Bean Bag Games
- Susan Donohoe
- Aug 5, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 14
Bean Bags have always been a favorite toy across generations. They’re safe to use inside and outside and can be used to promote so many wonderful Sensory Experiences through play.
So, let’s get started!
Bean Bag Games That Kids Love
Here are some games using bean bags that will keep kids entertained while helping them in their development!
1. Bean Bag Tic Tac Toe
Make a board with sidewalk chalk or tape to play tic tac toe. As an added challenge, have the child leaning over a therapy ball supporting themselves with one arm and playing with the other.
2. Baby in the Air
Toss bean bags high into the air and catch them coming down. Bean bags are a great choice because they don’t roll away.
3. Homemade Cornhole for Kids
This bean bag toss game is always a winner! Make a homemade corn hole game with buckets or pots (or try this DIY cornhole with cereal boxes) and toss bean bags into the targets for points.
4. Hit a Target for Points
Make three X’s with chalk or tape vertically and try to hit each X with a bean bag. Make it a challenge by assigning more points to the difficult to hit targets. If more people are available, play in teams.
5. Play Hot Potato
Play hot potato by passing a bean bag back and forth. Increase the challenge by adding an additional bean bag and playing to music.
6. Bean Bag Relay Race
Try relay races with running, hopping, crawling, etc. with bean bags balancing either on your head, back, arm, hand, or between your knees. Relay games are so fun and versatile!
7. “Egg Toss” With Bean Bags
Use bean bags instead of eggs in this game, and take one step back after each successful catch to add to the challenge.
8. Bean Bag Balance Game
Try balancing a bean bag on your head while walking a line, or balance beam, or around fun objects.
9. Bean Bag Sliding Board
Keep the bean bag on your head or arm when sliding down a slide.
10. Scavenger Hunt for Kids
Hide bean bags for a scavenger hunt that the kids will love.
11. Bean Bag Hula Hoop Toss
This toss game involves tossing a bean bag through a hula hoop. Set up multiple hoops at different distances for an added challenge!
12. Paper Plate Toss Game
Try this bean bag toss using paper plates marked with different numbered points.
13. Bean Bag Passing Game
Children get in a line and pass the bean bag under their legs and the next child bends to grab it and then passes the next one over their head. What a great vestibular activity!
14. Toss Game With Targets
Work on crossing the midline by throwing bean bags at targets high and low to their left and to their right, and try switching from left hand to right hand as well! Try this while sitting, standing, or kneeling.
15. Bean Bag Tossing Race
Two players start with the same number of bean bags on their side. Each child has to toss the bean bags over the rope, fence, chair, or any boundary, one at a time, as fast as they can. Whoever empties their side totally wins. Get ready for lots of giggles.
16. Trampoline Activity
Bean bag toss between two people while bouncing on a trampoline.
The games you can play safely with Bean Bags are endless. Just use a little imagination!
The games you can play safely with Bean Bags are endless. Just use a little imagination.
Benefits of Bean Bag Activities for Kids
In the ever-evolving world of children's entertainment, finding activities that seamlessly blend fun and developmental benefits can be a rewarding challenge for parents and caregivers. Bean bag games are a versatile and engaging pastime that go beyond their apparent simplicity.
Let's explore the plethora of advantages that bag games offer, making them an indispensable addition to your child's playtime routine.
VISUAL TRACKING
1. Improve Hand-Eye Coordination in Kids
Bean bag games actively enhance hand-eye coordination in kids as they learn to aim and throw the bags towards a target. This precision-based children’s activity sharpens visual tracking skills, fostering a connection between what the eyes perceive and the hands execute.
2. Improve Motor Coordination
The rhythmic motion of a toss game cultivates motor coordination. This fundamental skill is crucial for executing various physical activities and lays the groundwork for more complex movements as children grow.
3. Better Balance
Balancing acts during bean bag games strengthen a child's core muscles and improve overall balance. The subtle shifts and adjustments required while engaged in these activities contribute to the development of a stable foundation. By making the bags balance, they’re also learning to balance themselves!
4. Increase Spatial Awareness With Vestibular Sensory Input
Bean bag games provide vestibular sensory input, aiding in the development of spatial awareness in children. The gentle movements and changes in body position stimulate the vestibular system, promoting a better understanding of one's body in relation to the surrounding environment.
5. Help Children Find a Sense of Self With Proprioceptive Sensory Input
Engaging in bean bag activities offers proprioceptive sensory input, enhancing a child's awareness of their body's position and movement. This sensory feedback is invaluable for developing a sense of self and refining fine and gross motor skills.
6. Build Stamina and Endurance Through Play
Games with bean bags encourage continuous movement, contributing to the development of endurance in children. The playful nature of these activities keeps kids active, fostering a love for physical play that can carry into other aspects of their lives.
7. Tactile Input Helps Kids Explore Textures Through Play
The tactile experience of handling bean bags introduces children to different textures. This sensory exploration contributes to the development of touch sensitivity, an essential aspect of early childhood development.
8. Play Without Worries With Soft, Safe Toys
Bean bags, being soft and lightweight, offer a safe play option for children. Parents can rest easy knowing that these toys pose minimal risk of injury, allowing for carefree play both indoors and outdoors.
9. Indoor or Outdoor Game
The adaptability of bean bag games is a game-changer for parents. Whether rain or shine, these activities can seamlessly transition from indoor play on rainy days to outdoor adventures when the sun is shining, ensuring year-round fun.
10. Bridging Brain Hemispheres By Crossing Midline
Children’s activities with bean bags encourage the crossing of the midline, a crucial developmental skill. This bilateral movement helps bridge communication between the brain hemispheres, laying the foundation for more complex cognitive processes.
11. Bean Bags Do Not Roll Away
Unlike traditional balls, bean bags stay put after being tossed. This feature reduces frustration for children and parents alike, allowing for a more enjoyable and continuous play experience.
12. Decrease Frustration Tolerance
The nature of bean bag activities, with their forgiving and manageable dynamics, helps children build resilience and cope with challenges. The result? Decreased frustration tolerance and increased perseverance.
13. Improve Fine Motor Skills With Grasping and Releasing Practice
The simple act of grasping and releasing bean bags refines fine motor skills in young children, for both the right hand and left hand. This practice lays the groundwork for more intricate hand movements required in various daily tasks and future academic endeavors.
14. Can Be a Jump Start for Ball Activities
Bean bag games can serve as a gentle introduction to ball activities. As children gain confidence in their throwing and catching abilities, they can seamlessly transition to more complex ball games, building on the foundation laid by bean bag play.
Incorporating bean bag games into your child's routine isn't just about having fun; it's about nurturing holistic development through play. So, grab a set of Kozie Bean Bags, create a play area, and watch as your child revels in the joy of learning and growing through this timeless and versatile activity.
Why Use Kozie Bean Bags?
Each Kozie bean bag is made with two different sensory tactile materials and is filled with non-molding beads in a double pocket system for extra safety. All bags are also machine washable and made with visually pleasing colors!
Shop weighted bean bags now
Products You May Like:
