“Is This for Sale?”

Let's hear from one of our early literacy librarians, Mary!

Stock up on imaginative play at your house by setting up a store.

Set up a play store in your house with empty boxes taped shut. Cut pictures of fruits, vegetables and other food items out of magazines and include them too.

Make a shopping list together and give your child a basket to collect the items on the list. Have them mark the items off as they find them—this is practice for writing!

You can also take on the role of shopper and have your child "sell" to you. Cut out strips of paper to use for money—your child can also decorate these—to start introducing the concept of exchanging money for goods or services.

Pretending is a great way for kids to develop early literacy skills while doing what they do best: playing!