Instructions

Begin by reading aloud a book about poop, such as Everyone Poops!, or searching for great songs or videos about poop on youtube. There are some funny ones and this will set the mood.

Make a loose parts digestive tract together out of found objects from around the house. Google how many feet long your intestines are and see if you can create it with real dimensions. You can have each family member claim one or more part(s) of the tract: mouth, esophagus, liver, stomach, gall bladder, large intestine, small intestine, rectum and anus). They can search the house for things that remind them of that body part, and then come together to build the model.

Here are some photos of examples of parts and of a full representation:

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Make a batch of poop: 

Now it’s time for everyone to make their own play poop!

Pour desired amount of cereal (food being digested) into ziploc baggie (stomach)

Seal bag, making sure the air has been removed. Using your hands to represent stomach muscles, crush the cereal into small bits. You may have to work hard at this and pound it and squish it, or bang it with a hammer or meat tenderizer. This is a great activity to get out pent up anger and energy. You can all imagine something you are mad at and visualize how wonderful it feels to pulverize the cereal.

Pour different amounts of warm water (representing stomach juice) into baggies depending on what kind of poop you are trying to make (hard stool, diarrhea, etc.)

Seal baggie

Mash cereal and water mixture with hands (aka stomach muscles)

Cut small hole in corner of baggie

Have child squeeze “poop” into dish, crafted toilet, diaper, or actual toilet. If they have to squeeze very hard, that is what it feels like when they are constipated. If the poop is very watery, well there is always this wonderful song!

Experiment with different ingredients and have fun with it!

Activity Tips When Doing with Kids:

• Kids who are wheelchair bound often have bowel issues. This is great for them!
• You can set up group medical play with diapered dolls. In each diaper you can put a variety of items that mimic constipation (tootsie rolls), diarrhea (pudding) and urine (yellow food coloring).  Then have kids change the diapers. It generates great conversations about poop.
• After making poop with kids you can have a poop parade to flush it down the toilet.
• Video record the process and speed up the video with time lapse feature for some laughter after the fact.