Playing with the shop
Role-playing allows children to imitate the activities they perceive in the adults around them. The shop can be used to practise shopping in a playful way: selecting goods, putting them in the shopping basket or trolley, perhaps weighing them on the scales beforehand, paying at the till, packing everything and then taking it to the doll's house and the play kitchen.
What belongs to the play in the shop?
- the shop itself, either bought ready-made or built from play stands
- a cash register with play money
- Shopping baskets and bags and perhaps also a shopping trolley
- Goods for sale, such as vegetables, fruit, bread, etc. Natural materials such as chestnuts, pine cones, acorns, etc. can also be used.
- a scale with weights
- Empty cream tins or similar
Wooden toys and toys made of other natural materials are the most sustainable and best for nurturing children's senses. That is why at Waldorfshop we have shops made of lime wood and alder wood, as well as play money made of wood and felt.
What can children learn from playing in a shop?
- Communication: Children act out what they experience with adults. Haggling is also part of shopping, as is friendly service.
- Imagination and creativity: Like any role-playing game, playing with the children's shop immerses children in creative, imaginative play.
- Arithmetic: When paying and returning money, the first arithmetic operations can be practised in a playful way. The children experience the joy of dealing with quantities and numbers.
When is a shop suitable for children?
Basically, if there are swallowable objects in the shop, it is only suitable for children from the age of 3. If the adults make sure that there are no small objects, children from the age of 2 can also enjoy playing with the shop. The actual, persistent role-playing begins at the age of 4.
If you start with a rather rudimentary set with lots of natural materials, then the shop can also grow with the child and later more and more sophisticated accessories can be bought or made yourself. In this way, children can enjoy this game right up to school age.
