Pack Your Bag!
Choice Making With Everyday Bags
(EI-TVI version)

Caregiver PDF

EI-TVI PDF

This learning experience is inspired by a hot-pink, sparkly, furry purse that one of our parents gave their very young daughter who was visually impaired. The purse was a big hit! Not only was the color and texture appealing, but the purse also offered so many choice-making opportunities about what goes inside it or be taken out. The caregiver and their daughter could also talk about how many things were in the purse and whether the purse was light or heavy. Of course, a purse is very practical because it holds important things like money and car keys.

No matter what trip you’re going on – to school, the store, Grandma’s house, or a vacation – you always pack a bag, whether it’s your purse, “murse,” backpack, or suitcase. Who knew a little pink purse had so much power to teach all these concepts?

You don’t need a purse for this learning experience either. Any bag or container will work, but it’s easier if it’s your child’s favorite.

Objectives

• Learn to communicate by choosing what goes inside the purse or can be taken out of the purse.
• Use all the senses to explore the purse and its contents.
• Develop concept awareness such as light/heavy, full/empty, fill/dump, in/out.
• Practice counting skills and sequencing as you and your child fill the purse or take things out. Do you put the keys in first or last?

Expanded Core Curriculum Areas Supported

• Self-Determination: Packing a purse or other bag teaches choice-making skills.
• Sensory Efficiency: Use senses to explore, understand, and gain information about the purse, the contents in the purse, and the weight of the purse when it’s empty or full.
• Recreation and Leisure: A purse, “murse,” backpack, suitcase, or other bag is needed for many leisure activities to hold belongings; it can also be used for pretend play.
• Orientation and Mobility: Carrying a purse or other bag teaches body awareness because you use various parts of your body to carry one. When you’re not holding a purse, where do you keep it in your home? Where do you go when you carry your purse?
• Independent Living Skills: Purses, wallets, backpacks, suitcases, and even lunch boxes are part of daily life; every day we pack a bag to do an activity, whether it’s going to school, the store, an appointment, or someone else’s house.
• Social Skills: Bonding and communicating with caregiver during the activity.
• Compensatory Skills: Developing tactile skills and concept awareness are important pre-reading skills to prepare for learning braille.
• Career Education: No matter what career you will have some day, you will pack a purse, briefcase, backpack, or other bag and choose what items to bring with you for your job.
  

Everyday Routines Supported

This activity supports preparing to leave the home for an outing, whether it’s going to school, an appointment, the store, someone else’s house, or a vacation. The activity also supports pretend play.

Suggested Next Steps to Use This Activity With Caregiver and Child

1. Discuss activity with caregiver to determine appropriateness and relevancy to family.
2. Send the caregiver version of the activity to the caregiver.
3. Remind the primary caregiver one to two days before the home/virtual visit to gather the materials needed.
4. Introduce the activity, discuss the objectives, and provide an overview of the possible steps.
5. Be prepared to break down the activities into a smaller subset as the child and family may not have the time or tolerance to complete all activities.
6. After completing this activity, consider extension activities that may be appropriate and relevant to the family.