Playing Shop with Kids: A Step-Wise Complete Guide

Pretend play is a beautiful way for children to learn, grow and develop new skills. One of the most popular types of pretend play is playing shop, where children can take on the roles of shopkeepers and customers.

In this article, we’ll explore why pretend play is essential for kids, what shop pretend play can teach them, and provide a step-by-step guide on how parents can set up and play shop pretend play with their preschoolers.

Why pretend play is essential for kids

Development of imagination and creativity

Pretend play allows children to explore their imagination, nurturing their creativity. They can create their worlds and scenarios and solve problems they encounter in pretend play.

Development of language and communication skills

Pretend play involves a lot of verbal communication, and children need to learn how to express themselves, negotiate, and persuade others.

Children can practice speaking in different voices and intonations by pretending to be someone else, which helps them develop their language and communication skills.

Development of social and emotional skills

Pretend play helps children learn how to interact with others, understand different perspectives, and resolve conflicts. They can practice different social roles and learn empathy, cooperation, and kindness toward others.

Development of problem-solving skills

Pretend play encourages children to think critically and creatively and to come up with solutions to problems.

They can use their imagination and experiment with different ideas, which can help them develop their problem-solving skills.

What playing Shop teaches kids

Numeracy skills: 

Playing shop involves counting money, adding and subtracting, and understanding the value of different coins and notes. This can help children develop their numeracy skills.

Money management skills: 

Shop pretend play can teach children about the concept of money and how to manage it. They can learn about saving, spending, and budgeting, which are important skills to have in later life.

Social skills: 

Shop pretend play requires children to interact with others, and they can learn how to communicate, negotiate and resolve conflicts in a safe and supportive environment.

Imagination and creativity: 

Shop pretends play allows children to use their imagination and creativity to create their own scenarios and storylines.

How to set up a shop pretend to play as a parent

Here’s all you need to play shop pretend to play with kids at home or school- 

• A small table or cardboard box to use as a shop counter
•  Play money or coins
•  A cash register or calculator
•  A selection of items to sell, such as toy food or household items

To set up the playing shop, follow these:

• Choose a quiet and safe area to play.
•  Set up the shop counter and arrange the items you want to sell on it.
•  Place the cash register or calculator on the counter and make sure it’s stocked with play money or coins.
•  Explain to your child how the shop works and what they need to do to play.
•  Encourage your child to choose a role to play, such as the shopkeeper or customer.
•  If your child is playing the shopkeeper, show them how to greet customers and how to take payment for items.
•  If your child is playing the customer, encourage them to choose items to buy and ask questions about them.
•  Use real-life scenarios to make pretend play more realistic and engaging.
•  Provide positive reinforcement and encouragement throughout the game.
•  Take turns playing different roles and switch up the items being sold to keep the game interesting.

Stepwise guide to playing shop pretend to play with preschoolers.

Step 1 

Start the game by setting up the shop and explaining the concept of buying and selling. Explain to your child that they will be playing shopkeepers and customers and that they will be selling and buying items. Encourage your child to choose a role and start playing.

Step 2 

If your child chooses to play the shopkeeper, show them how to greet customers and how to take payment for items.

They can practice using a cash register or calculator and counting money. Encourage your child to engage with customers and help them make choices about what items they want to buy.

Step 3

If your child chooses to play the customer, encourage them to choose items to buy and ask questions about them.

They can practice counting money and giving it to the shopkeeper to pay for the items they want to buy. Encourage them to engage with the shopkeeper and negotiate prices for the items they want to buy.

Step 4 

Use real-life scenarios to make pretend play more realistic and engaging. For example, you can pretend that the shopkeeper is running low on certain items or that a special sale is going on.

This can help your child develop their problem-solving skills and encourage them to think creatively.

Step 5 

Take turns playing different roles and switch up the items being sold to keep the game interesting.

You can also introduce new items as the game progresses to challenge your child’s numeracy and communication skills.

Step 6

Provide positive reinforcement and encouragement throughout the game. Praising your child’s efforts and acknowledging their successes can help build their confidence and motivate them to continue learning through play.

Step 7

Finally, don’t forget to have fun! Pretend play should be a fun and enjoyable experience for both you and your child. Use your imagination and creativity to create new scenarios and storylines, and enjoy the time spent playing together.

Playing shop pretend play with preschoolers is a fun and engaging way to promote learning and development. It helps children develop numeracy, social, emotional, and problem-solving skills while nurturing their imagination and creativity.

Setting up a shop for pretend play is easy, and parents can follow the step-by-step guide provided in this article to get started. Remember to encourage your child, provide positive reinforcement, and, most importantly, have fun!