[Childcare] Simple DIY ideas you can use for pretend shops
Shopping is exciting for both kids and adults, isn’t it?
Many preschools and kindergartens incorporate make-believe “shop” play so children can enjoy the fun of shopping.
One of the charms of shop play is that children can experience the joy of selling items they made themselves as shopkeepers.
This time, we’re introducing a variety of ideas you can use for shop play.
From classic foods to wearable items, plus ideas for cash registers and wallets—there are plenty of ideas to get kids excited!
Use these as inspiration and have fun with shop play!
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[Childcare] Simple DIY ideas you can use for pretend shops (11–20)
wallet
To make pretend shopping even more enjoyable, it’s a good idea to craft a wallet in advance.
You can make one just by folding origami, so you’ll be fine even if you need to prepare it at the last minute.
If you care about the design, use patterned origami paper or decorate it later with stickers.
You could also coordinate the color with your shopping bag, which is a lovely touch.
Depending on how you fold it, you can adapt it into a clasp purse or a long wallet.
Choose the shape based on the play money you’ll use and your preferences.
cake
In surveys about children’s future dreams, running a cake shop always ranks near the top.
It’s an essential role in make-believe store play, isn’t it? So here’s a simple cake craft you can try.
First, prepare a puzzle mat.
Cut it to your preferred size, then stack about three pieces.
This should make it look like the sponge part of a cake.
Next, make strawberries out of origami and place them on top.
Of course, you can also decorate with chocolate or cookies.
newspaper bag
For playing shop, you’ll also need a bag to put your purchases in.
You can use a reusable bag as a substitute, but making one by hand will make it feel more special.
All you need are newspaper and raffia ribbon (suzuran tape).
First, fold the newspaper into a bag shape.
Glue the folded parts so they don’t come undone.
Next, attach handles with the raffia ribbon, and you’re done.
This is strong enough as is, but if you want it to be sturdier, try layering two sheets of newspaper.
street stall
As an idea to create a shop-like atmosphere, making a food-stall-style stand is also recommended.
This project recreates a counter for handing over products.
First, prepare a large cardboard box and cut out the bottom.
Then place it on top of a table or similar surface.
After that, make a menu board and signage to decorate it, and you’re done.
It’s simple, but once set up it looks quite impressive.
If you can’t find a large cardboard box, buying one at a home improvement store is another option.
train
A craft that remains popular even after playing pretend shop is making trains.
This idea involves decorating plastic bottles with vinyl tape to make them look like trains.
Try selling them at a toy store or a model shop.
By the way, if you attach magnets to the front and back of the second car and onward, you can couple them together and play.
Buying a bunch and linking them would be a lot of fun.
One note of caution: the cut edges of plastic bottles can be sharp, so be careful not to cut your hands.
hamburger
Let’s make delicious hamburgers with the kids! First, roll up some newspaper into a bun shape and wrap it with origami paper.
Next, create cheese, tomato, and lettuce using construction paper.
When making the cheese and tomato, you can draw simple cutting lines so children can practice using scissors.
Make the patty the same way as the bun, using newspaper and origami paper.
Once you stack the ingredients and wrap the burger in wrapping paper, it’s done! You can have fun showing off your tasty burgers, or open a pretend shop and enjoy imaginative play in many different ways.
soft serve ice cream
Sweet, cold soft-serve ice cream is a food that many children love.
You can make a three-dimensional soft serve by folding origami into a square twice, opening it into a triangle, adding fine creases, and giving it a little swirl like real soft serve.
If you make soft serve in various colors, you can play pretend as an ice cream shop or in a make-believe kitchen.
It’s also recommended to make flat soft-serve pieces and stick several onto construction paper to create a single artwork.
Playing ice-cream shop
Many children probably want to eat lots of ice cream in the summer! So why not make your own ice cream and play shop? Let the kids freely create their own ice creams—cup ice cream, cone ice cream, ice pops, and more.
Draw designs on paper cups to make the cups, and make the ice cream part by crumpling tissue paper and sticking small stickers on it.
For the cones, draw patterns on construction paper, roll it into a cone shape, and secure it.
Playing donut shop
@chooobo2 Playing donut shop 🍩#PlayingShopDonut shop#Milk Carton Crafts#Nursery schoolNursery teacher / Childcare worker#Nursery School Craft#Childcare CraftingEarly childhood education materials
♬ Cute heartwarming song(1425147) – sanusagi
Learn while you play! Here are some ideas for playing donut shop.
Playing store is a great opportunity for children to enjoy themselves while learning knowledge and habits related to food.
By having fun and developing an interest in food through play, and by dividing roles during play, children can also learn the importance of communication and cooperation with others.
Items to prepare include chopsticks, spoons, vinyl tape, clothespins, milk cartons, packing tape, origami paper, and envelopes.
Give it a try!
miniature food
Make it with clay! Here are some miniature food ideas.
These unique ideas are perfect for children’s food education.
By crafting food that looks almost real with their own hands, kids can deepen their interest in and understanding of food and ingredients.
For example, as they observe to match the colors of vegetables and fruits to the real thing and look for shapes and features, natural conversations like “This one is green,” or “What kind of nutrients does it have?” are likely to emerge.
Through making miniature foods with clay, children may also cultivate an appreciation for eating and learn the importance of food.