Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Paper · The activity desk
Paper bag neighborhood
Draw buildings on paper bags and invent a neighborhood story.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
Two clean paper lunch bags and large child-appropriate crayons.
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: An adult checks the bags for staples and loose pieces and opens their flat bottoms on a table.
Adult's role: Stay beside the child, help the bags stand, and join the story if invited.
Let's make it happen
- Draw a door and windows on one bag to make a home.
- Decorate the other bag as a library, shop, or another place you choose.
- Stand the bags on the table and tell a story about traveling between the buildings.
Make it simpler: Decorate one bag as a home together.
Clean up: Put away crayons and save or recycle the bags.
Keep bags away from faces and mouths. Remove torn paper and supervise play.