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Ultimate Guide to Preschool Busy Bags

August 9, 2012 by Ami 19 Comments

The Ultimate Guide to Preschool Busy Bags and Activities from Walking by the Way

What Are Preschool Busy Bags?

Preschool Busy Bags are ready-to-go activities for your toddler or preschool. Learn more about the benefits of preschool busy bags in this post.

Preschool Busy Bag Storage

I kept mine in a large plastic container with dividers. Here are a few links with photos of how others stay organized

Zipper Pouches at The Princess and the Tot

A Busy Bag for Busy Bags at Life:Styled

On a Shelf and In a Tub at Our Journey Westward

Hosting a Preschool Busy Bag Exchange

If you buy the Preschool Activity Bag book, you will be given all sorts of tips and tricks for hosting a swap. I’ve hosted one before, and it’s not too hard. The reward (coming home with TWENTY new bags) is completely worth the work! 

Tips and Ideas from Second Story Window

Ideas for Swaps for Different Ages

The rest of this post is dedicated to providing you with gobs and gobs of ideas for creating your own Preschool Busy Bags. Have fun!

Preschool Matching Activities

Animal Matching Grid

Bottle and Lid Matching

Button Outline Matching

Brown Bear Heads and Tails Puzzles

Cut the Cards Matching

Egg Carton Matching

Match Me Cards

Number Egg Matching

Pizza Factory

Sunbleached Matching

Preschool Pattern Play

Foam Shape Patterns

Geoboard 

LEGO Puzzle Book

Pony Bead Patterns

Pool Noodle Patterns & Numbers

Preschool Shape Activity Bags

Dinosaur Shapes

Double Trouble Shapes

Fish for Shapes

Foam Shape Puzzles

I Have, Who Has Shapes Game

Lauri Toys Fit-A-Space Puzzles

Magnetic Shape Sticks

Making Shapes

Race Car Shapes

Shape Matching

Shape Sorting (with ice cube tray)

Shapes and Colors Matching Game

Shapes and Colors Memory Game

Simple Shapes Busy Bag

Preschool Color Activities

Button Sorting Cups

Color Wheel for Toddlers

Color Matching Cards

Color Matching Clips

Color Sorting Busy Bags

Egg Carton Color Sort

Matching Color Shades

Medicine Container Color Matching

Pipe Cleaner Color Match

Popsicle Color Matching

Rainbow Bright

Rainbow Clothespins

Shades of Color

Numbers and Counting Busy Bags

Animal Counting Cards

Apple Counting

Clip Sticks Counting Busy Bag

Counting Book (bottom of the page)

Counting Caterpillar Busy Bag

Counting Felt Chain

Counting Spindles

Counting with LEGO and Play-doh

Five Fabulous Frogs

Homemade Number Boards

Ladybug Number Match and Counting Busy Bag

Lauri Toys Number Play

Magnetic Counting Sticks

Number Boards

Number Gobbling Busy Bag

Number Play-doh Mats

Number Wheel

Number Tracing Cards

Ocean Count and Clip Cards

Paint Chip Number Punch

Q-Tip Counting Trays

Strawberry Counting Cards

Tower Counting Busy Bag

Sorting Busy Bags

Animal Sorting

Bean Sorting

Button Graph

Fruit Loop Sort

Geo Links (sorting, patterns, fine motor)

Junk Sort (by Color and Number of Items)

Sparkly Jewel Sorting

Memory Games for Preschool Busy Bags

Alphabet Memory Game

Baby Food Jar Lid Game

Cereal Box Matching Game

HABA Mini Memory Game

Insect Memory Game

Jan Brett Animals Memory Game

Juice Lid Memory Game

Mini Memory Game

Photo Memory Game

Sticker Memory Match

Wooden Memory Game

Learning Letters and Literacy Bags

ABC Fishing (under Preschool section)

ABC Popsicle Matching

ABC Spoons

Alphabet Lacing Cards

Alphabet Cookie Match

Alphabet Match

Alphabet Match Up

Alphabet Play-doh Mats

Alphabet Tracing Sheets Busy Bag

Build-A-Letter

Eggs ~ Uppercase Lowercase Letter Match

I Spy Book (visual discrimination)

Laundry Letter Match

Letter Bugs

Letter Building

Lima Bean Letters

My Name

Superhero Letter Match

Spin and Spell

Fine Motor Fun for Preschool Activity Bags

Animal Lacing Cards

Bottle Top Stamps

Brown Bear Lacing Cards

Buttons and Pipe Cleaners (bottom of post)

Button Snake

Button Board

Clothesline Busy Bag

Easy Stencils

Felt Snowflakes

Finger Paint Bag

Gumball Machine

Hole Punching (add strips of paper to your bag instead of entire sheets)

Homemade Stickers

Hot Glue Rubbing Plates

Lacing and Tracing Pets

Lauri Familiar Things Crepe Rubber Puzzles

No Sew Felt Fish

Noodle Necklaces

Pinchers and Pom-Poms

Play-doh Mats

Pony Beads and Pipe Cleaners

Pool Noodle Stringing

Pretty Princess Beads

Puff Ball Magnets

Pushing Puff Balls

Sink Mat Weaving

Spooning Beads

Weaving Art

Yarn and Sandpaper

photo credit: Tired, Need Sleep Blog

Gross Motor Activity Bags

Bean Bag Games

Clothespin Drop

Colorful Catapult

Ping-Pong Basketball

Shape Stretchies

Creative Play for Preschool

Craft Sticks, Lids, and Velcro

Cupcake Busy Bag

Emotion Mix and Match Faces

Felt Mats ~ Construction & Trains

Felt Toolbox

I Spy Bags

Magnetic Me

Marble Game

Playmat Fun

Silly Faces

Tactile Matching Game

Texture Matching Blocks

Holiday Hoopla

Counting Leprechaun Gold

Egg Matching Game

Fall Fun Busy Bags

Christmas Ideas

Spider Match

Stringing Stars

Preschool Busy Bag Activity Board on Pinterest copy

Would you like your Busy Bag idea to be included in this list? Please comment below, and I will get it added!

For more posts in the Ultimate Guides series, be sure to visit iHomeschool Network!

Filed Under: popular, preschool, preschool activity bags Tagged With: homeschool preschool, preschool activity bags, preschool busy bags, tot school

Comments

  1. Mary says

    August 9, 2012 at 7:53 am

    What a great job of organization you did! If I had a preschooler, this is the first stop I would make. 🙂

  2. Jamie says

    August 9, 2012 at 8:02 am

    What a great list. I have a bunch of these already but you posted some new ones that will be great for our 8 hour car trip next week.

  3. Colleen P says

    August 9, 2012 at 12:40 pm

    We love busy bags…although we call them activity bags because as my preKinder says, they’re “very important work” that he gets to do while I’m helping his older sister with homeschool. Thanks for sharing!

  4. Susann says

    August 9, 2012 at 4:08 pm

    What a great collection! I am going to pass this along to some friends I have in mind!

  5. Jamie says

    August 9, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    I love busy bags. This is most definitely the ULTIMATE GUIDE. Thanks! Consider this pinned!

  6. Amital says

    August 10, 2012 at 7:06 am

    Wow – this is an amazing resource. I linked back to it from my busy – bag page so others can find it, too.

  7. Felicia says

    August 10, 2012 at 1:04 pm

    My older kids have been helping me make these this year. I am excited to add some of your ideas to ours! http://talkingfingers.weebly.com/learning-bags.html

  8. Cindy says

    August 10, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Ami, I love this post! Thank you!

  9. Carol S. says

    August 23, 2012 at 10:58 am

    I really like the bottle cap stamper idea! All the resources are great, but this one really caught my attention. My older kids love using stampers, but they can get very expensive. Looks like a much more economical option, plus the ability to customize. These busy bags would make great gifts as well—good for moms that may not have the time to gather all the materials. Thanks!

  10. Valley Child Care & Learning Center says

    September 11, 2012 at 12:59 pm

    OMG! This is great! Thanks for sharing, I’ll be doing the clothespin drop game this Friday. 😀

  11. Amy says

    September 11, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    I just tried many of these ideas. thank you!!!

  12. TheBargainBabe says

    October 10, 2012 at 10:53 pm

    Holy moly. This is like THE resource for busy bags! I’m going to try to get some MOPS moms to join me in doing these and will refer them to your site. Thanks so much for the hard work you put into this.

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Welcome! I’m a big believer in inspiring kids, cultivating curiosity, delight directed learning, living books, field trip adventures, and keeping your sanity while homeschooling. I hope you find something encouraging here today! You can learn a bit more about me here.

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