To a toddler most everyday chores can be made into a game, and grocery shopping is one of them.

Shopping with young kids can be split into 3 parts.

Making your shopping list

Get a piece of paper and a pen and walk around the kitchen with your toddler.

Saying, “Do we need some more carrots?” and looking to see. If you do, put them on the list. Soon enough you will have a list to go shopping with.

My advice would be to stick to items in the fridge, freezer, store cupboard and fruit and veg. It’s not a good idea to discuss bleach and where it is kept with your toddler!

At the shops

Ask your toddler if carrots were put on the list, and where they are in the shop. You can ask how many carrots you need, and they can help put them in a bag.

While in the fruit and veg section you can see how many items they recognise or can find.

The same can be done to find ‘their favourite cereal’ or ‘which milk do you drink?’

Putting away the shopping

Once at home with the shopping you can ask where different items go. I was surprised that my son knew better than me where all the different food went.

Of course this is a game best saved for those smaller shopping trips – it could easily take hours if applied to a big shop, as well as your youngster will simply get bored lose interest if the game takes too long.

The shopping game helps with their vocabulary, memory, planning skills, and gets them more involved in shopping and makes it more fun.

You of course can reminise about when shopping didn’t take even half as long to do!

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Children’s preschool games – household chores with your toddler