13 Tips to make Grocery Shopping with Toddlers Easy and FUN

1. Limit the grocery trips to once or twice a month. Schedule it at least to a fortnightly or better if it is monthly because shopping is a stressful trip for them too. Mom is not giving them the attention, they feel.
2. Always have a list of what you need. Before a shopping trip make it a point to sit down (with your toddler too!) and make a list of all the things you needed. It is better if you  can make the list over the course of a week. Included your children into the process and involved them. For example, I would ask him things like what cereal he wanted for breakfast, or what fruits he liked or if there was anything that he wanted from the shop. Helping out with writing the list helped him in getting his say in the matter. Attention Bucket filled!
3. Take their help in writing the list. Preschool children or even older toddlers are great at ‘writing’ a list. It is a good idea to dictate the list to them too. Fantastic way to practice those letters and numbers. If your child can’t write yet, ask them to draw! It is a fun ‘Going Shopping’ Activity to do and it really keeps them really involved. They feel like they have been given the ‘power’ to contribute to the family. Power Bucket filled!
4. Avoiding the rush hour time. Lots of people, noise and chaos makes children anxious. Also, you will have a hard time concentrating on the shopping and the child’s safety.
5. Always have a list of what you need. Before a shopping trip make it a point to sit down (with your toddler too!) and make a list of all the things you needed. It is better if you  can make the list over the course of a week. Included your children into the process and involved them. For example, I would ask him things like what cereal he wanted for breakfast, or what fruits he liked or if there was anything that he wanted from the shop. Helping out with writing the list helped him in getting his say in the matter. Attention Bucket filled!
6. Take them only when they are well fed and have had their nap for the day. I have cancelled my trip quite a few times because someone hadn’t slept. Make sure to tell them that they will not go if they haven’t napped. I always talk to them later to say that I am sorry we couldn’t go that day because they didn’t nap. I also tell them that ‘I hope they will nap the ‘next day’ because I am looking forward to it’.
7. Have clear rules and make sure to repeat them. If someone is running around aisles or shopping for himself, we put him in the cart or if he/she is too big we have to put a restrain on them with a hand belt. They have their free person card as long as they are behaving, helping and advising ‘softly’.
8. Let them know what the consequences are. If they throw up a tantrum  in the middle of the trip, you have to let them know of the consequences before hand and carry it out if it happens. At our house, the consequences are that I will take the naughty child’s hand and I will take him/her outside and we will sit on the cold steel chairs till they either calm down and apologise or Daddy gets the shopping done and comes out which ever is earlier. It works.
9. Never forget the praise… and the reward (star on the chart) for being good. Keep at the praise for a day or two just so that they know how pleased you are.
10. Involve them in your shopping. When you involve your child it keeps them busy and distracted from wanting a say in the matter.  You are giving them attention and the power that they crave when they are out and about. Since you are talking to them and directing them all the time, they are not feeling left out. By helping you ‘buy’, they feel like they did the shopping for their family!
11. Shopping can be an educational experience too. Use your grocery shopping trips to teach them to recognize familiar objects. Talk about healthy food, count things, count money, help them categorize things land learn how a home works.
12. Include a little something ‘just’ for them. Let them choose one thing that they can have for themselves from your list. It doesn’t necessarily need to be toy or candy. Even calling the cereal box or that packet of lasagna as their breakfast and lunch is enough. My kids were even happy to call the disposable gloves for the kitchen as theirs. 😀
13. Take their help in putting things on the counter. The counter is the place where there is the highest risk of a meltdown. Just get them busy, putting things on the counter. I find it is even better if I can just get them at the other end to fill out the stuff in bags. They are farther off from all the ‘candy’!
14. Don’t take them where they are not needed. Sometimes it is better to leave your toddler at home. For example shopping for clothes or shoes that are not for them. It is best to take another adult who can entertain the kids outside or take them to the play area if available or just get an ice cream and some one on one time with the child. Grandparents, aunts, uncles or even daddy is best for this.
15. Shopping trolleys can be your best friends. Don’t take the stroller if a shopping trolley will be available. When I was a first time mom, I hated shopping trolleys. Trolleys had germs and they were dirty and heavy. I’d ask my hubby to handle the trolley while I took the stroller. We found that with a baby it was more trouble than ease. It was better when I wore my baby than take the stroller. The toddlers too preferred to jump into it. If you’re worried about germs, take a pack of wipes and wipe the railings. Don’t take the stroller.

I’d love to know what your tips are for shopping with toddlers. Check out our most popular toddler posts:

Daily Routine for a 3 year old child.

What do about nail biting in children

Why you should travel with young kids

photo credit: alles-schlumpf via photopin cc