Materials
Paper, six sheets for each child
Marker or pen
Crayons or markers
Hole punch
Yarn or heavy string
Instructions
1. This activity is very popular with busy parents, who can't always get to the
library.
2. Put a children's book Into a sturdy bag. Add a list of songs, activities, and
recipes that can be done easily at home. Add a stuffed animal or puppet that
looks like the main character. The items don't have to be expensive yard
sales, dollar stores, consignment stores, and donations keep it inexpensive.
3. Make these bags available for parents to sign out the same as they would a
library book. You may want to include an evaluation sheet to rate the bag for
effectiveness.
4. A good way to get started with putting the bags together is to have a
workshop after school for teachers, or use a workday. Parent volunteers can
also help.
Author note: I was initially worried about losing a lot of the materials that we put
together, but the families loved it so much, they were very careful. Keeping the
stuff "cheap" made it easier, too. This is a great way to get families reading
together!
