Kiddie Book Club, at our house

Our playgroup is so fun! For over a year now we've been doing a monthly event called "Kiddie Book Club". Each month one mom coordinates it, picking a book and a theme and the kids always have a great time. I've been wanting to host for a while, and I knew without a doubt what my theme would be--garbage and recycling! We have so many books on the topic that I couldn't even pick just one.

I decided to host at my house, because I really like having people over. We have a small house, but in some ways that makes it more cozy. We were in the middle of home renovations when everyone came last week (I'll post pictures of all our improvements as soon as we get done!) but I was just hoping everyone understood the chaos and mess.

First the kids arrived at our house and got to play with all of Aaron's garbage trucks in his room. He had gotten them all out and separate from his other trucks and I think there were at least 8 garbage/recycling trucks. The moms had a fun time too!



Next we had a snack of apples and bananas while I told the kids about the different materials you can recycle and reuse. Aaron was so funny because he stood up next to me and started taking over the lesson, telling the kids about recycling "alumimum". I even shared that we could take our apple cores and banana peels and start a compost pile, and it would turn into dirt! The kids got really wide eyes when I told them that. How cool! (And now Aaron really wants us to get a composter!)

Then I read our books. I had several out, but ended up reading:

Trash (Matchbox book)...this one has bits of information about the different ways the pick up the trash and how they compact it.

I Stink...the kids, and moms, were cracking up laughing at this one. The garbage truck has an attitude, and eats a nasty "alphabet soup", including "Puppy Poo" and "Rotten radishes". Yuck!

Trashy Town...which Aaron and Claire helped me recite. I think all kids love this book!

Next the kids played a recycling game. Aaron had helped me set up 4 boxes at one end of the living room, and he labeled them Plastic, Paper, Aluminum, and Reuse. I had a garbage bag full of recyclables and the kids lined up, pulled an item from the bag, and ran to throw it in the right box. They seemed to have a fun time with this game, especially the running across the room part!

Finally we had craft time. I had lots of recyclable and reusable materials set out and several ideas of crafts the kids could make--a drum, a shaker instrument, a little cardboard house, egg-carton flowers in a toilet paper roll vase... I was so amazed at the kids' and moms' creativity as they got started!

Some of the sample crafts:


Aaron saw my Family Fun magazine opened to an article about how to build an entire fire station play set with recycled materials. He was ENAMORED and wanted to build it all! Right now! I was hostessing and trying to keep Claire from whining, so I kept telling him I would help him when everyone left. He got tired of that and decided that Mrs. Amy could help him build it. He sat next to her talking her ear off about it until they finally rigged up a hoopty fire truck out of an egg carton, some pipe cleaners, and a couple of paper towel rolls. Thanks Amy!!


Claire enjoyed coloring with markers at craft time!


After everyone was gone, I asked the kids about their favorite part. Claire said, "Playing with Emma Kate." (They had played with her doll house while the boys did other things!) Aaron liked the recycling game the best. Then he told me wants to open a "Trash to Treasure Museum". This boy has some ambitions!