Grocery shopping with little kids

The grocery store can be a fun place to go.  I love wandering through the store and finding new products.  I like to read the labels to make sure I know what’s in products.  I like smelling my produce before I pick it so that I can make sure it’s fresh.  And I especially love taking my time so I can get everything on my list.

Grocery shopping with kids?  Not so much fun.

I don’t know about you, but I rarely get to the grocery store alone.  I have 3 little kids under 3 4 and a husband who easily works over 90 hours a week.  Going to the grocery store can be challenging to say the least.  When the girls were younger, I’d make a few smaller trips and use Dum Dum lollipops as my ammo, if necessary.  Now that the girls are older, I’ve employed my teaching background to get creative – I give them each their own shopping list.

I bought these cute little notebooks at Staples.  I think I got a pack of 5 for $1.  They are the perfect size for little hands.

I also have these lead pencils that I got at Target in the dollar section a few years ago.  They have the Princesses on them so they are coveted in our home.  I don’t give the girls lead pencils often because they keep pumping the lead out.  So when I do give them the pencils, they are quite the big deal. 

Then I write a small grocery list in each girl’s notebook.

I never write the same list in each girl’s notebook.  This way they are always looking in their books and helping each other.  Frankly, it buys me extra time. 

This is how it goes:  I write a list out for each of the girls.  We read over the lists together before we get in the car to leave the house.  Once we get in the store and get started I give them their notebook and pencil.  As we start going through the store, I point out items that are on their lists.  For example, “I’m getting yogurt, Kate.  Where can we find the word yogurt on your list?  What letter does it start with? Ya…”  (Ya, as in the sound y makes)  For Caroline (who doesn’t consistently know her letter sounds yet) I might say, “Caroline, you have milk on your list.  Do you know where in the store we can find milk?” 

The girls have so much fun using a “list” just like Mommy has and it really keeps them entertained.  If it doesn’t, they can either draw in the notebook or we play “I Spy”. 

Here’s a picture of Kate who proudly held up her notebook and pencil for me in the grocery store. 

Do you get to go to the grocery store alone?  Do you have any tricks for the grocery store?  If so, please share them! 

xoxo
–k

Kristina Grum is a Certified Parent Educator who has over a decade of experience working with children, including being a classroom teacher. She currently teaches parenting classes in her local area and writes about shifting parenthood from barely surviving to thriving.