Busy Bags Kids Will Love

1) What was your inspiration for writing Busy Bags Kids Will Love?

I’ve always used busy bags with my kids. As I started homeschooling my oldest, busy bags became even more important to me because I needed to keep my youngest son busy while I homeschooled. Planning creative busy bags that would hold my son’s attention became a fun challenge for me. Over the years, I’ve built up quite an arsenal of busy bags that I could grab at a moment’s notice. Busy bags have helped me in other ways besides homeschooling my oldest. I’ve taken busy bags to the doctor’s office, restaurants, and important meetings that I didn’t have a babysitter for.

2) How do you think this resource will help parents?

It is my hope that Busy Bags Kids Will Love will give parents creative ideas for keeping their little ones busy for those times when they need it. Anyone that has had a long wait at the doctor’s office knows how hard it is to keep a child occupied without handing them your smartphone. My goal is for them to have screen-free options. For some, it might be a doctor’s visit. For others, it might be needed when they are trying to clean without little “helpers” or when their child no longer naps and they desperately still need a quiet time in their day. And for the stressed-out mom, it might just give her a moment to breathe…or use the restroom without an audience.

3) What’s one tip that will help parents get the most out of using busy bags with their kids?

Try to make the busy bags have a purpose. In the book I made activities for math, literacy, fine motor skills, and playful fun. Busy bags with a purpose can do double duty–learning and keeping them busy. The busy bags don’t have to be elaborate, most of the materials used in the book were things found at the dollar store or in my craft cabinet. If you think your child will engage with it for an extended period of time, it’s fair game. While the book has 52 ideas (one for every week of the year), parents can get creative and make their own.