Take Home Book Bag for Preschool

I am so excited, I have meant to create a take-home book bag for my classroom for years, and I have finally done it. The whole point of this book bag is to encourage families to read together. My students are all 2.5-3 years old, and the last thing I want to do is send home homework, but as an early childhood professional, I recognize the importance of creating strong ties between home and school. A take-home book bag is a perfect way to create this foundation while encouraging early literacy in your students’ homes.

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How To Make A Book Bag For Preschool

Gather your materials. You will need a canvas bag, some fabric paint, a book, an instruction sheet for parents ( I have a copy with no bumblebee for you here), and a stuffed buddy to read to. You may also want to laminate the instruction sheet, in which case you’ll need a laminator too. 

My assistant teacher painted the bumblebee ( our class is the Bumblebees) and the words “BOOK BAG” on the canvas tote.

I found a SUPER snuggly bumblebee for my students to snuggle while they read.

I wrote out some reading tips for parents and laminated it. Print yours without the bumblebee here. 

Pop everything in, and your book bag is ready!

 

How To Use The Book Bag For Preschool

 

Introduce the bag to your students, explaining that the stuffed animal LOVES books; they must be read to every night because they love books so much. Tell them that the stuffed animal will get to go home with one special friend each night and it’s that friend’s responsibility to read to the stuffed animal and take care of him.

Introduce the book bag and stuffed animal to parents as well. Here is the copy of the email I sent parents about our book bag:

Hello Families,

I am very excited to introduce a new Bumblebee to our classroom, this bumblebee isn’t a child, it’s a stuffed bumblebee named B who you will get a chance to meet when your child is Child of the Day. B comes with a special book for you to read to your child along with instructions/reading pointers as well. All you really need to do though is snuggle up with your child, B, and the book and read. Then pack it all up and send it back to school so another child can have their turn.

Our hope is to introduce some new books, make reading a fun event, and give you and your child some special time together.

Best,
Ms.Allie

 

For more ways to communicate with families, check out this post!