School

15. Playdough Mats by Homeschool Creations


The goal is to complete all the bags in one evening and for a cost of $1/bag or less. If it goes well, I will definitely do it again after we work our way through these 15 bags.

Do you have any good suggestions? Would these bags work for you? I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments.