Bringing back the bean bag

by Brie This snow is making for some long days. It is also forcing me to get creative. With all the activities I am coming up with to the keep the kids amused I suddenly feel like a camp counselor again. Except, you know, I'm definitely not 16 any more.

One day I decided to get crafty. Which for me means pulling out the needle and thread. And trying not to poke myself in the process.

Using some scraps of fabric leftover from the last time I felt crafty and decided to make a cover for my kid-stained couch, I sold the kids on the excitement of bean bags. We are going to make them! And fill them with beans! And then throw them! Seriously, how can it get better then that?

I had the kids trace around a square play dish and then let the four year old cut the fabric. I helped the 2 year old with the cutting. Then while I quickly hand stitched the two pieces of fabric together I had the kids fill their own bowls with dried chickpeas, dried navy beans and popcorn. This entertained them for awhile.

Once the bean bags were done, and the kids were excitedly examining them and practicing throwing them, I started taping the floor. With masking tape I created two starting lines and then filled the distance between them with squares, rectangles and triangles. I gave myself bonus points for building on the shapes and solids unit the girl is learning in kindergarten.

Days later and the tape is still on the floor. The bean bags are still being used and I have decided that masking tape is my new best friend.

Are you a bean bag player? Are there any bean bag games you can recommend?

Brie is the mom of a 4 year old daughter “the girl” and 2 old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.