June Busy Bag Swap

Is it almost June?  ….You know what that means in Texas?  HOT.  VERY VERY HOT!!! 

By the middle of June, we will be desperate for indoor activities to keep our little ones busy during the heat of the day. 

So for our next swap, we will be kicking the summer off to a great start with a SUMMER theme!  Think ice-cream, popsicles, flowers, garden, bugs, nature, camping, etc. 

Here are a few ideas to get your wheels turning:

• Sorting
• Patterns
• Matching
• Sequencing cards
• Word cards
• Labeling
• Play dough mats (you can google “printable play dough mats”, but THIS website has tons!)

Homeschool Creations & 1+1+1=1 have some FREE printable packs – you could easily use some of their printouts to create an activity (I LOVE the Read, Build, Write cards).

Please check-out our [Busy Bags] board on pinterest for sample activities & suggestions to choose from as well.

**Our next Busy Bag Swap will be Monday, June 4 at 2pm

at the Gainesville Outlet Mall FOUD COURT.**

This swap will be open to 20 participants and the activity you bring is up to you.

To join, you must leave a comment on this post, stating the name of the activity you plan to make by Monday, May 21. 

*Please confirm your post went through & be sure to read the previous posts to insure no else is planning on doing the same activity as you are.  We will send out a confirmation e-mail to all participates on May 23.  If you do not receive an e-mail, please contact us a.s.a.p.  You also must be able to attend the swap personally or send someone (other than the swap coordinators) in your place.

Contact Tiffany Scott at (rockinc@ntin.net)  if you have any questions.

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What's a Busy Bag Swap, you ask?

It's a very easy way to collect up to 20 "busy" activities for your preschooler.

On those crazy days when you have lots going on and a very inquisitive preschooler nearby (this is every day, right???) you simply pull out one of these activity bags and get yourself a possible half-hour of peace and quiet!

All you need to do is make one activity, and duplicate it up to 20 times,
bring it to the swap, trade with the other participants, and go home with
up to 20 different busy bags.

This activity is not limited to parents of preschoolers. Grandparents,
aunts, Sunday School teachers, babysitters, gift-givers; if you need some
preschool activities, you are welcome to join the swap. A stack of 20 busy
bags would make a great birthday gift!

Each activity needs to meet the following criteria:
· *Self-contained:* This way, you can just grab a bag and GO (without
having to add a number of supplies to the bag in order to make it useful).
· *Transportable: *Yes, they will definitely be used at home, but
parents might want to be able to grab a few bags to take to a restaurant, a
waiting room, plane trips, car rides, etc.
· *Convenient:* None of the bags will have supplies that require
major set-up *or* clean-up: (no paint, watercolors, liquids, sand, dirt,
etc.)
· *Inexpensive:* Don't spend too much money on this project!
· *Easy to Make: *Don't spend hours and hours and hours making your
activity.
· *Re-usable:* I want these activities to last a while so that our
other children can use them in the future. Therefore, avoid activities
where you would have to buy new supplies to re-stock the bag. This is why
lamination is important for some of the activities. Use a FREEZER bag for
durability.
· *Include instructions:* Make sure the activity has a clear name or
instructions for use. Laminate this if possible, or write on Ziploc bag
with a Sharpie.
· *Preschooler appropriate*: The activity needs to be appropriate for
ages 2-4. Every child is different, so busy bags may be simple and some
will be more advanced. That's okay. Variety is the spice of life!

If you're not sure if you can handle the expense or the time investment at this time, you might want to wait for the next swap. There will be more!

*If however, you do sign up with full intentions of participating, but then realize that for some reason you are unable to continue, please let me know right away, so that we can contact someone else who would love to be involved.*

Try to invest *no more than about $1 per bag*. (Use those Michaels, Joanns, & Hobby Lobby coupons!!)

Also keep in mind your schedule AND your budget. Some of you may have more time than money, vice versa. If you have the time, you might be willing to print and cut and
sort flash cards or felt shapes. If you don't have the time, but have a few extra dollars, you might be willing to purchase manipulatives that just need sorting into bags.