Preparedness Fridays: Barney Bag

Okay, so I realize you’re probably thinking…first it was the muppets with paper towels and no Barney has relation to preparedness?!  Well if you’re a mom of young kids you’ll need a Barney bag in your car!  What is a Barney bag you are asking?  Well on the show, Barney had a magic bag that the kids would pull things out of.  What is the need for one in your car?

WHY YOU NEED A BARNEY BAG

  1. you never know when you may be stranded (flat tire, etc.) and you’ll need to entertain the kids,
  2. have you ever been in a restaurant, doctors office, etc. and wish you had more to entertain your kids?
  3. since it should also have water, snacks, and a change of clothes-it pretty much prepares you for anything!

I started carrying one in my car about 6 months ago and I can not tell you how many times it has come in handy-especially since we don’t have a fancy way of having our kids watch tv in the car.  I bought everything in the car (minus the outfit-that is from a thrift store) from the $1, even the bag itself!

THE RULES FOR THE BARNEY BAG

  1. everything has to stay IN THE CAR and
  2. everything goes back in the bag on your way out of the car.

WHAT TO INCLUDE IN YOUR BARNEY BAG

Here are some ideas you may want to have in your Barney Bag (This also makes for a great, creative Christmas idea)

  1. Toys
  2. Books
  3. Puzzles
  4. Snacks
  5. Water/Drink
  6. Change of clothes
  7. Wipes
  8. Diapers (if you’re in that stage of life)
  9. Clorox wipes
  10. Febreeze (if you have a kid who throws up in the car like I do-this is a MUST!)

LOOKING FOR ANOTHER GREAT CHRISTMAS IDEA?

© 2011, Crystal. All rights reserved.

  • Jody

    Great Idea!  Love the Barney Bag!!!  Then maybe my car wouldn’t look so trashed all the time.  Because we never pick up (or have somewhere to put it and keep adding things to the car!)   I would even put a trash can in car.  When you get out your trash goes there and the stuff goes back into your bag.  I think each kid should have there own Barney Bag!  Love the idea!!!  Even if you do have dvd in your car it doesn’t alway need to be on.  Your always finding you wish you would of brought more stuff….*My kids have their own church bag.  Thank you again for the wonderful idea.  Christmas is right around the corner.

  • Ndyoung01

    Will you post a picture of your bag? 

  • Rita

    Wow !  This post is so timely but I need a Barney Bag to use in a completely different situation and I am using your list to build one.  I don’t have children but recently volunteered to take care of a 3 year old when mom had a medical emergency.  Well, the Barney Bag would have been a wonderful tool to help me in entertaining this little one.  I had to improvise but I would like to be better prepared.  Thanks for such a wonderful idea.

    -Rita

  • Ctdaffodil

    We have one and my kids are 10&12. Ours has deck of cards, blisters dice game, small note book and pencils with a sharpener, extra boys scout book found at a tag sale, word find book from dollar tree, old copies of boys life magazine, these save my sanity too , para cord they can practice knots, spare clothes, diaper wipes and cleanup wipes, tennis ball, spare baseball hats and sunscreen wipes. My hubby gets annoyed sometimes with the bag but it has saved many an outing with unexpected wait times