Kid’s Book Club: Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Have you ever read "Bartholomew and the Oobleck" by Dr. Seuss? This is a must-have book. It's a sweet story that opens the door for several conversations about admitting we are wrong when we're at fault, and accepting that we don't need to (and can't) control everything.

Bartholomew and the Oobleck

Another main reason we love this book is because of Oobleck! Oobleck is so simple to make. We have memories of making and playing with Oobleck while we were growing up. Now, our kids love to play with it too.

This makes for a super simple book club that is memorable, fun, and has a great lesson.

Picture books are fun and have different elements to study than chapter books. This makes book clubs a bit different. Adding variety to our book club group makes each experience shine and it helps to include interests of all ages.

When we do our book clubs, we include all the cousins. There is a big age range! So, adding in a variety of styles of books and genres helps keep the attention of all.

There are all sorts of ways to enjoy picture books.

• You can focus on the illustrations. How do they tell the story?
• You can dive deeper into the style of writing. Is there poetry? Rhyming? Any metaphors?
• You can focus on vocabulary. Why did the author choose to use specific words or phrases?
• You can simply focus on the message portrayed by the author. What lesson can we learn from the main character?

There are other ways to take a deep dive into picture books, but we like to focus on these few while creating book clubs. This way our book clubs stay educational but enjoyable to all.

Throwing a book club for your kids couldn’t be easier. To assist in making this possible we have created a book club outline and activity sheet. You can grab the “Bartholomew and the Oobleck” book club here. Then you can host your own book club with your kids.

Any group will do! Invite the neighborhood kids over. Host a book club for all of the cousins, like us. Use this book club as an activity for church activity days or scout groups. As long as you have enough time to hold a discussion and make Oobleck, you can host this book club on any day, with any group! It’s fun and easy.

Additionally, in this book club bundle, you can find discussion questions. These questions are designed to help you lead a discussion about the message of the story. They will also help your readers think deeply about the story and apply the lessons to themselves. With a fun story with such an important message, we find this book club so meaningful.

To get your hands on our Bartholomew and the Oobleck book club guide showcased in this blog, simply download it using the button below. For immediate access, subscribe to our newsletter by filling out the form provided. As a new subscriber, we will occasionally sprinkle your inbox with other fun family ideas, along with complimentary printables that have been released! Already subscribed? Just enter your email address below and click download without worries of being 'resubscribed' or receiving additional emails.

Now, to the activities! For this book club, we made Oobleck. Oobleck is easy to make and the kids LOVE it. We even love to play for a while (as adults). We love that Oobleck behaves like both a solid and a liquid. The kids will play with this for ages.

Here’s how you can make and enjoy Oobleck with your little ones.

• 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• Food coloring (optional)

First, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients. You’ll need water, cornstarch, and food coloring (if you choose to add some color to your Oobleck). We like to use green, but any color will do. You can also skip the food coloring if you prefer to keep things simple and mess-free. Food coloring may dye hands or clothes.

Next, mix your ingredients together. If you’re using food coloring, add a few drops to the water before mixing it with the cornstarch.

Pour the cornstarch into a bowl. Then add the water. Mix everything together until the consistency is just right. It should be hard to stir but still flow when you let it sit. Encourage your kids to use their hands for mixing; it’s a fantastic sensory experience!

Now for the fun part—playing with your Oobleck! Encourage your kids to stretch, roll, and manipulate the Oobleck. Notice how it feels solid when they squeeze it but flows like a liquid when they release it. This unique texture makes Oobleck a fascinating material for sensory play.

With simple activities, throwing a kids’ book club couldn’t be easier. All you need is an afternoon! We love hosting these with our kids and hope you will too. We hope that you enjoy putting together a great event that is not only fun but educational too.

Using books to teach your children is such a memorable way to encourage those difficult lessons. (Such as kindness.)

We have found that not only do we enjoy this, but our kids do too! We can’t wait to see what you create!

If you are looking for another meaningful book club, check out our “The Hundred Dresses” by Eleanor Estes. It was one of our favorites!

What are some of your favorite books that have great lessons?

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