Get Your Shop On

We all know the importance of our children using their imagination and for us as parents to give them the tools and space to use it.

Having my parents visit at the moment has made us take a walk down memory lane and think back to my childhood and the games I would play.

One of the things that whittled hours away and is a great indoor activity or outdoor if you have the space and weather was to play shop.

Because children’s imagination has a basis in reality it is a situation children are exposed to often and they love to play make believe of real situations.

For this game my mum would collect old cereal boxes, laundry powder boxes, wash out bottles etc… and put them away in a play box. My sister and I would then get chairs and tables and set up a grocery store. We would then label prices on the items and Mum made us fake money.

Each of us would take the time to go through and play ‘Mummy’s’ doing the weekly shop and the other would be the shopkeeper.

The benefits to this play are:-

It helps children use their imagination.

It teaches children to understand early good social skills by pretending to be the friendly helpful shopkeeper.

Improve mathematic skills by adding up the totals and giving correct change.

It is free and uses household items you already have.

So start collecting and saving household grocery items today and let your children get their shop on!

Happy Play Times :-)