Bartering Market

Our co-op group had its Christmas party and Bartering Market on Tuesday. The kids were supposed to bring twenty items to trade with everyone. The ideas for items ranged from ornaments, crafts, and yummy treats, to McDonalds toys from the bottom of the toy box. I am not even kidding. Lots of kids made their items by hand, and lots of kids cleaned out the toy box. So there was a wide range of things to choose from to barter for. Since we had never participated, we decided to make hot chocolate mix and marshmallow stirring sticks. Here are Andrew and Coleman working on the stirring sticks.



Andrew measured out the mix very carefully.


We took our packages to the market on Tuesday afternoon. Here are Andrew and Jonathan set up and ready to barter!



The kids walked around to different tables to see what they might like to trade in a five minute preview time. Then, the fun began. Here's Andrew offering a trade to a bigger boy.



Some trades were successful, some not. The rule is that you practice compassionate capitalism. If you truly do not want to trade, you don't have to. But you do have to be kind and polite. Most of the kids did a great job. I think our cocoa and marshmallows were a big hit.



After the market, we watched a short movie that one class had written, directed, and produced this semester. It was hilarious. Andrew, Coleman, and Jonathan were mesmerized the whole time. Then we had refreshments.



It was a really fun party with our new friends. Here are Andrew and Coleman with their trades. Andrew was most excited about trading for a NERF missile gun. We had lost one just like it, but he still had a missile and was thrilled when he saw the gun on that table. Coleman's favorite trade was a red and blue gun. And even Jonathan got to trade some cocoa for two little cars that he liked.