i spy bag

We're getting geared up for our big trek to Arizona. We are really, really looking forward to being there (and especially seeing everyone!), but not looking forward to the getting there part. It ends up being over 12 hours of travel each way with the layovers and plane changes. Crrrazy idea with a two year old. I'm just hoping that flying on a plane sounds like his idea of a good time that day - which lucky for us he loves most of the time. He is quite the experienced traveler and knows that plane rides lead to some fun.

So, to get geared up I'm trying to come up with a bag of tricks that I can use on the plane and while we're away to keep Aiden happy and occupied. One crafty project that I'd been wanting to try was the I Spy bag. I came up with my own DIY version with the leg of a pair of overalls that had the strap chewed up in the washer.

Pant legs are double triple reinforced so at least the pellets won't make their way out of those side seams. My squirreling-away-everything-for-future-crafts also paid off when it came to the flexible vinyl. I used a vinyl piece from the packaging of Aiden's big boy undies.
Ignore my messy double stitching. Above you see it stitched and then reversed below:
I filled it with a big assortment of little teeny tiny toys (mostly plastic animals and little food erasers). J liked pointing out that it is a great way to collect all those tiny toys that scatter all over the house into one fun toy. Here are all the pellets hiding the toys that are ready to be "spied":
These little plastic pellets are sold at the craft store by the stuffing, but you could also use rice or little beans. I was looking for light and easy to carry in the airport and I think the plastic pellets will be lighter than the rice or beans.

I couldn't help but show it to him now - I had to double check he liked it, right?! But hopefully it will be a new and different fun toy to play with on the plane... Maybe the pushing, shaking, squeezing, and spying will buy us an hour?