How to Make Grocery Shopping Fun for Kids

Sitting in a shopping cart for an hour looking at food is not much fun for a kid. Take time to prepare some fun games for your child to play while shopping for groceries. This will make the trip more enjoyable for everyone.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Bingo card
• Marker
• Picture list
• Shopping cart
• Coupons
• Small prizes

1. Create Bingo boards picturing items you often buy at the store. As you shop, have your kids cross off what they have on the card. Have a small prize in your purse for the winner.
2. Go on a scavenger hunt. Think of things in advance that will help your kids search the aisle you are on. For example, a heart, bee, cheetah and check mark on the snack isle.
3. Help your child make a picture list at home of the items he eats. Buy a plastic shopping cart and let him have fun shopping from his own list, weighing his own apples, and even giving the checker his own coupons.
4. Play "I Spy a Shape." You can show your child examples of cones, cylinders, squares, rectangles and other shapes at home. This game is best played while waiting to check out when you are not preoccupied with shopping.
5. Estimate price. When you are at the checkout, ask your child what they think the total cost will be for the groceries. Make it a contest and make a guess yourself. Keep a running tally of who is the closest each time.
6. Make it a race. If you are shopping with another adult, divide up the list and kids and pick up items quickly as you race to the checkout. The winning team gets out of putting away the groceries at home.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your child is always sitting down safely in the shopping cart.