Materials
Small bags of cereal
Trinkets
Crayons
Snacks
Stickers or labels
Envelopes, 5" x 7" (13 cm x 18 cm)Yarn
Markers10 pennies per child
Instructions
1. Ahead of time, set up a storedisplay in your classroom. On atable, arrange merchandisesuch as small bags of cereal,trinkets, crayons, and snacks.Label each item with a pricefrom one to five cents.
2. When class begins, have eachchild decorate an envelopewith markers. To make a pocketbook,help the children attach a loop of yarn at the envelope opening. To make a wallet, havethem fold their envelope in half.
3. Give each child 10 pennies and tell them to keep the coins in their wallet or pocketbook.
4. Split the children into two groups and have them practice counting their pennies.
5. Invite the first group of children to shop. Show them around the store and help them read theprice tags and calculate how many items they can buy with their money.
6. When the first group has finished, invite the second group to shop.More to doCircle time: Talk about the children's trips to the store or shopping mall with their family.Dramatic play: Encourage the children to set up a make-believe store.More art: Have the children make some of the merchandise such as ornaments, paintings, andgreeting cards, then hold shopping day around the holidays when the children can buy giftshandmade by their classmates.
