Activities in a Bag

The first time I heard about Activities in a Bag was about five years ago.  Another local homeschool mom was coordinating a Preschool Activities in a Bag swap.  Since my kiddos were in 2nd, 1st, and K and I had 3 little ones under that, I was certainly intrigued.  I signed up to participate, was sent instructions to make 20 of the same "activity", then met up at a local park to swap.  I came home with a large brown grocery bag filled with 20 gallon size bags, each with a different preschool activity.  I was hooked!  My kids were hooked!  And I have been recommending Activities in a Bag ever since!

So how do they work exactly?  Well, first you will need to purchase a  Preschool Activities in a Bag ebook.  (If you are coordinating a swap, only the swap coordinator needs to purchase the ebook, not everyone participating.)  Currently, there are two volumes.  You can purchase them for $15 each or $27 for both.  I received both volumes for review.  If you are coordinating a swap, you may also want to download this Coordinator Handbook for FREE!

 Your ebook will contain instructions and printables needed to create over 30 activities.  (ebook 1 has 34 activities and ebook 2 has 33).  Each activity requires simple household item and should be placed in a gallon ziplock bag.  Affix the included label with instructions to the front of the bag for simple, educational activities to pull out at a moments notice.  Preschoolers will stay busy with these fun bags while at the doctor's office, while you are homeschooling older siblings, or fixing dinner...or just because they don't want to stop having fun!

Here are a few pics of our bags...

This activity is made up of printed puzzles that are laminated.  Puzzle pieces are printed on different color cardstock and all three puzzles are kept in one bag.

Beads are strung on a string to create a long, bendable "rope".  Preschoolers can use the included shape cards to practice making shapes with their beaded rope.

 This number recognition activity includes beads for counting out numbers.  Students can pull a card, count out the beads, then flip the card over to count the dots and see if they counted correctly.

Now, as I said before, I had participated in a Preschool Activity in a Bag Swap years ago, so I already had most of these bags.  But I jumped at the chance to review the ebooks, so that I could revamp my bags.  Admittedly after five years of play from my many children, some of the activities had been lost or emptied of their contents.  As I read through the ebooks (which include detailed instructions as well as helpful printouts to keep your swap details organized), I am thinking that I will also organize another swap.  It's perfectly fine to purchase one of these ebooks and just make a couple of activities at a time.  But it is so much easier (and I think more cost effective) to get 15 moms to each make 15 of two different activities.  And quite frankly, with a kindergartner, preschooler, and two toddlers I know that I would love to have more than one set of these activities!

The activities in Preschool Activities in a Bag cover many different skills from number recognition, letter recognition, beginning phonics, patterns, shapes, colors, fine motor skills, sorting, and more.   Many of the activities require simple supplies that you will most likely have on hand.  For example, one activity calls for plain paper, crayons, and paper clips.  Other activities will require more difficult to find items like foam letters or a dowel rod.  This is another reason why I would prefer to do assemble bags for a swap than individual bags.  I don't mind going to the hardware store and buying 15 dowel rods, knowing that another mom is going to a craft store for foam letters.  It saves time, money, and energy to do a swap.

Both Preschool Activity in a Bag ebooks 1 and 2 are outstanding resources.  I didn't favor one over the other, but felt that they were both equal in giving a variety of preschool age appropriate activities that were fun and educational. 

Here are a couple more pics of L4 enjoying Preschool Activities in a Bag.

We keep our activities in a plastic tub in our closet.  We've also participated in swaps for Reading Games in a Bag and Math Games in a Bag.  Science Experiments in a Bag ebooks are also offered.  Finally, I also had the opportunity to review Travel Activities in a Binder.

I was excited about this, because I knew my big kids would love it.  Plus, it was super simple to put together.  All you need is printouts from the ebook, a binder, plastic page protectors, 3 ring zipper pouch, a thin dry erase marker, a piece of felt (to use as an eraser), and a die (only used in two of the activities).  I quickly had two copies printed out and put together two Travel binders for my kiddos!

 As you can see, we fit our supplies into the zipper pouch.  Over 40 fun travel activities (like tic-tac-toe above) are included in your ebook.  More activities include ad libs, hangman, counting cows, road sign bingo, mazes, the license plate game, and so much more!

Our kids have been having so. much. FUN. with the travel binders!  They've even been playing them at home!  Travel Activities in a Binder are definitely most suited for children who are reading and writing.  My younger children were able to play some of the games with help from their big siblings.  But for the most part, it has been my 2nd-6th graders who have enjoyed these games the most.  At only $15 for the ebook, I think this is a great buy.  I will definitely purchase any additional Travel Activities in a Binder ebooks that are to come!

Also, don't miss the opportunity to get an Activity in a Bag sampler for free, just by filling out a simple survey at the Activity in a Bag website.  You can also read more reviews of these products at the Schoolhouse Review Crew blog!

Disclaimer: I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the last few years. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in review groups and I have enjoyed trying out these products and giving you my honest opinion. Pin It Now!

Beloved Books-Sugar Creek Gang

 Sometimes I have the opportunity to review a product that surprises me.  I might do a little research on the product prior to receiving it and think, "Oh, I think we will like this."  And then we get it.  We use it, and I not only like it...I love it.  We're excited to use it each day and I'm excited to share it with my friends.  This is one of those products.

 A few weeks ago our family opened our mailbox and pulled out a package from Beloved Books.  My oldest son, G11, is always relieved to open a review package that isn't math, but he was especially interested to find the Sugar Creek Gang Volume 1 CDs.  G11 loves to read and loves a good story. "That's cool."  He nonchalantly mumbled at the sight of the audio dramas.  But this Mama could see past his pre-teen too-cool-for-school facade...he was definitely intrigued.

After lunch, we decided to give the CDs a whirl.  The little ones were napping and I had some things to get done around the house.  The big kids settled down in the living room and we turned on the Sugar Creek Gang.  About thirty minutes later I was winding down my activities of flurrying from one room to the next and to be honest...not paying attention to the radio at all.  Instead, I had been mentally running through my to-do lists, checking things off, planning for next week, next year, curing all mysterious illnesses...you know, thinking about all those things we moms think about when children aren't constantly interrupting our thoughts...and I began to realize that this probably wasn't the most effective time to listen to an audio book.  After all, I was busy working and the kids were all busy with activities as well.  The girls were working on a craft project.  The boys were chatting and flipping through books.  I figured we would give the Sugar Creek Gang another try while we were in the car.  So I walked into the living room and announced it was time to turn the radio off.

"Why?!" Four pair of incredulous eyes stared back at me. They actually looked as if I had betrayed them.

I stopped to listen for a second and it did seem that they were listening to a particularly dramatic part of the story.

"Um, well..." I said. "I didn't think anyone was listening to it."

"Yes, I am!" they practically said in unison.   

"Well, okay...  I guess we can finish this part of the story."

A few days later, I sat in the car listening to the Sugar Creek Gang with the kids and realized why they didn't want me to turn the CDs off. 

 The Sugar Creek Gang book series was written by Paul Hutchens.  He began the books in 1939 aiming to create a "series of wholesome Christian adventure books".  A couple of decades later this series was recorded into an audio drama by Paul Ramseyer and can now be purchased through Beloved Books.  There are six volumes of CDs, each coming with several CDs and stories and each priced at $54.95 each.  The entire set can be purchased for $279.70 and includes over 100 hours on 72 CDs.

From the Beloved Books website...

These Sugar Creek Gang "Audio Adventures" are dramatically read straight from the original books.  Christian families LOVE this series because the gospel message is presented in such a simple, easy-to-understand style.  The whole series is, in fact, a discipleship journey... even parents who listen along witness the Holy Spirit working changes in their own hearts!

Families also enjoy the delightfully interspersed segments of nature study, poetry, hymns, and even science lessons... all skillfully woven into the fabric of the stories.

I found this description to be spot-on!  In the Sugar Creek Gang Volume 1, our family was introduced to a set of adorable characters encountering all sorts of fun and wild adventures.  The "gang" consists of Bill (who narrates the stories), Poetry, Dragonfly, Big Jim, Little Jim, and Circus.  The stories included in Volume 1 are:

The Swamp Robber

The Killer Bear

The Winter Rescue

The Lost Campers

Chicago Adventure

The Secret Hideout

I want to be clear that these stories are not about a bunch of rowdy boys getting into trouble.  The boys in these stories are noble characters that your children can look up to.  They honor their parents, strive to do what is right and good, and are learning what it means to live a Christian life.  Scripture is often quoted throughout the stories and biblical principles are at the foundation of each of these adventures.

When I asked G11 what he thought about the Sugar Creek Gang series he smiled and replied, "Oh, I like them.  I think they're funny."  Our kids ask to listen to these often, and I don't have a problem with it...I like them too!

A bit of exciting news...right now you can use the code HSING3-20 to receive 20% off of a Beloved Books order and you can also listen to The Swamp Robber- the full first episode FREE at this special link!! 

Read more reviews of the Sugar Creek Gang at the Schoolhouse Review Crew Blog.

Disclaimer: I have been given the wonderful opportunity to review many homeschool products over the last few years. The only compensation that I receive for my review is the free product. I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in review groups and I have enjoyed trying out these products and giving you my honest opinion. Pin It Now!

H is for I just can't Help it, it makes me laugh...

...or Ha Ha ....or Hilarious.

So who can deny that having children is prime opportunity for some serious laughs?  Ocassionally I catch these funny moments on camera and then I get to laugh at them again and again.

First up, this funny pic will definitely take me out of the running for Mother of the Year.  But in my defense she wasn't hanging there that long, her Daddy was very close by, and she was actually enjoying herself at first...until it took me too long to turn the camera on and suddenly her proud moment turned into a nightmare...

No worries.  She made it back safely on the ground to make me laugh again in a potato sack race...

I'm so GQ staring off into the distance while I pretend not to notice my mom taking a picture of me...

Okay, I'll acknowledge her presence and flash her a smile so maybe she'll leave me alone...

Really, Mom?!  Are we done now...

Another laugh out loud trio...

There was a blue moon about a month ago but I couldn't get a shot of it.  They were standing around, unimpressed, until I insisted that they at least acted interested...

Just hangin' out watchin' tv...

What is it with boys and swords?  Look at that face.  Don't even try to take it from me, Mom.

Aw...they love each other!  Sort of...

My boys love to dance.  They unfortunately got their dancing skills from me...

A day at the water park made for a boat load of funny pictures...

And a few super cheesy grins...

I wonder where they get it from?...

Finally, if I had a quarter for every time I said, "Will you please take your finger out of your nose so I can take this picture?"...

Linking up to Blogging through the Alphabet.  Check out the H posts or post one of your own!

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The Toddler Diaries ~ Fall Craft

 Last week, the toddlers and I decided to try a simple fall craft while the big kids were working in other room.

 

      First, I traced each of their hands with a brown crayon and encouraged them to color it brown like the branches of a tree and add green grass and a yellow sun.  While they colored, we talked about seasons and I cut a ton of fall colored leaves.

     Equipped with a glue stick and a pile of paper leaves, each child decorated their fall trees.  The 3, 4, and 5 year old could all do this part independently leaving me some time to slip away and check on the big ones.

 

     E5 was very serious about his picture.  I love how his melancholy nature shines through in his art...he likes straight lines and patterns and order.  A boy after his mama's heart!

Rating: This was a great, simple fall craft!
Time Commitment for Me:  Hardly any.  I just had to get them started by tracing their hands and spent about 5 minutes cutting out leaves.  But we were talking about the seasons and describing Fall while I was cutting, so I just considered that the "teaching time".  Also, I'm sure the 4 and 5 year old could have easily cut their own leaves.
Toddler Time: 20-30 minutes.  E5 and L4 spent more time decorating than L3 did, but he still enjoyed the freedom of using the gluestick by himself.
Additional Comments: Don't forget to check out my other Toddler Diaries posts for more fun ideas for your little ones! Pin It Now!