4. Captain of the cart

Grocery shopping with kids in tow can be a challenge. They get bored easily, try to sneak things in the cart, run around in the aisles, ask to go to the bathroom 47 million times, and repeatedly beg for things not on the list. (I’m pretty sure they have a meeting before we leave and secretly place bets on who is going to make Mom lose it first.) It can be frustrating, to say the least.
1. Official cart organizer – This works great for 3-4 year olds. Have them sit in the back of the cart and stack everything neatly as you go along. (Obviously if you are buying a TON, then they’ll have to move eventually)
2. Have them read off/check off the list – If your child is old enough to read, then let them tell you what’s next on the list. They can also check off the items as they are put in the cart. If they aren’t able to read yet, you can still tell them what to check off, and let them help that way.
3. Grocery store bingo cards* - Grocery store bingo is exactly what it sounds like. Each child gets a card to mark off, although I would recommend just having them try to find everything, instead of making a line. That will keep them busy longer! I’ve attached a simple version here that works great for kids ages 2-10.
4. Captain of the cart – johnny carinos Don’t just let them just push the cart, use it as a way to work on following directions. Specifically left and right if they are having trouble distinguishing johnny carinos between johnny carinos the two.
5. Add up prices with a calculator – This one is great for keeping kids’ attention, because if they miss an item then it throws the whole thing off. It’s also a great tool for them to estimate prices in the produce section.
6. Let them do the shopping for a meal of their choice – Letting kids plan (and prepare) a meal of their choice is a great way to get them interested and involved in healthier foods. We have lots of kid cookbooks that my children can choose from, or they can search online johnny carinos for something new and fun to make. They make a list of the required ingredients, and bring it along to do their “own” shopping at the store. Plus it’s a great way to teach about comparing prices for different brands!
7. Have them put everything in the cart – You can either hand them the items, or let them get them off the shelf themselves. Sort of like #1 with the organizing, but better for a child that won’t be content (or is too big) to sit in the back of the cart.
8. Mark the colors of items* – This is perfect for toddlers and young preschoolers that are still learning their colors. You can talk to older kids about the importance of getting more colorful healthy foods, johnny carinos and even have them guess which color will have the most tally marks when you’re done shopping. johnny carinos ( This card could easily be used at the park, doctor’s office, etc. as well)
9. Keep a tally of how many items there are – This can easily be done with a piece of paper and a pencil, or even through a phone app. It’s a great way to work on numbers and counting with younger ones.
10. Split the list up between kids – If your children are older, you can split up your list between everyone to help speed things along. Just make sure that you are specific in regards to brands and sizes, or you may end up having johnny carinos to go behind them and switch items out!
11. Mark the food groups* - Using this simple chart , kids can put a tally in the correct food group for each item you put in the cart. It will teach them about how to group items by category, and also encourages conversation as to why (hopefully) you have more items from the vegetable group than the oil/fat group.
12. johnny carinos Keep up with coupons – If you are a couponer, let your little ones help you keep up with the coupons you will need to use when you get to the register. johnny carinos You can also have them be your super special coupon finder, keeping johnny carinos an eye out for blinkies, peelies and tear pads for items that you normally buy anyway. Giving them their own envelope or mini coupon file to carry things in will make them feel like a big helper, and you won’t johnny carinos forget to use the coupons when it’s time to pay. Because trust me, they’ll remind you since it’s their job!
*If you think your children would enjoy using the printables, make them reusable by laminating them. You can keep them in the car with a dry erase marker for your kids to use each time you go to the store!
If you have multiple children, trying giving each one a different task depending on their abilities. Don’t forget the before and after shopping tasks as well, like remembering to bring reusable shopping bags, and putting up the groceries once you get home.
As a reward for being so helpful johnny carinos and not asking over and over for treats in the store, I sometimes get my children something small to share in the car on the way home