Lunch bags

One day, my son decided to go to bed early. It was one of those weird times when a child pretty much says, “Bye, I’m going to bed.” Then he yawns, then he disappears into the night. So, given this unexpected quiet time, I decided to make him a special lunch bag. I kept it hidden from him so that he’d have a surprise. At his summer day camp, each time there’s a field trip, parents are asked to pack lunch in a disposable bag. This way kids don’t have to lug their reusable stuff around onto a bus, off of a bus, and through whatever place they visit. This decorated bag was just something I did on a whim to give my son a little extra fun in his day.

 Then, the next week’s field trip rolled along. I decided that I’d do another bag.  This time, they were going to an art museum, so I decided to get just a bit more creative with the bag. This is when the bags started to get the attention of some of the folks at his camp.

 He loved it! The next field trip was to a science museum, so I decided to doodle some things on the bag that had something to do with science.

At this point, I wanted to make sure that the bags were as interesting to him as they were in the beginning. So, when they went to Euro Stars Gymnastics, I decided to draw him a gymnast, which became his favorite bag so far. 

 Carnival week, (each week has a theme) was fun, fun, fun to do. There were so many possibilities! 

 Alex is utterly obsessed with Harry Potter, making this bag fun….but, also, making this bag the one most likely to disappoint. This bag is probably the only one that came with expectations. Or maybe I was just a bit gun shy with this one because I still can’t get over the failed Harry Potter themed cake that I made him for one of his birthdays. I worried for nothing, though. This bag quickly exceeded the gymnast bag as Alex’s favorite.

Considering Alex’s Harry Potter love, I didn’t even really know where to go after that one. But the Kelsey Museum gave me some inspiration. 

The water park bag was fun…especially because I got to stick in a joke about what happens if someone pees in the water. However, it turns out that Alex didn’t get the joke. He thought the reference to green water was warning him against water with something rotten in it. Then, he schooled me, telling me that at the place where he went, peeing in the water would turn it purple. I’ll have to remember that for next time.

 The next field trip was at a park. There, they had some folks come in to do pirate activities with the kids.

 Alex would have his next adventure at a place called High Velocity Sports. Upon thinking about the trip, the balls theme came pretty quickly. This bag was very fun to make!

Finally, they got to go ice skating. Alex reported that he loved this bag, and that he had a great time ice skating. I meant to take him ice skating this past year, so I’m particularly glad he got to go this summer.I’m so glad I did these bags this summer. I think that it is going to be one of those things that he remembers for a while. He’s saved so many of them, which I find heart-crushingly sweet. Finishing that last bag reminds me that the school year begins very soon. I wonder what I’ll do to make the most of it.