Toddlers are BUSY! They rarely keep still for more than a few minutes, get into EVERYTHING and need to be watched with a cautious eye. Busy bags are a great way to keep a toddler entertained and out of trouble!
I have searched for several ideas online and made up a few while finding supplies I thought my little one would enjoy. My toddler doesn’t like to sit still for long but these keep her busy and stay put for quite some time. I have found it helpful to throw a few in my diaper bag when going out for a meal. Last time I brought three bags with us and my daughter didn’t once run around the restaurant per normal!
The key to busy bags:
- Keep them out of sight & only use at special times
- Have a variety of bags
- Have fun with finding new things and repurpose what you think may be trash
- Remember to restock the ones that are one-use bags
- Clean up & put away so they can be used again
Here are 15 busy bags that are keeping my busy toddler occupied:
- Pipe cleaner friendship bracelets– Fill bag with a few pipe cleaners and plastic beads
- K-cups turned color sorter– What to do with all those used K-cups? Pull off the lid, dump the grounds, pull out the liner and wash out. Then paint the inside of each cup to coordinate with pompom colors. Then fill your bag with a few pompoms matching each colored K-cup.
- Egg carton + Pipe cleaner– Cut egg carton into four sections then poke hole into each section. Place into bag with pipe cleaners. May have to demo to show concept 1st time around.
- Velcro foam chain– cut foam squares into inch strips, then on one end at bottom put small Velcro piece, flip over and at top of foam put the other Velcro piece.
Toilet paper roll + stickers- Paper bag puppet– put paper bag, markers and stickers to make puppets, start the puppet off with adding eyes or leave blank for your creative little one.
- Maps with cars– laminate maps, could even do a map of your city, add a toy car
- Foam shapes + foam stickers+ pompoms + glitter glue– anything crafty into bags to have fun and be creative
- Wooden projects + Markers- craft stores have various inexpensive projects, throw these in a bag
- Lego board + Legos- store a lego set, add an image to be duplicated
- Puzzles– buy new puzzles and keep all pieces together in bag
- Memory Games– this would need a fellow busy pal or chaperone
- Create a bookmark– use premade or create own with foam or cardstock, then fill bag with stickers, markers, etc. Have them make as gifts or for themselves.
- Lacing shapes & figures– create your own using foam, hole punch and string or laces
- Paper Dolls– place a paper doll and accessories into a bag to be accessorized
