making a marshmallow bag

Published January 4, 2009 by Nancy

A marshmallow bag is a great addition to a playroom. It’s softer than a bean bag and has a satisfying bounce.

We don’t have ours anymore. As the kids got older, we tried to find a home for it.

We heard a chorus of “What’s a marshmallow bag?”

Sigh. So in the end, I took it apart and put the pieces out in the trash.

If you’d like to make one, here is how we did it.

What you need

2 old cotton sheets, double size

2 old flannel sheets, double size

6 garbage bags filled with scraps of foam

a utility knife and sewing machine

velcro tabs

Where to get them

Buy the old sheets at a used clothing store. Remember, this is for a plaything, so they just have to be usable.

Call an upholstery shop and explain that you are looking for used scraps of upholstery foam to make a therapeutic mat for a young child. Some shop staff don’t want to be bothered, so make them understand you are only asking for scraps that they would throw out. You should be able to get them for free.

The scraps will come in various sizes and shapes, some of them yellowing. Take whatever there is, enough to fill six garbage bags. Bring tape or twist ties to close the bags (you can squish the foam down). Don’t try to fill anything larger than a garbage bag because the bags have to fit in your car.

Making the marshmallow bag

1. Sew the cotton sheets together inside out. Leave an 18-inch (45 cm) opening at one end. Flip it rightside out. This is the bag for your “marshmallows.”

2. Sew the flannel sheets the same way, except leave one entire end open. Sew the velcro tabs along this end. This is your washable cover.

3. Dump the foam scraps onto an uncarpeted floor. Using the utility knife, cut them into brick-size or smaller chunks. Pile them into the flannel bag until everything is in. Really stuff it because it packs down over time.

4. Sew it closed (a challenge because of the weight and bulk, but if there’s a will, there’s a way).

5. Insert the marshmallow bag into the cover and velcro the cover closed.

Set the marshmallow bag near some jumping toys, such as an old mattress. The kids will jump, climb, roll, and play in it and get a good sensory workout.