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Paper bags come in a variety of sizes and are typically used to carry groceries and tote around lunches. Yet, paper bags have other purposes as well---they can be used to make crafts, decorations, costumes and more. And the best part? Paper bags are both inexpensive and reusable, which helps to reduce the amount of trash in our environment.
- Making hand puppets is a creative---and cheap---activity for a child's birthday party or sleepover. First, pass out lunch-sized paper bags to each child. Second, ask the kids to draw an animal's face on the bottom of the bag, such as a dog, cat or elephant. Third, show the kids how to use their puppets by sticking their hand into the bag and moving their hand to make the puppet "talk." If they would like, the kids can put on a puppet show.
- Looking for a rainy-day activity for your kids? Then consider making costumes out of large paper bags. First, cut a neck-hole at the bottom of the bag and two armholes along the side of the bag. Second, ask your child to decorate the bag with markers and other craft items. To make a soldier's costume, you can draw a camouflage pattern onto the bag. To make a sheep costume, help your child glue cotton balls onto the bag. Once the bag is decorated, slip the bag over your child's head and enjoy an afternoon of make-believe.
- Once October rolls around, get in the mood for Halloween by customizing a trick-or-treating bag for your kids. First, draw large Halloween-themed images (such as a spider, jack-o'-lantern or witch's hat) onto a piece of paper. Second, ask your children to color the images with crayons or markers. Third, cut out the images and glue them onto a large paper bag with handles. On Halloween night, your kids can use this spooky bag to collect their candy and treats.
- If your child needs to cover a textbook for school, use a large paper bag to tackle this task. First, cut open the bag until you have one sheet of paper. Remove any extra flaps so the paper forms a rectangle. Second, place the textbook at the center of the paper and make creases along the top and bottom of the book. Third, remove the book and fold the paper down along the creases you made. Fourth, place the book onto the center of the paper again and wrap the left side of the paper over the book's front cover. Fifth, fold the overlapping paper along the front cover and insert the cover into the slot created. Then, repeat steps four and five with the book's back cover. Sixth, secure the cover with tape.
