I’ve made some “goody bags” from items that I had around the house and from my crafting supplies. Here are a few ideas for activities and crafting for young children.
Here’s what is in my bags:
Shaker Eggs (Music)
Place some dried beans or rice into plastic eggs and seal with tape. I only fill about 1/3 or 1/4, you don’t need a lot.
Model the hand motions of your favorite fingerplays and songs. Encourage your child to imitate.
Verbally model sounds and words as you sing your favorite songs: “Wheels on the Bus”, “Twinkle, twinkle . . . “.
Have your child follow directions to place the eggs in a container for clean up and count them as you put them away.
Practice labeling body parts. Ask your child where to dump the eggs . . . “on my head, on my leg, on my arm” . . .
Tube & Stickers
You can use a paper towel tube or pringles can with the bottom removed.
Decorate the tube with the stickers, crayons, and colored paper. Use the tube for an “I-spy” game. Model for your child:
“I see you!”, “I see ___.”
See what you can find while going for a walk around the neighborhood or your backyard. Look through the tube and play “I-spy”.
Use as a horn! Take turns. Encourage handing the tube back and forth for appropriate social engagement.
Practice some animal or car sounds using the tube.
Use the tube for placing small soft or light toys. Hold the bottom of the tube until it’s time to dump them. Say, “Ready, set, go”, or count the items as you put them in.
