MNN - Mother Nature Network

Need a project to keep your baby busy for a few minutes? Whether you're out to lunch with a friend or merely looking to collect your thoughts for the day, busy bags are a great 'quiet time' activity for kids.

 

You don't need bells and whistles and you certainly don't need batteries to make a successful busy bag.  In fact, the more low-key the better for keeping your child calm and quiet while they play.  Here are some great busy baby bags from around the web.

 

Have you ever met a child who didn't enjoy decorating a cupcake?  I know I haven't.  And thanks to this cute cupcake busy bag from Money Saving Mom, your kids will be able to decorate and redecorate to their hearts delight.  Great for kids of all ages.  

 

 

 

This sweet 'Oh The Places You Will Go,' busy bag from My Small Potatoes take things up a notch in terms of play for babies.  But as impressive as it looks, it's really not that difficult to make.  And it's sure to keep your driving-enthusiast baby busy for hours, or at least long enough for you to finish making dinner.

 

This Scrabble busy bag from Unsolicited Advice is great for older toddlers who are beginning to understand letter sounds.  The don't necessarily need to know how to spell to know that 'box' starts with the letter 'b' or 'apple' starts with an 'a'.

 

 

At first glance, this Button Snake from The Activity Mom may not look too exciting.  But it's exactly the kind of project that will keep many-a toddler busy for hours while unknowingly practicing a rather important skill.  

 

Here's another one from My Small Potatoes - the Duplo block busy bag.  This one is ingenious not only for it's simplicity, but for it's usefulness.  Very little babies will enjoy putting the blocks together and may even begin to try to match the blocks to the picture, while older children will enjoy building the blocks and guessing the pattern behind each image.