Patterning:
Make your own pattern cards to use with chain links, pony beads, bears,lacing beads, or unifix cubes. You can create pattern cards in Microsoft Excel, or print some blank ones from here. Just color them in with crayons or markers, or fill them and print them in color, if you have that option.
Other great (and cheap) materials for DIY beads: noodles (you can color them yourself) and straws! Cut drinking straws to the length you want for your beads. And they come in neon colors, too!
Lego bricks are also great for patterning, and you can find pattern cards here.
Make your own pattern cards to use with chain links, pony beads, bears,lacing beads, or unifix cubes. You can create pattern cards in Microsoft Excel, or print some blank ones from here. Just color them in with crayons or markers, or fill them and print them in color, if you have that option.
Other great (and cheap) materials for DIY beads: noodles (you can color them yourself) and straws! Cut drinking straws to the length you want for your beads. And they come in neon colors, too!
Lego bricks are also great for patterning, and you can find pattern cards here.
Find printable pom-pom pattern cards here.
Erasers- I found packs of shaped erasers at the Dollar General, then scanned them so I could print out patterns to use. i also have a set with sports erasers.
Foam shapes- I used foam shapes to make these 3D pictures to recreate, and to make the fill-in-the-pattern card.
Erasers- I found packs of shaped erasers at the Dollar General, then scanned them so I could print out patterns to use. i also have a set with sports erasers.
Foam shapes- I used foam shapes to make these 3D pictures to recreate, and to make the fill-in-the-pattern card.
Tangrams- print tangram cards here and/or here, or make your own by tracing and coloring, or using a styrofoam plate. Trace the outside of the picture on a styrofoam plate and cut out with an exact-o knife or box cutter. You can also place another plate under the cut one, with a piece of construction paper in-between.
Visual Discrimination- Color in one side of a ping-pong ball with a Sharpie, and create your own cards to place in the top of the egg carton, showing different ways to turn the balls to make it match.
Visual Discrimination- Color in one side of a ping-pong ball with a Sharpie, and create your own cards to place in the top of the egg carton, showing different ways to turn the balls to make it match.
Sorting- I had several Memory games that were missing too many pieces to play anymore. I let the kids use them for sorting, either by topic (shown- Things We Eat, Things We Don't Eat) or by letting them free-sort and seeing what they come up with.
Shape Sticks- Not really a busy bag, but I love using them for transitions. I hand them out to all the kids, and use them to pick students. "If you have a rhombus, you may go pick a center." "If you have a red circle, you may line up." I found these foam shapes at the Dollar Tree, and glued them on popsicle sticks.
Shape Sticks- Not really a busy bag, but I love using them for transitions. I hand them out to all the kids, and use them to pick students. "If you have a rhombus, you may go pick a center." "If you have a red circle, you may line up." I found these foam shapes at the Dollar Tree, and glued them on popsicle sticks.