Baby and Toddler Busy Bags

Two words...Busy Bags.  These little bags and boxes I have been making have completely changed my life! I have always had quite the packed diaper bag with toys and food and all kinds of stuff, but I do not usually change what is inside the bag regularly.

Babies and toddlers can get bored at almost anything and keeping them entertained is a constant job of parents.  Toddlers are more difficult to keep contained when out and about because they have their own opinions now.  A lot of parents struggle with eating out, going to the mall, and going to the grocery store with their kids.  I am not going to lie I would much rather go to the grocery store by myself than with  my two year old.  But I have found through trial and error and lots of research if I go out with my little girl fully armed and ready for the situation it isn't as stressful as going to the grocery store with a tired and hungry toddler.

Here are some examples of my busy bags.  I hope they inspire some mama's and make for some calm dinner times at restaurants, and quicker grocery store trips!

Busy Bag Ideas:

-Stickers! Never go anywhere without stickers!(Amazon actually sells some pretty cool rolls, or Targets $1section)

-Small books

-Coloring (pads, coloring books, post it notes, pens, markers, and crayons.  Color Wonder is the best!)

-Small handheld toys

-blocks (Lego's, little people, mega blocks, and my all time favorite it Tegu. They are magnetic)

-Stuffed animals ( small or big)

-Polly Pockets

-Stamps (I'm not really sure why these are so excited but they are on the same level as stickers. They even make stamp markers)

-Play doh

-Quiet Books

-Lacing
-Window Clings

You can even do themed busy bags. I have an Elmo, Doc McStuffins, and Minnie Mouse themed bag. Inside of them are just everything I could find around the house for those characters.

Pictures of my busy bags! The beginning was a mess but they quickly came together.

This bag below has: stuffed plush, ball, princess wand and light up stick, crayons, coloring book, stickers, and book.

This bag below has: Light up ball, I Spy bottle, Water color, two little people, clock to tell time, a book, and a little bracelet.

This bag below has: Turtle plush, colored pencils in that black case, princess wand, book, coloring book, a Santa, a monkey, and also squinkies.

This bag below has: A book, a pillow light up small pet, sticker bunny book, some tools, and also a magnet board with stickers.

This bag below is my Doc McStuffins Bag. We took this one to the doctor and it was a hit, because Jules let the doctor give her a checkup.This one contains a stuffed plush, a stethoscope, crayons and a puzzle that can be colored, coloring book, and also an activity book.

Here is the Minnie Mouse Bag. Minnie Mouse plush, stickers, puzzle, notepad and pens, activity book, ears, and also little figurines.

This box contains: Keys, old phone and phone case, book, stickers, light, wallet with old cards in it, and also a sun blocker.

This box box contains book, three cars, a time out timer where you can watch stuff settle, stickers, and a bracelet.

This box contains weebles, tiny doll, train, stickers, book, and a purse full of bracelets.

This box contains: Stacking cups, book, stickers, finger puppet, pretend phone, stickers.

This box contains: Book, stickers, play doh, calming jar, play doh cutters, scissors, and Popsicle sticks.

This box contains: Book, kelly barbie, little box with rubber-bans and post its, stickers.

This box contains: My little ponys, a sticker foam kit to make pumpkins, book, stickers, kaleidoscope.

This box contains: Penguin ring box, stickers, book, linking rings, pig abacus,and zebra.

This box contains, book, coloring pad and colors, little bear and dolls and some seats for the dolls to sit in and an airplane.

This lunch box contains: A tea set and a book.

This one has a magnet sticker dress up board, coloring pad that sings songs when they color on it, stickers, kaleidoscope, and a book.

Here is the Elmo them with an Elmo, Elmo magnet sticker book, and a small Elmo Book, and also a wooden toy.

This bag contains, two little purses, book, stickers, a painting book, and a wallet.

This bag contains a pizza kitchen set with cutters.

This bag will eventually be my vet bag, has a little dog and some balls right now.

This bag is the baby bag with baby, diapers, bottle, pacifier, blanket, and spoon.

This bag contains: Polly Pockets, stickers, bag, and also a coloring pad and pen.

Here they are all organized.  We call them her "SURPRISES" which she loves! And she cannot open them until she is in the car and seated and buckled.

Here she is playing with one of the boxes.

Getting ready for ballet with her Minnie Bag.

They are so cool she can't even stay awake!

Here she is with her backpack she stuck one of the busy bags inside it.

I am in love with the busy bags.  All I did was went around the house and gathered all the toys that she doesn't play with anymore or are at the bottom of her toy boxes and also grabbed some old phones and wallets of ours and started organizing. They quickly came together.  I used wipe boxes, and drawstring bags that I have gotten for free at events. I am also going to purchase some pencil holder bags for smaller busy bags. Good luck at making your own boxes and bags for your little ones!