Inventory of My Possessions

Unit Activity

Assign each child to make an “inventory” of all the things he or she has at home that are not necessities. Clarify that food, clothing, and shelter are necessities of life for everyone. Have them list all the games, toys, and electronic devices they have. Instruct them to be thorough in their search.

Have the children bring their lists to the next session. Ask if they are surprised at how much “stuff” they actually possess. Then have them individually go through their lists to find things to trade or share with others. Perhaps some items will need repair or cleaning first. Together, decide on a way to share these items with others, perhaps at a day care, shelter, or nearby parish or school. Discuss how such sharing is an example of stewardship of God’s creation.

Talk about ways that reusing items helps protect the earth. Then see who can come up with the most ways to reuse a plastic bag (e.g., holding small toy pieces, cleaning up table scraps, lining wastebaskets, cleaning up behind pets), a brown paper bag (wrapping paper, mailing packages, covering books), cans (cleaning and using to hold pencils or small items), magazines (making collages or greeting cards, using pages as pictures to frame, sharing with others).

Photo by The Tire Zoo

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