No, these aren’t the kind of bean bags you used to sit on in the 80’s… These are the little bean bags you can toss around! They are quick and simple to make and easier for toddlers to grab a hold of than a ball. Plus, they don’t roll away under the couch, leaving your toddler crying until you fish it out! You can use different textures, colours and patterns of fabric, which can make them learning tools too (just don’t tell your child that).

These also work well as boo boo bags. Just keep one in the freezer, for when your little one gets a scraped knee.

Bean Bags

For one bag, you’ll need:
2 x 10cm x 15cm pieces fabric (6″ x 4″)
about 1/2 cup rice
sewing supplies

For each bean bag, cut out 2 rectangles 10 x 15cm (6 x 4″). Put the pieces rights sides together and sew around the sides, leaving a gap for turning and filling. Clip the corners. This step is optional, but if you have boys who are likely to throw these until they burst, sew a second row of stitching in the seam allowance, or serge.

Turn right side out. Poke the corners out and using a funnel, or a cone made from a piece of paper, fill the bag with 1/2 cup of rice. You can also use any other dried legumes or even sand. The bag should be about 1/2 full.

All that’s left is to sew the opening closed. You can stitch it by hand, but because I’m not very confident in the strength of my hand stitching I used my machine. Tuck the seam allowances in and very slowly stitch about 2mm (1/16″) away from the edge. When I get to the end, I turn around and come back, so that the seam in reinforced. Make sure the rice is well away from the seam. You don’t want to break a needle trying to sew through it!

Now make heaps more!