Shop Keeper — Run Your Own Pretend Store
Child sets up a pretend shop with price tags, then practices adding prices, making change, and comparing costs. This hands-on dramatic play reveals arithmetic operations, number comparison, and mental math strategies in a motivating real-world context.
Opens a guided voice session in TogetherTime.
What you'll need
Gather 5-8 household items and label each with a price between 1 and 20 (use dollars, pounds, or any currency -- or just say 'coins'). Have some play money, real coins, or tokens available as change-making props. Set items up on a surface like a counter.
How it works
- 1~40s
The shop is open! First, let's get your child warmed up with some price comparisons. Point to two items and ask: 'I want to buy something, but I only want the cheaper one. Which costs less?' Try this with two or three different pairs, including one pair where the prices are close together. Then ask: 'What's the most expensive thing in your shop?' Tell me how your child handles comparing the prices.
Watch for: Can your child compare two numbers/prices and determine which is greater or lesser, including when the numbers are close together?
- 2~45s
Time to buy! Tell your child: 'I'd like to buy these two things. How much will that cost me altogether?' Pick two items whose prices add up to no more than 20. Watch how your child figures it out -- does they count on fingers, count up from one number, use a known fact, or just know it? Try two or three different two-item purchases. Then if your child is comfortable, try a three-item purchase. Tell me the prices, what your child said, and how they worked it out.
Watch for: Can your child add two or more single- or double-digit prices correctly?
- 3~45s
Now for the trickiest shop skill -- making change! Give your child 10 coins (or tokens). Say: 'I'm buying this item that costs 6. I'm paying with 10. How much change do I get back?' Watch how they figures it out. Then try: item costs 3, paying with 10. And a harder one: item costs 8, paying with 20. Tell me the amounts and how your child calculates the change.
Watch for: Can your child calculate change by subtracting the price from the amount paid?
- 4~50s
Final challenge -- the Budget Round! Tell your child: 'You have exactly 15 coins to spend in your shop. You can buy as many things as you want, but you can't go over 15. What would you buy?' Let them browse the price tags, plan, and add up. Does they keep a running total? Does they adjust the plan when the numbers don't work? Tell me what your child picks and how they decides.
Watch for: Can your child add multiple prices while staying within a budget constraint?