Supermarket Science--Science Lessons While Shopping

Do you cringe when you think about taking your preschooler to the supermarket? Here’s an idea that might help you turn your supermarket trips with your preschooler into science lessons. Focusing your preschooler on an activity is one way to calm the madness of grocery shopping. Believe it or not, you can teach your preschooler fundamentals of science and complete your shopping list (well, maybe get close) at the same time. 

 

 

Identification and classification skills are necessary for all parts of science. Your preschooler will be using these skills from his very first science lesson throughout his life. Here’s a way to teach these fundamentals at the supermarket:

 

Go to the produce aisle and pick out the fruit or vegetables you want to buy. First ask you preschooler to identify the item. Then help you preschooler identify whether it is a fruit or a vegetable. For instance, chose some apples. Ask you preschooler, “what are these?” When your preschooler answers, “apples” then ask him, “are they fruit or vegetables?” Do this for both fruits and vegetables. Some may be tricky so make sure you know the difference between your fruits and veggies before you go. 

 

 

The weight of an object is very important in science. Measuring weight is the basis for other scientific lessons that will come later such as gravity, buoyancy, and density. At the supermarket you can introduce mass by taking your fruits and vegetables to the scales that are often available. Have your preschooler put the item on the scale and help him read the weight. Try to give your preschooler an item to compare the weight to. For instance, “These potatoes weigh 4 pounds. Jack, you weigh 44 pounds.” This will help you preschooler understand the concept of weight.

 

 

Does your preschooler complain as you go down the freezer aisle in your supermarket? It’s cold, no doubt, and your preschooler is probably a little more sensitive to temperature changes than you are. So take a moment to help your preschooler understand why some foods need to be frozen or refrigerated. Items such as fresh meat, fresh juices, milk, and cheese are called perishable food. Perishable means that food requires refrigeration in order to prevent food-borne bacteria from developing. Some perishable items are frozen so that they will last longer.