Practice grocery shopping with your preschool child using writing and counting.

My daughter Amelia (4) and I created a grocery list today. We were both in good moods and had played together for about 20 minutes before this event occurred.

Our process:

1) We had out her personal notebook and pens.

2) She wrote on the left side of the spiral and I wrote on the right.

3) I suggested we needed a grocery list before she went shopping with Daddy later.

4) I asked her if we needed Bananas and she said yes.

5) I said 'B' and I wrote 'B'.

6) She said 'B' and wrote her version of the letter.

7) We continued for the entire word, letter by letter.

8) When Amelia completed her letters, I asked for a high-five.

9) We did the same process for the entire list. I asked, she consented, I led, she followed, we celebrated.

10) We went back through the list and I suggested a price for each grocery item (either $1, $2, or $3--just trying to keep it simple, not necessarily accurate!).

11) Amelia copied the price after I wrote it on my list (mentor text).

12) We used markers to equate to money ($1=1 marker).

13) For each item, Amelia told me the dollar amount and I placed markers down for her. Until we completed the list. (We did about 7-8 items on the list)

14) I moved a marker from the main pile on the right to the new pile on the left. Amelia counted as I went. (She can count to $20 already. Even if she couldn't, I would ask her to repeat me the correct way.)

15) We wrote our total down.

16) We sent a picture to Daddy because he was taking her shopping.

17) We had a dance party in the kitchen to celebrate. (Steady As She Goes - The Raconteurs)