Bead Threading Busy Bag

Morning all!

Just a bit excited about today's post!

I've done a few Busy Bags in the past for other people and groups, but never really got around to playing with them more. Now Master J is a big 3 year old I'm finding these little bags of goodness to be really fantastic for entertaining him, while also being educational!

Right now we're all about colours, and so I thought I'd make some little colour related games for him.

This one has the added bonus of engaging their fine motor skills threading the beads too. We gave it a burl, and it got a toddler tick of approval!

It's super easy to do too! I've included the file in this post for you to download for free, to make your own little bead threading boats! The file has the 6 coloured boats that Master J has been playing with, and an additional 9 boats with numbers on them (1-9), for older kids who are learning to count!

Supplies Needed:
Access to a printer
Laminate Machine
Pipe Cleaners
Scissors
Hole Punch
Pony Beads

Steps:

1: Print out the file, you can download the filer HERE

2: Cut out the boats.

3: Laminate the squares, and cut them out of the laminate.

4: Place a hole in the side with the hole punch.

5: Loop the pipe cleaner through the hole, then twist to join both sides together. These can be as long or short as you like.

6: Grab the beads and play!

I hope you guys enjoyed this little busy bag! Let me know how your kiddoes go with it!

Frog in the Pond Busy Bag - Free Printables

Good morning lovelies

This week I was introduced to the concept of busy bags (and quiet books and file folder games, but that's for another day) and I have to say, WOW! Where were these little packages of fun when my girls were toddlers?

Originally I was looking for some ideas for easy to make games to include in Angels for the forgotten's crisis bags. The more I looked, the more I fell in love with these little fun educational goodies and figured I'd try my hand at designing one. A bunch of my mummy friends really loved it and asked if I could make more so I thought well, why not! So hopefully these busy bag ideas and printables will become a regular feature here on the mamma blog. I hope you and your little ones enjoy them as much as the little ones in my life do.

My first busy bag idea was for colour matching. Frogs in the pond gives your little one the opportunity to match the colourful frogs to the right pond. This activity is good for colour recognition, hand/eye co-ordination and even math skills (you can count the frogs all together, or ask, how many frogs are there if we add the blue ones and the red ones?) I've laminated my printouts to make them last.

Anyway, enough chatter from me, here is the link to the pdf files. Please let me know what you think and if your little people enjoyed this game.