How to Make No Sew Bean Bags

When your preschooler starts to throw things or needs something to throw, let him use a bean bag. But not just any bean bag, use a no sew bean bag. These bean bags are easy to make and fun and they help develop gross motor skills.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Socks
• Dry pinto beans
• Empty two-liter bottles (optional)
• Mixing bowl

1. Acquire all the old mismatched socks in the house. This can be done along with your preschooler.

2. Fill a large bowl with dry pinto beans.

3. Ask your preschooler to take a handful of beans and to drop them into the sock. While you are doing this, talk about which hand your preschooler is using and ask if he can use the other hand.

4. Roll up the sock after you have about two to three handfuls of beans in it. Start at the end of the sock that has all the beans.

5. Fold the last bit of material over the sock when you get to the end of the roll.

6. Encourage your preschooler to show off his gross motor skills by asking him to throw the no sew bean bags at a target, such as an empty laundry basket.

Tips & Warnings

• Socks should be tube-top style and long enough to roll up several times.
• It's a good idea to do this on the kitchen floor for an easy clean up afterwards.
• Another gross motor game is tossing them to knock over empty two-liter bottles.
• You can extend bean bag play into learning about colors and shapes. Simply make the bean bags different colors and talk about the color as you throw or play with them. Or you can draw different shapes on the bean bags and talk about the different shapes as you play with them.

Resources

• Michael's imaginate
• Find everything you need at makingfriends.com
• Danielle's Place