Ten Ways to Use a Toy Shopping Cart

There are countless ways that a child can have fun with a toy shopping cart. Here are ten ways:

1. Play grocery store at home.  Help your child set up a grocery store. You could use a table or a bookshelf. A cardboard box or playhouse is another great way to set up a pretend grocery store. Help the stock the store with their play food. If they don't have play food, you can use empty food boxes and containers that you have saved. Let them use their toy shopping cart to go to the "store" and do their shopping. Set up a checkout area where they can ring up their groceries. If you have a toy cash register they can use that. If not, you can make one out of cardboard or give them a calculator.

2. Take it to the real grocery store with you.  Some parents find that taking their child's toy shopping cart to the grocery store with them is a great way to keep them happy and occupied. Let them put some of the purchases in their cart and then add them to the belt at checkout time.

3. Race through the house.  My boys love to use our toy shopping cart to race through the house. I don't mind because it's a great way for them to let off steam. If you are worried about your walls getting banged up, you can let them take it out to the backyard to play with.

4. Let it double as a walker.  Some parents buy a shopping cart for their little ones when they are just starting to walk. It can double as a good walker and even encourage little ones to get up and practice their newly acquired skill.

5. Play library.  Set up a play library in an area of your home and let your child play librarian. They can use the cart as the book return.

6. Toy transporter.  Probably one of the most popular ways kids like to use their toy shopping cart is at a toy transporter. There is nothing more fun than loading up their most treasure possessions in it and taking them for a spin around the house.

7. Doll stroller.  Most toy shopping carts have seat areas where little ones can put their favorite doll or stuffed animal. This means that the toy shopping cart doubles as a great doll stroller.

8. Make clean up time fun.  Encourage kids to clean up and it fun by having them push their toy shopping cart around the house and gathering up all the stray toys. 

9. Take a walk to the local park.  Let your kids have fun by taking their shopping cart along on a walk to the park.  You can load it up with sand toys, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a ball, kite, or anything else they might have fun playing with at the park. 

10. Gather some trinkets on a nature walk.  Take it on a nature walk around the neighborhood and let them gather pine cones, rocks, leaves, and other interesting things they find along the way.