I came across an interesting idea today while reading one of my favourite blogs,The Crafty Crow.

The idea is for children's activity bags. You fill plastic ziplock bags with activities for your child to do while in the car, on the plane or where ever you are when the need to occupy your child arises. Each bag holds one complete activity. The activities could just be a fun way to pass time but they often also help your child learn something or practice a skill. The author of The Crafty Crow has 13 examples of ones she has made to use with her toddler but the possibilities are endless.

These activity bags seem like they would be a great way for kids to practice the six pre-literacy skills that we teach here in our storytimes. Here is one of my ideas for Letter Knowledge, aimed at the preschool set:

Take pictures that start with the letter A, B and C. Like - Apple, Ant, Ball, Bug, Cat, Crow. Include containers labeled with A, B and C. The child then has to divide the pictures into the containers based on what letter they start with.

This would help children connect the written letters to the sound they make in words. Knowing the names and sounds of letters helps children figure out how to say written words.

What ideas do you have for activity bags? Post your ideas in the comment section and I will post them.