Tips to avoid a strop at the shop

It can really help if your child is involved right from the start – so why not make a shopping list together? You could talk to them about the different things you’re shopping for – is it an ‘everyday’ shop or is there a special day coming up, like Pancake Day or a someone’s birthday? Maybe you’re planning on baking a cake together? This could be a good opportunity for them to practise their writing and spelling!

When you’re in the store, your child can help you find the things on the list and tick them off.

While you’re shopping, get your child to look for prices and check how much different things cost. Or look for any item that costs £2 exactly. If something is on offer – 2 for £1, say – you could help them work out what each individual item costs.

If your kid throws a strop when you're shopping, why not try playing bananas and bread? Ask them to find everything on your shopping list that begins with the letter 'B'. If you don't have a shopping list, ask them to point out all the 'B' words they see.

As you add things to your basket or trolley, how about playing a simple memory game together? As you put an item in your basket you say “I went to the shops and I bought a tin of beans” (or whatever you’ve chosen). As you add the next item you say “I went to the shops and I bought a tin of beans and a lettuce.” And so on. How many objects can your wee one remember without looking in the basket?

Tell your child what you’re looking for, then when they find the item you can read the name and check the price together. If there’s more than one brand of the same product on the shelf, see if they can compare sizes and prices and pick the one that’s the best value.

If you think that you’re in for a sulk the next time you go for a big shop, try bargain hunting! Getting them to find all the items less than £1 on your list can keep them entertained.

Picking out a can or food packet, and helping your child read the label is a good way for them to practise their reading while they’re out and about with you. After sounding out the first letter, they could then look for other items that begin with the same letter – like milk, margarine, and marmalade.

First, you can tell your children what item you’re looking for – then ask them to read the signs above the aisles to work out where to find it. Once you’ve got the right aisle, the final part of their mission is to help you spot the item and tell you how much it costs.

The fruit and veg section of the supermarket is a great place for kids to help out (and it’s less likely your trolley will end up full of chocolate here). Finding what you need, comparing prices, sizes, colours and shapes, weighing and sticking on prices are all things your child may enjoy. And the more involved they are with choosing the fruit and veg, the more likely they are to eat them when they turn up on the table later on!

Why not play a game where you pretend the shopping list is a secret mission you have to complete together? You can even create “levels” you have to complete, like getting everything you need under a certain price!

If your supermarket has a ‘self-scan’ system, you could try putting your child in charge. Or they could help you scan items at the self-checkout.

Kids love doing grown-up things. So the next time you pop out for a few things at the shops, why not let your child have a go at counting out and paying at the till, or putting your card on the contactless machine?

Getting them to help you create a "menu" for the week is a great way to get them more interested in going shopping. Can they help you look up a recipe? They can help you to look for the ingredients, and you can make it together when you get home.

It pays give everyone a snack before you shop – and that includes you! If you shop on an empty stomach, you'll probably find that you come home with half the junk food aisle. And if they always throw a strop by the sweetie aisle, just try to steer clear!