Adventures in imaginary play - shopping

Like most toddlers, Harry likes to base his play around the things that he experiences in daily life. I've already blogged about knocking down baby group (he's still playing it). Another activity which features heavily in our day to day lives is going to the supermarket. A few months back, I started collecting miniature bottles and so on for Harry to play shops with.

As Harry gets older and more vocal (if that were possible) I'm getting used to being bossed around. I've learned that as long as I do what I'm told and sit where I'm supposed to then everything will be fine.

So to play shops, I set up all the packets at one end of the room. Then I go and sit at the other end. Sometimes I close my eyes briefly and dream of a proper nap, while Harry loads up his shopping basket (it's just a cardboard box, we're not that sophisticated). He brings it all over to me and demands that I "float" it. I had to ask him to explain that one - when he said that I had to "make the beep noise" I realised that he meant pretend to scan it. A few quick beeps later, and I have another few seconds to rest my eyelids while he takes the shopping home to another corner of the room.

This game can then be repeated until the baby wakes up.