Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Toddler Busy Bags

With summer in full swing, we are not doing full Tot School.  I still hope to do an official Tot School post every other week, but thought I would do something different this week.

I have created some fun Busy Bags for Super Tot and thought I would share them with you.  They are perfect for car or plane trips, Dr.'s visits, or any other time you want a simple To Go Activity.    


I've been looking for basic, clear front pencil cases for a few months and have been unable to find them.  I wanted the clear front so they would be more appealing to Super Tot.  I finally found these for $1/ea at Walmart.  They were back with their art supplies, rather than in the Back To School section.  I was thrilled to find them and purchased 12.  They are perfect for our Toddler Busy Bags!

These Busy Bags are easy to grab and take all or just a few.  They will easily fit into a binder, diaper bag or tote.  I have 11 made up so far and will be doing an I Spy bag for the 12th.  Here are my current Busy Bags:  

Family Memory / matching game:

 Small notebook, stickers & colored pencils:

Finger puppets:

 Lacing cards w/ laces:

 Pipe cleaners:

Small locker-size white board, marker & eraser: 

 Paint swatches w/ matching paper clips:

Small pegboards w/ pegs:

Clothes pin shape matching:

 Lauri foam disc puzzles:

 Fish sorting:
(these are foam fish w/ sorting mats I made to sort by color & number)

I am using a little plastic shoebox to store the Busy Bags when we are not using them.

Check out the following sites for more fun ideas:

40 comments:

  1. Awesome!!! Thanks for sharing at For the Kids Fridays! I've just passed this post onto my Facebook friends! :)

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  2. I love this! Thanks for sharing! I need to get me some made, so I have something, when the unexpected long wait catches us!

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  3. I love your blog. So many cute ideas!!! Did you make the fish game or buy it. We are working on colors and this would be great.

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  4. I love your busy bags! I am a new follower!

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  5. I really need to do this! Great ideas!! Thank you for the ideas and motivation!

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  6. I love using those bags to store things in. I just saw them for 75 cents.

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  7. WOOOHOOOO! I'm featuring YOU tonight at Sun Scholars! Stop by and grab your A++ button. Thanks for linking up at For the Kids Fridays!

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  8. I am loving all of your ideas. So creative and fun. If you get a chance I would love for you to link up one of your ideas to my "All Things Wonderful Link Party". Your blog is fantastic.
    Shauna
    myshaenoel.blogspot.com

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  9. What a cute idea! Thanks for linking up! I featured you on this weeks DIY Thrifty Thursday!
    ~Michelle
    www.thrifty101.blogspot.com

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  10. Thanks for the nice comment over on my blog. I now follow you as well. Love your busy bag ideas!

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  11. Great ideas. You might enjoy some of the ones I have made as well:

    here - http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2010/04/montessori-monday-montessori-in-bag.html

    here - http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2010/04/frugal-fridays-vol-2-sensory-and-skills.html

    here - http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2010/04/thankful-thursday-vol-4-family-visits.html

    here - http://traininghappyhearts.blogspot.com/2010/04/works-for-me-wednesday-activity-bag.html

    Enjoy!

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  12. I was just going to do a post on these activity bags... great ideas I need to get some of our activity bags switched out and these are some good choices.. thanks for the post!

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  13. I pinned most of these to my pinterest board. Thanks!

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  14. I love your blog! I am making the tot bags this week. Thanks for sharing. You are inspiring me to revive the family blog!

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  15. Love this idea! Am going to try to put some of these together. Have you ever thought of selling on etsy for those of us who are not-creative?!

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  16. I just love activity kits! We've used them for every trip and they've just made travel so much easier. For more ideas, feel free to look at the activity bags I posted about last year: http://countingcoconuts.blogspot.com/2010/05/activity-kits.html

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  17. Great ideas, I found you via Modern Parents,Messy Kids!

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  18. Love the idea.....definatley going to try in my classroom..... Pamela

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  19. Wonderful post with so many great ideas! I'm a new follower- found your ideas on Pinterest.

    I have two princesses- 9 and 7 and one tot that is two!

    Jen from
    Creative and Curious Kids!

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  20. I love the train with shoe laces. Did you make the vehicles with holes? Or where did you find them? I remember having something similar as a child, but I haven't seen these where I shop. Thanks!

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    1. They were made by Lauri, who no longer makes the plastic ones. They now have heavy duty cardboard ones, which are also very sturdy. I have not seen the plastic ones in many years. Should I find a resource for them, I will be sure to post!

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  21. Thanks for the awesome ideas. I'm putting together a busy book for my 5yr old son. We are traveling from Washington to Arizona and he is going to love this. Ps i found you on pinterest.

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  22. Great post! We do "church bags" with quiet type activities in them, and this would be a great addition to them!
    Some things we have in our bags:
    From the dollar store - matching cards or first words flash cards.
    A handheld mirror to use the dry erase markers with - we like to trace our face and then draw funny features on!
    Blank paper books to make your own "stories" in (the older child likes this one best).
    a wooden paper doll type thing, that you put pieces of fabric in to make the outfits (not sure if I'm describing that well) - found it at a Yard Sale for $.50!
    Foam "counting blocks" found at dollar tree. (if they spill onto the floor, there is no noisy clatter!!!)

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  23. LOVE these ideas. Thank you so much!!!

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  24. love these! esp putting activities in a clear front pouch to entice the babe. i was talking with other mom friends saying how we love hearing ideas to inspire us. not that we don't know to do these things, but sometimes you just don't think about it!

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  25. Going on a plane ride with a 2 and 5 year old next spring and know I am going to need things to keep them busy. Figured I would start now with an activity every couple weeks for each. These are some great ideas for the 2 year old. Thanks!

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  26. love these ideas! going to be putting some of them in my kids busy bags for a future plane ride and some in their church bags!

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  27. I love the storage of putting the bags in the plastic shoebox! I've been struggling with how to store my quiet time activities. Thank you so much for sharing!

    waterfrontlearning.blogspot.com

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  28. I live in China right now with my two tots and I'm going to put together a bag with pompom and child sized chopsticks...to help them learn how to use them correctly.

    Thanks for the inspiration and I'm definitely going to use these busy bags for our long flights back to the States this winter.

    -Candi

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  29. I live in China right now with my 2 tots and with your inspiration I'm going to add a bag with child sized chopsticks and pompoms to help them learn how to use chopsticks correctly.

    Thanks for the idea and I'm definitely going to use these "busy bags" for our long flights back to the States this winter.

    -Candi

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  30. Great ideas, thank you for sharing. Take care.

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  31. Hi, you have great ideas. could you advice me where to buy the lovely folders? thx

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    Replies
    1. Hi Petra! If you are referring to the pouches that I used for my busy bags, they are available in the office/school supply section of Walmart and are $1/each.

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  32. I love your activity bags, Rebecca! I featured your post and color-matching activity bag photo in my Traveling with Kids - Montessori-Inspired Activities post at http://livingmontessorinow.com/2013/07/16/traveling-with-kids-montessori-inspired-activities/

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  33. I found your tutorial on Pinterest and used it to make a travel activity binder for my son on long flights. He loves the activities and I love the (relative) quiet! Thanks for the inspiration!

    http://www.seelukego.com/2015/01/traveling-with-toddler-survival-guide-01.html

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  34. Please tell me where you get your pencil pouches. Thank you.
    Jennifer
    jengasque@gmail.com

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    1. As stated in my post above, they are $1 at Walmart in the year-round office/school supply section.

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