Busy bags are such a great way to keep little ones busy. Today I’m sharing with you an idea that is super simple to set up, but will keep your little ones busy for a while! This nuts and bolts busy bag is sure to be a hit with children who like to build and create things!
Here’s what you need for this nuts and bolts busy bag:
- nuts
- bolts
- washers
- board with drilled holes
We were given this set of nuts, bolts, washers, and boards (with holes) by a sweet friend. I’m so thankful because I was able to pull this out one day when the kids were needing something to do. It kept my boys buys for a long time!
My two boys (ages 2.5 and 5.5) made whatever they wanted with these pieces. They stuck them in holes, added washers, screwed on the nuts. This was awesome practice for fine motor skills, too!
The best part was, I didn’t have to tell them what to do! They knew what they wanted to try out and design and they just played around. It also kept them quiet!
This was such an easy busy bag idea, but I’ll be saving it to pull out on another day when they boys need something to do! I was actually inspired to do this activity after seeing something similar in the book Busy Bags Kids Will Love! My friend, Sara, just wrote this book ALL about busy bags! This resource is FULL of neat ideas for quiet, busy bag activities.
The book shows great step-by-step pictures and has ideas that are easy to make! There are 52 ideas in the book. Here are some of the ideas:
- activities for counting, patterns, and sorting objects
- activities for letter identification, matching uppercase and lowercase letters, and forming letters
- activities for strengthening fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
- activities just for fun using felt, matching games, and a velcro version of paper dolls
I’m excited to share that my generous friend is giving away 1 book to one of my readers! All you have to do is enter the giveaway below to enter! The giveaway will run until June 19th and I’ll email the winner after that date. (This giveaway is only open to U.S. residents.)
If you’re ready to get your copy of the book, just click on the links below:
The Book Depository (free worldwide shipping!)
One more thing…as a little bonus from Sara, if you purchase the book you can get a free printable that goes with the activity on page 17. Just forward your receipt to sara@happybrownhouse.com.
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of it. This post also contains affiliate links.
Thank you for all your great teaching ideas. The nuts and bolts activity will be a great addition to mine fine motor center. I am really interested in learning more about busy bags. Thank you for the giveaway.
I would love to have this book to use with busy minds and busy fingers that have a difficult time focusing and also require fine motor skills.
We are studying simple machines. I pulled together a bunch of nuts, bolts, screws and screwdrivers and put them in our sensory table with pieces of pool noodles. Our kiddos played with them throughout the day. No directions needed. What a great idea. Thanks,
This book looks great! Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to win this for my kids. Thanks for the giveaway.
I’d love to win this. Thanks for the giveaway.
I definitely need to get to work making some busy bags! I’d love to read this book to learn more about them.
I would use this book in my 4 year old preschool class.
I am a busy bag addict and my 2 and 4 yo will love some fresh ideas! Thanks!
My 2 year old would love some busy bags to use while his big sisters do school.
Thanks for all the great ideas Teaching Mama! I facilitate weekly Kaleidoscope(TM) Play & Learn groups for children 0-5 and their parents/grandparents/caregivers in three elementary schools. One of the moms shared your website with the group!
Busy bags would be great as “make and take” projects. Families appreciate learning how to organize and use household materials for early learning!
Oh! Our 6th is a toddler and he definitely needs a busy bag or 10! Thanks for the chance to win.
I would love to use ideas in this book with my 2 year old son! The nuts and bolts is a gem!!
I teach PreK. These are great ideas for my morning “box” centers. The students sign in then go to the board to see who they are buddied up with (each box has a number and two students are assigned to each box). Then go get a box and find a place in the room to work together. This is a great way to start the day, teach sharing, make new friends, helping each other, etc. These ideas would fit in nicely with the boxes.
This book would be great for my two-year-old! Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to use this book with my 2 & 4 year olds!
Would live this with my 3.5 yr old!
This would be great for keeping my 3 year old busy while I homeschool my 1st grader.
What a neat book! I would love to have this for my preschool students. Thanks for the chance to win it!
I would love this book to use with my prek students!!
This looks like a great book!
This would be a great resource for my special needs kiddos.
I’d love to use this book with my toddler & preschooler!
I teach a Preschool Lab class at the high school. I use your blog as lesson planning 101! These busy bags would be great STEM activities to use in our lab classroom. I am also a newish Grandma and want my grandson to have great homemade toys form me! Busy books are already on the sewing table!
I would use this book with all my kiddos. I teach Elementary special ed. This would be a great way to teach all sorts of skills!
I am desperate for ideas to keep my 5 and 2-year-olds girls engaged. It’s proving difficult for me to find activities to keep them both interested and challenged! 🙂 Thanks for your BLOG! You’re a gem!
I love busy bags would be great for my three year old class.
this looks great! Not only for preschool but for our Lion cub scout den too.
I would love to use this book with my son whi is now 2.5 years old. Thank you for the chance to win!
I love the nuts and bolts idea. This book looks like a must have!
I’d use this with my toddler and two preschoolers.
This book looks like it would help with keeping two eight year old busy and also the three and one year old!
Love this idea to use with my pre-k class. They get busy bags at rest time for those who don’t sleep. I’ll just have țo be sure I get a size that isn’t a choking hazard just in case! That shouldn’t be a problem. Thanks for the idea and the chance to win the book. 😊
I’d love to try some of these bags with my son since he has such a short attention span!
This book looks amazing ! Thanks for the giveaway.
Oh this is perfect for my kiddos, especially my 2 yo son whose alllll boy lol. With having a newborn and 5 total littles, anything to keep them busy and learning is a plus!!
I’d use the book with my two and a half year old son!
I can’t wait to try these activities with my son Ethan!
The book looks great! I’d love to win a copy 🙂