Bean bag games give children opportunities to develop their gross motor skills, increase balance, and enhance directionality which is important for literacy skills.

Suggested Materials

Old socks
Dry beans or rice or popcorn kernels
Bowl
Spoon

Directions

Fill sock with a few spoonfuls of your dry ingredients (about the size of a small fist).
Leave room at the end of the sock to tie a knot.
Pull it tight to make sure it is secure.
If your bean bag feels too much like a ball, remove some filling.
You want it to have some movement, so it can shape to whatever it is resting on.

Activity Ideas

Ask your child to balance their bean bags on different parts of their bodies while standing still, e.g. on their head, on their shoulder, or on top of their foot. After some practice balancing standing still you can put on some fun music and try the balancing while moving slowly.

They may just want to shake their bean bag while they dance or hold it in place with one hand, and that is great as well. This type of activity increases their problem solving skills as they figure out the best way to keep their bean bag from falling.

You can also make a few different coloured bags and turn the game into a colour matching activity, e.g. “Put the green bean bag on your foot.“ Remember to join in, and have fun!

Written by Debra Howard, Parent Support Coach & Community Connector

Creative Movement at Home: Bean Bag Balancing