Bean bag toys have been around for quite some time. They are one of the safest toys around for your children and pets to play with. The best thing about bean bag toys which are made at home is if they become worn or torn, you can reuse the dried bean filling to make another bean bag toy.
Kids find tossing bean bags around is rather fun and a way to enjoy an afternoon. You can create the bean bags in shape and size imaginable. While many who think of making a bean bag at home, they think of the sizes they had when they were kids themselves.
There are other ways and reasons to make bean bags. You can make bean bag style animals, chairs, pillows, a neck rest for riding and sitting for hours, and wrist rest for your computer.
In some instances, people have made bean bags to help relieve arthritis pain and menstrual cramps. They will heat the bean bag in the oven or microwave for a few minutes, just long enough to get the beans warm, to place on their joints that are in pain or to lay across their abdominal area for menstrual cramps for relief.
Materials for Making a Bean Bag
Fabric scraps. You can use fabric scraps that are large enough to make the bean bags. The size of the fabric will depend on how big a bean bag you want to make.
Dried Beans. Any type and style of dried beans or peas will work for your bean bags. You can also use dried split peas if you prefer, since they are smaller in size. However, you will want to keep the dried beans out of the reach of infants and toddlers so they will not become choked on them before they are placed in the sealed fabric casing.
Sewing machine, thread and needle. You will need either the sewing machine or a needle and thread or both to make the bean bags. This is a simple sewing project.
Scissors. The scissors will be needed to cut out the sizes and shapes for the bean bags from the fabric you have chosen.
Directions for Making the Bean Bag
NOTE: The directions are for making a square bean bag. The size of the square is up to you.
Cut out two squares from the fabric you have chosen. Place the right sides together. Sew three sides of the square together with a quarter inch seam allowance.
Fill the square with the dried beans leaving at least half an inch from the top. By leaving the half inch allowance with the dried beans, this will allow the beans to spread out once the open side is sewn shut. You can leave at least a quarter inch of room inside the square as well.
Sew the open side shut.
When it comes to making bean bags, you can get your kids to help make them. This allows bonding time between the parent and grandparent bonding time with the kids. Also, by allowing the kids to help in the process of making the bean bags, they can learn math skills. For instance, they will learn how to measure in cups, inches, and to count.
Not only will the kids learn those skills, they will improve their motor skills with the use of the measuring cups, scissors, rulers, and various other objects being used for the craft project. They can also learn a little science in the process. They can learn about man made and nature made items.
Getting the kids involved in craft projects is a great way to keep the learning process going while they are having fun. After all, no one ever said education had to be boring and mundane.
