G is for Grocery Store! We have been playing grocery store/shop because our local supermarket has a promotion where you receive mini branded toys(lifelike mini groceries) to collect. And it is awesome! I already have a few ideas on how to use these minis for other learning activities, but for today I’ll share how we set up shop-reusing an old computer stand, and how we played grocery shop as part of our A-Z Play at Home Series!
This old computer stand served as a computer stand, then as a tv stand and now it is just a white elephant in the room. But, it is perfect to be a mini store! I added a box and fabric and made a roof.
Then, I placed white cardboard on the shelves so that the minis won’t fall through. Prices(real ones cut from the advertising paper) were stuck on there too. You can however, add prices to each item if you want to work on counting/mathematical concepts(working with money), that type of learning activity. (We kept it simple and just played this time, focusing more on the type of groceries and what cost more or less the same. You can organize the groceries according to properties: cold items together, toiletries together etc.)
This box where we like to keep our groceries and it is categorized, naturally ? (This is great categorization practice.)
We played with a card this time, paying with a card that is. We use cards in everyday life more often nowadays, right? We will use real money next time.
A little basket was added and real plastic grocery bags for packing, together with a toy till. I added the real advertising paper to round it off. The kids can find the advertised products and match it to a mini toy(working in visual discrimination).
My 7 year old and 4.5 year old took turn being the cashier and the shopper, they even let Mommy play too!(social skills at work here)
Such fun pretend play activity! Even if this grocery store pretend play activity was unstructured, learning still happened.
South African friends: Keep an eye out for a post that will show different ways to use these mini groceries toys in a more structured way. Coming soon!
In the meantime, check these G activities out!
Green Color Day Activities By Bambini Travel
Garden ABC Letter Hunt By The Gingerbread House
Guess my Number By Adventures and Play
Goodnight Gorilla Tip Toe Activity By Line Upon Line Learning
I started by clearing out some of our toys from the playroom. In the past, I have done this in a bedroom and kitchen. In a bedroom, I used the low bed for main aisles/ produce section. In the kitchen, I used a shelf on an island. It doesn’t matter what you use it matters if it’s in their line of sight.
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