Next time you’re out shopping with your preschooler, use the time to boost her alphabet, counting and observation skills.

On the way there

• Look out for her initials on store signs, hoardings, and even traffic signs.
• Look out for her age on license plates, and door numbers.
• She can count the number of steps it takes to get from the car to the main doors.
• Let her count the number of people at the bus stop, the number of trees on the way, the colors of the cars parked at the signal.

At the Supermarket

• Play a game of I Spy in each checkout aisle.
• Ask her to look for her initials on the food cans, and bottles.
• Let her count the number of check out counters, and the number of people at each counter.
• She can count the number of steps it takes to get from the furthest end of the supermarket to the checkout counter.
• Let her look for foods she likes. (This encourages observation skills, and builds a feeling of importance in a child).
• Take some time to prepare a grocery list for her, with pictures of the products that you’re constantly buying – fruits, and vegetables, cereals, sugar, eggs. Allow her to look for these, and add them to the cart. Laminate the list or just slip into a clear plastic cover and seal the ends, and you can use the same list for future shopping trips. Each time you use the list to go shopping, you can place a small sticker on the items that you need. (Again, this helps her feel important and enjoy the shopping experience, instead of being just a part of the trip).
• Set her a goal of 3 healthy foods that she has to choose before she gets to pick one treat.
• The supermarket is a great place to teach her about nutrition. Explain to her that you can’t allow her to buy certain foods because they are just not good for her. “I love you, and I won’t buy something that could make you sick.” Alleviate the disappointment by allowing her to choose something else (that’s a little healthier) to add to the cart.
• Give her a dollar, and tell her she can pick anything she wants that costs a buck. (You’re teaching her the value of money, and encouraging prudent spending skills).