On the Go Bags

Are your kids anything like mine? Do they need things to keep themselves busy or else . . . trouble is bound to occur? Frequently we find that our weekends are spent running around town getting groceries and what not. We also tend to eat at restaurants more often on the weekend as opposed to during the week. In an effort to try and keep my kids occupied and maintain a sense of sanity for my husband and myself I helped my kids to create On the Go Bags.

You may be asking “Just what is an On the Go Bag?” An On the Go Bag is a bag with items in it that can be taken on the go. These items consist of many different things. The bottom line is that the items are small enough to fit in the bag and provide my kids with something to do in the car, at a restaurant, in the grocery cart, or while waiting at the doctor’s office, etc.

We had old preschool bags that my kids were not using any more sitting around the house. They are the perfect size for my kids to be able to handle them. I did not purchase new items specifically for the bags. We looked around the house for items that we already owned. From time to time the items need to be refreshed so we put away the old items and get out new ones. The bags are kept in the closet on a hook with their coats. I do have a rule that they must be able to track of. I asked my kids for their input when adding items to the bag. Let’s face it, carry the bag; my husband and I are not carrying the bags!This rule eliminates 2 things, 1) There can’t be too much stuff in the bag or the child will not be able to carry it and 2) I don’t have one more thing to keep if they don’t like what’s in the bag, the bag won’t serve its purpose!

Items you could use to create a restaurant bag of your own:

Puzzles, books, games, coloring books, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, small action figures, magnetic sets, cards, the possibilities are endless . . .

These are items from G's bag. He is 3. He has a game (which came in a kid's meal), 2 activity books, 2 books, a toy car, a toy animal, a magnetic play set (I got from the dollar spot at Target), and a pencil pouch with crayons and pencils in it.

These are items from B's bag. He is 6. He has 3 different games, activity/coloring/sicker books, 2 books to read, an mp3 player that has books on cd loaded on it, small action figures, and a tin with pencils, crayon, and markers in it.

Does anyone else have On the go Bags? What do you include in your bags?