going alone to buy things at the store

Math

• The child can practice counting money by adding up the total cost of the items they bought at the store.
• They can also practice basic addition and subtraction by calculating how much money they have left after making their purchases.
• They can learn about budgeting by setting a limit on how much they can spend and keeping track of their expenses.
• The child can learn about fractions by comparing the price of a single item to the total cost of all the items they bought.

Continued development can include creating a pretend store at home where the child can practice being the storekeeper and customer. They can use play money and create price tags for different items. This can help reinforce their understanding of counting money, addition, subtraction, and budgeting. Additionally, the child can be encouraged to calculate the change they would receive if they paid with a higher denomination than the total cost of their items.

Book Recommendations

• The Great Lemonade Stand Standoff by Jacqueline Davies: A story about a group of friends who learn about money, budgeting, and competition while running their own lemonade stands.
• Mall Mania by Stuart J. Murphy: Follows a group of friends as they navigate a shopping mall, learning about money, budgeting, and making smart purchasing decisions.
• Marty McGuire Digs Worms! by Kate Messner: While not directly related to going to the store, this book teaches children about money and entrepreneurship as Marty McGuire starts her own worm-selling business.