Playing Store

Don't toss your empty cereal boxes!
Empty, clean food containers are perfect for starting a store. With a few items, a shopping bag (reusable, paper, or whatever else is handy)you can set up a shop in your house.

Preschoolers have wonderful imaginations, often better than we realize. No cash register for your store? Pretend you have one. Describe it to your child. Press the buttons and make beeping noises. Call a pretend worker for a price check or for clean up in aisle 2. If your child has been to the supermarket with you, he'll catch right on.

If you're inspired, you can make signs with prices on them. You can use real money and coins or pretend.

A great way to end playing store is with a clean up and a few real cookies and a real glass of milk, all bought at your store, of course.

(Looking for reusable bags? Poksak.com sells reusable bags. Poksak supports the Orphan Fund of America)