3 Day Project: Bean Bag Toss and Juggling Bags

April 9, 2009

Family Connection Collection:

Materials and Tools

(italicized items are optional)

1. Heavy cotton fabric such as canvas or denim (old jeans or khakis work great for this or any sort of twill weight fabric.)
2. Lighter cotton fabric (bed sheet or other similar weight)
3. Dried beans, rice, pea gravel or pennies
4. Rubber stamps, paint roller and fabric paint (optional)
5. Scissors (both for fabric and for cardboard)
6. Sewing machine
7. Measuring tape
8. Funnel with a big enough hole for the beans to go through (you can make one easily out of heavy paper)
9. Marking pen
10. Heavy paper for pattern making – cereal box or file folder works great
11. Large scraps of fabric of any print, weight, size (optional)
12. Tempera or other such paints (optional)
13. Markers
14. Large cardboard box. Longer and flat is better than big and square but really you can make do with just about any shape.
15. Plenty of good, protein rich snacks.

Day one: 1-2 hours

Prep:

* If you will be crafting at the kitchen table or some other common area that will need to be cleared off after each step, we recommend laying out a large piece of heavy cloth such as canvas or oilcloth or heavy tablecloth. The heavier, the better so that it won’t be at risk of being accidently cut. We use canvas from an old military cot. This will be used to roll up all the materials after each phase so that it can be stored away and easily set up again.

*Set up your sewing machine.

*If you have older children, you can easily plan to make 3 bags per child. For younger children who need a lot more hands on help, a total of 3 bags for the family will suffice.

Materials:

1. Heavier fabric
2. Lightweight fabric
3. Scissors
4. Sewing machine
5. Marking pen
6. Measuring tape
7. Heavy paper

Steps:

1. Start off with a good snack – protein rich is best for keeping attitudes fresh and minds focused
2. On the back of the cereal box or file folder, mark out a 6″x6″ square. One pattern piece for each child is recommended.
3. Determine how many bags you’ll be making and mark out that many squares on the back of both the heavy fabric and the lighter weight fabric. When children are marking out their own pattern pieces, it is a good idea to weigh down the pattern piece with a pin magnet or other paper weight type item. If they have trouble keeping the pattern in place, pin the pattern to the fabric.
4. Cut out the pieces. Older children can cut their own. If you have little children, this is something you can do after they go to bed.
5. THIS STEP IS OPTIONAL: If you will be doing the printing part of this project, now’s the time. For kids 6 and under, this will require total hands on help from an adult. Lesson Learned: If you are not up for super messy crafting with kids, do yourself a favor and skip this step. It’s fun if you’re up for it but it’s not, if you’re not.
   1. Pour paint onto a flat surface such as a piece of glass or masonite covered with plastic wrap (the only non-eco portion of the project)
   2. Roll the paint roller in the paint until you have a smooth thin covering.
   3. Roll the paint roller onto the rubber stamp
   4. Stamp your fabric
   5. Let it dry
   6. If you are using fabric paint, heat set the image with a quick iron at a low-medium heat
6. Now, pair up one square of each fabric weight with the other. One light fabric with the heavy fabric – right sides together.
7. Sew the squares together, leaving about 2 inches open on one of the sides.
8. Clip the corners of each of your fabric squares being careful not to clip your stitches.
9. Turn the squares right side out
10. If you are doing this project on the three day plan, roll it up and call it a day. Lesson Learned: If you are doing this project in less than three days, (only recommended for kids over take a break and have a snack before moving onto the next step.

Remember. Right sides together.

 

Remember to leave an open space on the side.

Watch those stitches!

Day two: 1-2 hours

Prep: Unroll or return to your workspace.

Materials:

1. Sewn fabric squares
2. Scissors
3. Beans (or whatever “stuffing” you’ve chosen. See list above)
4. Funnel

Steps:

1. Fold in the opened side of your square. Iron it flat. Be sure to keep the opened side, folded in properly.
2. Top-stitch the three closed sides of your square.
3. Using the funnel, fill each square with about ¾ full with beans (or filling of your choice)
4. This next step is tricky so slow and steady for this one. Top stitch the opened side of your bean bag.
5. Voila! Your bean bags are finished.
6. You are now finished with the sewing portion of this project. You will still need the fabric scraps but they will be glued, not sewn. So put your sewing machine and all notions away.
7. Roll up your workspace and call it a day.

Keeping it simple is the key to the connection.

Day three: 30 minutes to 2 hours of work PLUS endless hours of FUN and GAMES!!! This is the making of the actual game board for the bean bag toss.

Prep: Clear off a large space at your table or workspace.

Materials:

1. Cardboard box
2. Markers
3. Fabric scraps or paint (optional)
4. If you use fabric scraps you will need glue

Steps:

1. Put your box up on the table. Evaluate your cardboard box taking into account size, shape, etc. Determine how it would be best suited for a bean bag toss.
2. Draw on your box 3 squares in incremental sizes. The smallest one just a tiny bit bigger than your bean bag. The next one a couple inches bigger and the third one a couple inches bigger than that. Be sure to leave space between each one so that the walls have some strength.
3. Cut out the squares. The smaller the box, the higher the point value. We did 20, 10, 5.
4. Near the bottom of the box, on the front, cut out a small flap from which you can retrieve the bean bags. This will be like cutting three sides of a square, leaving the top portion intact.
5. Now you have some choices to make about design. You can paint the box or you can cover it with fabric scraps or do a collage or you can just draw on it with markers. Do it in whatever way you choose. Lesson learned: Get crazy or keep it simple just make it work for you. Minimizing the materials or moving the project outside can help you keep your cool. Letting it go beyond your tolerance doesn’t serve anybody. Find your own comfort zone, check in with yourself and ask, “Is this working?” If it’s not, reign it in a bit. A calmer project will be much more sustainable and will keep everyone coming back for more.
6. On the back of the box near the bottom, tape on a rectangle of heavy cardboard that will serve as a leg. Lesson learned: We think the more decorated the box, the more likely it will stick around for a while as a toy, as opposed to being viewed as a temporary, disposable item.

Let the games begin!

Now you’ve spent time making stuff together. Next, set it up and let the games begin! Lesson learned: Though playing competitively can be fun, we like to intersperse cooperative play. To do this, set a number goal for the group and add up the numbers after each person’s turn. Play to 50, 100 or whatever number you have time for.

If you have older kids, learning to juggle can fill and entire afternoon with fun and LOTS of laughing.

If you follow this project, we’d love to hear how it went for you. Leave us a comment. Send your thoughts and ideas and any lessons you may have learned along the way.

Posted in Family Projects