Beans Beans the musical fruit . . .

We all know the kids rhyme "Beans beans the musical fruit . . ", well you know the rest. But there is more than one way to make "music" with beans.

Yesterday, I took a back of beans I had from the pantry and made some bean bags. I took some fabric I had laying around and cut it into squares. I think sewed some simple designs from felt and buttons on one side. Two peices were sewed together and my son filled them up. I simply folded the open side down and Presto - we had bean bags.

My son and I had a fun time trying to throw them into differnet size baskets at varied distances. It was a good time, and I'm sure after he comes home from school, he'll want to play again.

Simple toys or games like that are inexpensive and you can make them with itmes you already have. The big plastic and more expensive toys we can get at the store still don't measure up to simple fun.

Take a empty toilet paper roll and put wax paper attached with a rubber band at one end, fill with some beans and do the same at the top. Make a shaker. You can do this same thing by taking two paper plates and stapling them together filled with beans. Make your own Bean band with your kids.

Taking the time to create, color, make then play with the toys is a great way to slow down and connect with you kids. And a very cool way to have some fun with food!