Last week, after lugging my daughters extra bag of “church toys”, I was inspired to create something portable that could remain in the car all of the time. My daughter is still young, so I don’t expect her to sit through an entire church service, or wait patiently at the doctors office. But at the same time, I’m tired of carrying around an extra bag just for her – or worrying about it being packed as we are rushing out the door, already late for church. So I came up with this Busy Bag idea – it’s small and portable enough that I can keep it packed and leave it in my purse or the glove box of my car, and I don’t have to worry about it.
Personalized Kids Busy Bag
To make your own, you’ll need:
- a medium size cosmetic bag (mine is from the gift section at Michaels)
- iron on vinyl
- play packs (or other small coloring books and stickers)
- small pack of mini markers
- notebook and pen (this set is from Pick Your Plum)
- mini dolls or toys, such as these Lalaloopsy Mini dolls or Shopkins
The first step is to cut your child’s name out of iron on vinyl. I used my handy dandy Cricut Explore, and the font is called Bobbie. It’s a premium font, which means it usually isn’t free, but right now you can snag it for absolutely nothing. (While you are over there, check out their freebie and $1 section. You can find some amazing fonts and graphics there. Also, I find premium fonts are way better for cutting on the Cricut because they are so well designed that there are no rough edges or uneven spots.)
Place the iron on vinyl on the bag, and iron with a thin cloth between the vinyl and the iron to protect the plastic transfer from melting.
Filling the Bag – Ideas for Gifts
Next, it’s time to fill your busy bag. I love these play packs because the colouring books are the perfect size and easy to carry around. You can find them at Michaels, but I got these ones at the dollar store.
I added a sticker to the front of the notebook. Other than that, it was just a matter of putting it in the bag and zipping it up!
I was amazed at everything that fit in there – four mini coloring books, four sticker sheets, a pack of mini markers, a notebook with pen, and three Lalaloopsy mini dolls. (The dolls could easily be replaced with another small toy, like Littlest Pet Shops, shopkins, toy cars, etc.)
This make up bag measures 8.5″x6″, so it’s a great size to throw in your purse or store in your car without it being a nuisance. You’ll never be stuck rushing to pack a bag at the last minute or carrying yet another bag. It also makes a really great gift. We love to personalize one of these and pack them up for a birthday or Christmas gift.
The only question left now is what will you fill yours with?!
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