Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt FREEBIE

Who loves to go to the grocery store with kids? Yeah, me neither! In fact, I avoid it at all costs. But when you just have to take a trip to pick up groceries, you might as well grab this Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt FREEBIE and make it a bit more fun.

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If you want to grab this fun scavenger hunt page, scroll down to the bottom of the post and you can request it.

But if you think a trip to the grocery store is only educational for the preschoolers in your cart, then you’re wrong! Did you know that there are many life skills to be learned by the elementary crowd and even the high schoolers?

Here are just a few ideas to inspire your next educational trip to the grocery store.

Preschool

Your youngest kids can practice these skills while riding in the cart through the aisles:

• discuss the main food groups
• learn self-control as they shop with mom 🙂
• identify different common foods with the Scavenger Hunt printable at the end of this post
• color recognition with a game of I-Spy
• world-awareness as you discuss which countries grow the produce
• healthy eating habits as you walk through the produce aisle versus the ice cream section
• how money works (one of my kids used to be confused that we borrowed from the library but couldn’t borrow from the grocery store!)

Elementary

As your kids get older, the grocery store provides deeper ways to practice skills in real life.

• Tell your kids what the grocery budget is, and ask them to help you keep track while you shop.
• Compare price per ounce or price per pound and have them find products with the best value.
• Look at the ethnic food aisles and discuss the foods you see there.
• Talk about healthy eating habits.
• Discuss imports, especially in the produce section. Which countries are represented in your grocery store? Use the Scavenger Hunt Packet to keep track of data.
• Calculate how much produce will cost if you buy 1-pound, or 2-pounds, or more.

Teenagers

It’s helpful for teenagers – who eat a lot! – to be aware of the family budget. Have them consider the following:

• How much do you spend each month? What is the per-person grocery spending in your home.
• What percentage of the monthly family budget does groceries take?
• Can your teenager compare similar products to find the best value?
  Is name brand always better?
• Does buying in bulk save you money?
• Can your teenager do the shopping for you one week and stick within the budget while comparison shopping for the best deals?
• Have them observe the effect of imports and tariffs in the produce section. Discuss current policies.
• Discuss advertising and marketing strategies – which items are on the end caps? Why?
• Why is the milk never located right near the front door? What is the strategy behind that?

Before you go shopping again, grab the Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt Freebie by signing up below.

But if you want to extend the learning even more, check out the full 18-page packet. There’s something for your preschoolers up to teenagers in this packet.