Program in a Post: Build Your Own Belching Arena!

With this blog post and $30 you can have kids in your library belching, farting, making poop and all of the other totally disgusting things that adults are usually asking them to please stop doing.

Room setup: Open house style with stations for each of the activities:

• Belching Arena: We used stanchions (chairs and ribbon would work) to block off a corner of the room and put up “Belching Arena” signs. In the middle we placed a table with a supply of dixie cups and root beer. Surprisingly, this was the most popular event in the room and we had some real world class belchers show their stuff. ($5)
• Fart Zone: This area was also created with stanchions and “Fart Zone” signs. One kid asked, “Fart Zone? What are we supposed to do over there? Oh! I know!” and then he ran over to get started. Another very popular, though stinky, attraction. ($0)
• Poop Making: With a few common pantry items we created beautiful examples of excrement. While everything we used was edible, these were not meant to be treats, but mere artifacts. Many a kid left the program proudly carrying fake feces on a plate. The recipe is not mine to share, but you can find it in Hands On Grossology by Sylvia Branzei. ($11)
• Gross Out: Hidden under paper grocery bags with holes cut in the bottom were six  disgusting tubs of stuff for kids to feel: vomit (1/2 can of beefaroni, 2 containers of butterscotch pudding, 1/2 can creamed corn), scabs (slivered almonds), maggots & flies (rice and raisins), brains (cooked fettuccine), and bloody guts (fettuccine & maraschino cherries). We also had hand wipes at this station for cleaning the vomit off ($10).
• Identify the Poop: Here we had the classic baby shower game of melted candy bars in diapers for kids to try to identify. ($4 for candy bars. If you don’t have diapers handy, you can just melt the candy bars on a paper plate and add a clump of toilet paper for a classy touch.)
• Color the Vomit: We put out coloring sheets, a sign that said “What did HE eat? Color in the vomit with your favorite foods” and crayons. ($0 if you have a printer and crayons on hand.)

We also put a selection of gross books on display, so the kids could take home more repulsive fun.

Sixty kids and grown ups came to the hour long open house to belch, color, create, squeal, laugh and have a good time. Our program supplies were $30, but as you can see from the list above, it is a scalable program and there are plenty of fun things you can do for $0-$10. I am happy to share the signs I created with you if you would like try any of these activities.