Flights booked? Road trip planned? Friend’s wedding to attend with kids? Wondering how to occupy your littles?
As parents, we’re always looking for ways to entertain and/or distract our kids from long waits in the doctor’s surgery, long flights abroad, long journeys in the car and so on and so on. So, what if the answer came tied up in a bag already packed full of ways to keep the boredom at bay?
Laura is the creator of the Very Busy Bag and no doubt, every parent’s new best friend once they read this and discover the “hack” that’s about to make their lives a whole lot less stressful…
TLH: tell us a little bit more about you.
LN: I was a fashion buyer for 10 years before I had my son Jasper and moved into the child care industry. I’ve been nannying for five years now. Changing careers was one of the best things I could have done. I adore spending time with children and am very passionate about their learning development.
TLH: what was the trigger to thinking up and subsequently launching Very Busy Bags?
LN: Working so closely with kids every day, I saw a gap in the market for on-the-go activity bags. My ex-husband and I separated last year and it gave me the push and drive to do something new and something that I felt passionate about. Starting this business gave me my confidence back. In my wildest dreams, I never expected it to grow so organically and I’m so incredibly grateful for everyone’s support.
TLH: how have you marketed your bags?
LN: I’m pretty lucky, I have two sisters in marketing so I’ve been able to get some fantastic advice from them. My biggest marketing tool has been Instagram. I’ve gifted a few great Insta-Mums and influencers who have been my greatest support.
TLH: each bag is designed according to age or need (ie. long trip, sick kid etc), how have you researched what to fill each bag with?
LN: I’ve done loads of research into each of the age groups and tested the products on a wide range of kids. Kids are really honest and will tell you straight up how they feel about something. When I give a new product to my son or my niece or a friends baby, I’ll know pretty quickly if it’s a winner.
TLH: where do you source the contents for your bags?
LN: I have a load of different suppliers from around Australia. My priority with Very Busy Bag is to have quality, re-usable and entertaining products.
TLH: what has the response from parents been like?
LN: It’s been overwhelming!!! My followers and customers are extremely supportive and give me the greatest feedback. As a parent myself, when you see your child happy and engaged in an activity, it’s so rewarding. The parents are also getting an element of surprise when they open the bags. They often tell me that they normally wouldn’t have bought a particular toy for their child and are amazed at how their little one responds to something new.
TLH: what are the top three failsafe items (in your opinion) that are guaranteed to hold a child’s attention on a long haul flight or long car journey?
LN: 1. The water-magic book is a must have!!! Take it anywhere, mess free and completely re-usable!
2. Animal Balloon Buddy. It’s such a fun novelty toy but here’s a great trick and one of the main reasons I include them in Very Busy Bag. They unblock your kid’s ears. When you’re on that long car ride or flight and your child’s ears start to hurt, pass them one of the Balloon Buddy’s. Blowing up the balloon will naturally unblock their ears and also keep them distracted with something really fun. Once again, these are re-usable so eliminating single use plastic.
3. Activity/Sticker Book – you can’t go wrong with one of these at any age!
TLH: how important is it for you to keep the contents of the bags unisex?
LN: There’s no such thing as a boy and girls toy. Kids are naturally drawn to what interests them. As long as it’d fun, entertaining and interesting, kids will love it and want to engage.
TLH: how do you balance your business with motherhood?
LN: As the infamous Dr Seuss said “So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.”
It’s all about balance. Jasper is my number one priority in life and everything I do, I do for him. I want him to see that hard work pays off. He loves Very Busy Bag and loves seeing and testing out all the new product. It’s a pretty fun business to work on with him by my side.
TLH: what 5 key items would we find in your bag?
LN:
1. Pawpaw ointment
2. Hair brush
3. Perfume
4. Very Busy Bag flyers
5. Chupa Chupa lolly pop – for those emergency tantrums
TLH: what’s next for Very Busy Bags?
LN: The sky’s the limit! Looking at launching more travel products and specialised Very Busy Bags. I’ve got some really exciting ones that I’m researching into at the moment that I can’t wait to share with everyone.
About Laura
Mum to one, Laura, is the brains behind the Very Busy Bag. With a background in childcare, Laura wanted to offer fellow parents a solution to the universal struggle that comes with occupying kids, particularly in small confined spaces. From long haul flights to car journeys to meeting new siblings for the first time, the Very Busy Bag serves all those occasions with a bag full of screen-free fun and entertainment.