Keeping children entertained and happy for a stretch of time at home while away from school routines can be a challenge. Consider the following few quick to sew games and activities.

Reading Pocket Pillow – a comforting special pillow with a pocket to slide in an age appropriate book is easy to sew using straight machine stitching. With sturdy flannel or soft lofty fleece and a purchased pillow form the reading pillow comes together easily. Cut the front and back covering fabric to the exact dimensions of the pillow form. No need to add seam allowances. The exact proportions will allow a snug wrinkle free fit on the pillow. Cut an additional fabric piece to be 1/2 (or 2/3rds if desired for a deeper pocket) in size of one of the cut pieces for the pocket. It may be best to use a lightweight iron on interfacing that can be fused onto the back of the pocket piece to give it some support if needed. Hem one edge of what will be the top of the pocket piece. Lay pocket piece right sides facing out onto the right sides of the front piece. Then stitch pocket to the front piece using a 1/4-inch seam on three sides having raw edges matching. Lay the pillow cover back piece over these two pieces so that right sides will face each other. Stitch around three sides using a ¼-inch seam. Turn, press. Insert pillow form and hand stitch remaining opening closed. Insert children’s book into pocket opening.

Sock Puppet – silly sock-like puppets are genuinely happy creatures and require little sewing. Using some fuzzy fleece or Minky fabric, sew a tube that will fit around a hand and down to nearly the elbow. Some pom pom balls, googly eyes and yarn hair usually are enough to complete a charming hand puppet. Cut out a circle from cardboard that will fit in one tube end to become a mouth. Glue a circle of felt onto the circle. Fold the cardboard circle in half, place in the tube end and roll the fabric around and up over the edge of the carboard and glue in place, leaving a portion of the circle visible to become the mouth. Glue or sew pom pom balls to the puppet’s head and glue googly eyes onto the pom poms. Add yarn for hair or make a ribbon bow tie to attach to the puppet. Of course a knee sock can be used to make the puppet as well. Just cut off the toe of the sock and insert the felt covered cardboard circle for the mouth and continue as above. Make more than one puppet for a Puppet Theater event!

Bean Bag Drops in the Bucket – an easy to make Drops in the Bucket game! children love to see bright primary colors for the bean bag drops such as red, blue, yellow and green. Fabric scrap savers may have these colors on hand either in solid or prints. All that is needed is about 12 eight-inch squares of scrap fabric. Also needed are either dry beans, rice, or other environmentally friendly pellet-like fillings plus one clean bucket will do.

Fashion a bean bag drop by stitching one square to another using a 1/4 inch seam leaving an opening for filling loosely with beans, rice or pellets and hand or machine stitch close. Six drops will be formed. Actually, any of a variety of dimensional sewn shapes could be chosen for the bean bag drops.

For simple play, mark a line one foot or more away from the empty container. The distance away will of course depend on challenging the child’s ability to throw the drops into the bucket and be successful most of the time. Use chalk on a sidewalk, or painter’s tape on carpet. Let the players toss the bags, one at a time into the bucket and record the number of bags or drops in the bucket for each player. The player who lands the most drops into the bucket wins!

Often a quick game to participate in or a quiet time with a book to read goes a long way to lift the spirits of a bored or anxious child.

Sew happy, sew inspired.