Grocery Scavenger Hunt + FREE Printable
If you’re a toddler mom, chances are you have a squirming little one while you are doing your groceries. So, you MOM need this grocery store scavenger hunt printable!
Your child will not only have fun at the grocery store, but they will learn with this FREE printable!
I have created this Grocery Scavenger Hunt for Evelyn, which she loves!
We want to share this fun Grocery Scavenger Hunt for your little one too.
Did you know that when you give your toddler independence, they develop self-confidence and a greater sense of self.
As a parent, teacher, caregiver, it is our responsibility to support our toddlers to do new things and to let them help and give.
Self-confidence grows when children see that what they do matters to others and when they are an active member of the family.
As early as 14 months, try offering your toddler responsibilities and chores to help him/her feel valuable.
Materials:
- Download the FREE Grocery List and PRINT
- Laminator
- Self Adhesive Dots
- Scissors
Directions:
- Laminate the 1st Page (Grocery List) and the 2nd Page (Fruits)
- 2nd Page ONLY. Cut the squares (round the corners)
- Add velcro to the back of each square and onto the Grocery List Page
How to:
- During your grocery shopping, don’t forget to bring with you your little helpers Grocery List.
- Help your toddler find the items and talk about the color, shape, and the name of the items. You can also count with your child.
- Once your toddler finds the item have your little one add the square onto the shopping list. Or have the cards on the grocery list and have him/her remove them. (we use a ziploc bag to store our cards in)
Cut 
Laminate 
Add Velcro
Benefits of the Grocery Hunt for Toddlers
Language Development
- Child understands increasingly complex communication and language
- Communicates or acts in response to language and responds to increasingly complex language
- Child’s communication develops from nonverbal communication to using language with increasingly complex words and sentences
- Engages in back-and-forth communication that develops into increasingly extended conversations
Cognitive Development
- Child shows an increasing ability to compare, match, and sort objects into groups according to their attributes
- shows developing understanding of number and quantity
- Child develops the capacity to understand objects (living and nonliving things) and events in the natural world, including how they change and their characteristics
Social and Emotional Development
- Child develops the capacity to pay attention to people, things, or the environment when interacting with others or exploring play materials
- Develops close relationships with one or more familiar adults (including family members) and interacts in an increasingly competent and cooperative manner with familiar adults
Toddler Milestones (1-3yrs old)
Language Development Toddler Milestones
- Responds to simple spoken requests
- Says several single words
- Points to show someone what he/she wants
Cognitive Development Toddler Milestones
- Looks at the right picture or thing when it’s named
- Finds hidden things easily
- Can follow 1-step verbal commands without any gestures
Social and Emotional Toddler Milestones
- Points to show others something interesting
- Shows more and more independence
- Likes to hand things to others as play
How We Used The Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt
Recently Evelyn has been very interested with what I am grabbing when doing our grocery shopping.
She points to the foods and we say “this is a yellow banana” or “a red apple.”
Also, she has been helping us put the produce inside the produce bags as we count them.
I have noticed that when we involve her during our grocery runs, she doesn’t fuss.
Toddlers love to be involved in helping with things. Grocery shopping with your toddler is a great way for them to learn self help skills, language, and cognition.
I downloaded real life images that Evelyn enjoys eating and that we frequently purchase when we do our groceries. I put them together into a list, printed them, laminated them, and stuck velcro to the pieces.
This grocery store scavenger hunt will give your toddler an opportunity for language development, cognitive development and social and emotional development.
Conculsion
Young children are very active and motivated learners. It is important to help little ones with good teaching practices to build on these strengths by providing developmentally appropriate instruction and opportunities for exploration and meaningful play.
Remember each child is unique and can succeed. Children are individuals with different rates and paths of development. With the appropriate support, all children can be successful learners and achieve the skills, behaviors, and knowledge.
