Jiffy, Nifty Bean Bags!

Jiffy Bean Bags

Quick bean bags can be made by filling a plastic Ziploc bag with rice, beans, barley or popcorn.

Or, just grab a bag of beans from the pantry and have a few minutes of fun. 

 Put it back in the cabinet when you are finished and it will be waiting on you for the next meal.

Grab the empty can from dinner preparations or use a cooking pot, empty trash can or basket.

  Any clean, empty container will work for your bean bag target. 

Or, tape a picture on the floor

or mark a spot with a masking tape "X".

 Look around, what can you find?

Toddlers get a challenge by tossing into a cake pan of any size, due to its wide opening. 

The older child is challenged by containers with smaller openings.

Keep moving the throw line back as success is achieved.

Rule of thumb: 

the younger the child,

the larger the opening and the closer the throw line should be to the target. 

The older the child,

the smaller the opening and the farther away the throw line can be from the target.

Shoulder Pad Bean Bags

Have a little time to whip up a bean bag that will last through many play times?

 If you have taken out shoulder pads from one of your blouses/tops,

these can be sewn together with beans, rice or barley inside.

Shoulder pad bean bags are fun because they are different colors, patterns, textures and sizes.

 Their fun shape is held easily in a little hand.

Playing catch with a bean bag is lots of fun and doesn't hurt if you miss and get hit. 

This is great for the beginning catcher.

Bean bags are also fun to just hold and squish. 

Because of the different textures, colors and sizes, shoulder pad bean bags can also provide a nice quiet activity for the child that needs calming down.  The manipulation and textures seem

to have a calming effect when used in this manner.