“IT’S IN THE BAG”
CREATIVE IDEAS USING LUNCH SACKS

TREE
Materials: lunch sack
Directions: Tear down four strips from the top of the lunch sack half way down. Open the lunch sack, grab in the middle, and twist. Fluff up strips to look like branches on a tree.
Adaptations: Make a “letter tree” by writing letters and words on the strips.
Tear orange, yellow, red construction paper into little pieces and glue on the branches to make an autumn tree.
Twist strips to look like a deciduous tree in the winter. Use a sponge to add white paint to the branches. Sprinkle with iridescent glitter.
To make a spring tree, tear little pieces of pink or white tissue paper. Wad up, dip in glue, place on branches.

NEST
Materials: lunch sack
Directions: Open the sack. Slowly roll out and down. As you squish towards the bottom it will resemble a nest.
Adaptations: Let children glue strips of yarn, string, or other collage materials to their nests.
Take a nature walk and collect leaves and straw to glue to the nest.
Let children make birds from construction paper for their nests.

HOUSE
Materials: lunch sack, construction paper, markers, newspaper, glue, stapler
Directions: Let children decorate the bottom of the sack to look like a house. Tear up a sheet of newspaper and stuff in the sack. Fold over the top of the sack and staple on a roof made out of construction paper.
Adaptations: Turn a sack upside down and let children make a building on it. Take a second sack and stuff with newspaper. Insert the first sack over the second sack to make a stand-up building. Use these houses and buildings for props in the block center.

BASKET
Materials: lunch sack, stapler
Directions: Tear down from the sides of the sack until you reach the bottom flap. Tear off the two sides. Open the lunch sack. Staple ends of the middle strip to create a handle for the basket.
Adaptations: Use baskets for nature walks, a popcorn party, a May basket, as a mailbox, etc.
Hide magnetic letters around the classroom. Let children “hunt” for the letters and put them in their baskets. Can they make any words with the letters they find?

KITE
Materials: lunch sack, markers, string, tissue paper, glue
Directions: Color designs on the lunch sack. Cut a 1 ½” circle from the bottom of the sack. Glue tissue paper streamers to the bottom of the sack. Punch holes in the side of the sack and attach a string as shown.

PUPPET
Materials: lunch sack, construction paper scraps, markers, crayons, glue
Directions: Stick your hand in the bottom of the sack. Wiggle it around and think about what it could be. Decorate the bottom flap of the sack for the head. Add arms, legs, tails, ears, and other details with construction paper and crayons.
Adaptations: Offer children yarn, fabric scraps, wiggly eyes, and other craft supplies to decorate their puppets. Tie in puppets with stories, songs, poems, and other literacy experiences.

MR. TURKEY
Materials: lunch sack construction paper scraps
Directions: Draw stripes with crayons or markers down the sides of the sack. Cut down 6” on the strips. Wad up a sheet of construction paper and stick it in the bottom of the sack. Twist the top of the bag and tie with a pipe cleaner. Add a head and dangly feet as shown.