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Watch KatieMumsnet discussing keeping your LOs entertained at the supermarket on Shop Talk and see if your top tips were used NOW CLOSED

141 replies

KatieBMumsnet · 16/10/2013 10:38

Last week MNers shared their top tips on keeping your LOs onside whilst doing the supermarket shop - thank you for all your comments. Watch Shop Talk now to see if your top tips made it on the show!



Barclaycard Freedom Rewards, in association with Mumsnet, have created a new weekly online chat show: Shop Talk. Over the next few weeks, they'll be looking for MNers' shopping tips and tricks on a range of topics.

Heres what Barclaycard have to say about the show: "Shop Talk is a weekly chat show where we tackle the big shopping stories that you're talking about. A different presenter will host the show each week and first up was Andrea McLean.
Two panellists, including shopping blogger Emily and Katie from MNHQ join Andrea to discuss keeping the kids on side during your supermarket shop as well as making the most of those family days in during half term."

With regards to the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards credit card, Barclaycard say:
"Supercharge your every day shop with the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards credit card. Not only can you earn double Freedom Reward points at any UK supermarket or petrol station, you can also use it with the rewards card you already have to earn points. So you dont have to change the way you shop.
18.9% APR Representative (Variable)"

Next week's Shop Talk, hosted by Julia Bradbury, discusses reaping the rewards from everyday shopping and Barclaycard would love to hear your thoughts. What you would buy if you had an extra £50 on your reward cards? Would this differ to what you would buy with £50 cash? Share your comments on the thread here and you could win a £150 Champneys voucher.

Thanks,

MNHQ
OP posts:
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InMySpareTime · 16/10/2013 12:08

I've always used a shopping list to keep my two amused. One gets the trolley, the other gets to cross stuff off the list as we get it.
We also let them scan the shopping at the self-service checkouts, while we pack it. That gives them something to look forward to.

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ouryve · 16/10/2013 12:19

DH and i divide and rule. DH takes at least one of the boys and goes and looks at the toys etc. I take the trolley and fill it, from a list, either alone or with the older boy. DS1 likes looking around the fruit and veg section for interesting items and he usually has his own mental list of cereals, snacks etc to put in his own basket. He always makes a beeline for the reduced pastries!

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MrsPnut · 16/10/2013 12:25

We use the self scan system at waitrose so DD2, age 7, uses the (Frank) Zapper to scan all the shopping as we do it. I also send her on errands whilst we're in the shop, like going and choosing her own yoghurts or cheeses whilst I choose something else in the same aisle. I sometimes give her the list too and get her to check off the items we've bought but making her feel part of it keeps her engaged and means we can get round much quicker.

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dahville · 16/10/2013 12:25

When he was younger we kept my son entertained by making funny family and noises (especially farting noises, he liked them best) but now he's happy to sit in the trolley, eat a banana or some baguette and chat with us.

As he gets older we'll get him to take things off the shelf and put them in the basket or trolley, he's already made motions to do this.

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Roundles · 16/10/2013 12:30

Shopping list bingo!
Smaller girls are sometimes happy just to have a basket to carry (the thrill wears off after a while...)

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DreamlessSleep · 16/10/2013 12:34

Just get them them involved, "six apples in a bag pls ds, see if u can find the satsumas dd." And playing eye spy works well too.

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LaTrucha · 16/10/2013 12:41

DH is awesome at supermarket shopping with the children. He sends them off to get things, lets them push the trolley, makes them laugh the whole time.

It's all to much for me, so I stay at home or go by myself Grin

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StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 16/10/2013 13:06

DD1 is 2.8. She occasionally has a drink or a snack whilst we're going around the supermarket. Something like raisins or breadsticks that she can't eat too quickly. I often get her to hold things or put them in the trolley for me - she likes to help. I sometimes let her chose what we buy eg she picks the fruit or bread. I get her to tell me which numbered aisle we're on too. If we're just doing a small shop with a basket I let her run around trying to find the things we need. If I get desperate, she can also be bribed with a roll from the instore bakery or a promise of a glass of milk from the coffee shop.
DD2 is young enough that as long as she's not tired or hungry all I have to do is smile at her to keep her entertained.

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BoyGirlBoy3 · 16/10/2013 13:14

I agree a treat with the children before we start. However they are master negotiators, and begin bidding for better offers, as soon as we get through the door. They have expressed a lot of interest in the scanners at waitrose, so maybe i will try that, as suggested on this thread.

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BellaVida · 16/10/2013 13:26

I have various techniques, with varying effectiveness, depending on what mood they are in! I have 4 young children, but it is doable.

  • give one a shopping list and pen to check off items, then have a trolley pusher and a fetcher. Rotate jobs every x number of aisles (agreed in advance to avoid arguments!).
  • we do shopping trolley driving licences! The children gave to stop at 'junctions', keep left, park, reverse and do u-turns. When they have had enough practice, they are tested to see if they 'pass'.
  • use it for maths practice. Send them each to find products in the aisle you are in, calculate any offers and bring back the best value products. They will be especially keen if it is something they really want!

Or if all else fails......
  • do the shopping late when my DH is home and I can go on my own!
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beeelaine · 16/10/2013 13:30

i was fed up of our son wanting this, wanting that, the cost of the shop goes up when you have kids with you, so a few years ago i gave him a budget of £3 to buy what he wanted from the chocolate isle for the week and he spent ages working out which chocolate to buy so he could get the most grams of chocolate for the money. He only got the budget if he was good all the way round the shop and we went there last. I know its bribing but it made the shop more fun for him and when he is with me now he is so quick at maths and he tells me which pasta etc is the best value for money!

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CMOTDibbler · 16/10/2013 13:32

DS writes a shopping list before we go, based on meals hes requesting in the next few days, or packed lunch needs, and is pretty happy to just be sorting that out, plus requests to get things for me.

In Waitrose, he does have the promise of a babyccino at the end as that (and my coffee) will be free

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BornToFolk · 16/10/2013 13:40

Online shopping Grin I'm a single parent with no car so while I can get to a supermarket, getting the shopping back again with a small boy in tow can be a bit challening. So I don't.
Shopping is ordered from the comfort of my sofa. I can add things to the order as I think of them and search around for the best deals. I usually get the shopping delivered when DS is in bed so it doesn't interfere with my time with him. The only downside is I'm sure DS thinks that the fridge magically refills itself!

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Pascha · 16/10/2013 13:46

Hmm. I deal with the supermarket trip by doing online. There is no way on this Earth will I be taking a 3 and 1 year old to do the full weeks shop voluntarily.

I do pop in for the odd bit though and I confess I am guilty of heading straight for the box of cars for 80p or whatever. I let the 3yr old choose one to look after all the way round and he's generally happy enough. He also likes looking down on the shoppers from the coffee shop upstairs so I can bribe him with that and also get my fix of caffeine - win-win.

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Huffpot · 16/10/2013 13:59

By involving them in the shop and getting them to get the items from the shelves and also helping put things on the conveyor belt at the checkout

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Geniene · 16/10/2013 14:01

I give them a list of their own and they love collecting the items, I also ask their opinion i.e ooh which jacket potatoes do you think you the biggest and yummiest? This keeps them entertained and they learn to enjoy shopping.

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AnnieDanny · 16/10/2013 14:40

DS's (2.5yrs) current favourite is taking photos on my phone of things he's going to buy for each of his 5 favourite soft toy animals, then he deletes each photo as he finds the item. (Mum imposed rules: 1 item for each animal, only one thing per aisle (to avoid 5 bars of chocolate). Plus, it has to be something the animal would conceivably want in real life. A typical selection might be:
Rabbit - carrot
Bear - salmon or honey
Owl - chocolate animal of some kind
Makka Pakka - some sort of soap (?!)
Mousey - cheese
...which isn't that far off what I'd buy anyway.
We also managed to find a mini shopping trolley for him which seems to add to the excitement.

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sweetiepie1979 · 16/10/2013 14:49

I give my 2 year old a note book and pen and she scribbles a list together in the trolley while I call out what we need. Then I check it and tell her how clever she is.

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Spirael · 16/10/2013 15:10

I do our shopping online, via my phone, on my way home from work on the bus. No bored child to entertain and no wasted time getting the order sorted out. Perfect!

If we do need to pop to the supermarket, I involve DD in finding items and making decisions where possible. She likes to be included and able to apply her influence by choosing, for example, whether we want apple or orange juice to drink this week.

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Rarecherry · 16/10/2013 15:13

I'm a fairly quick shopper, so its usually a fairly relaxed trip. I usually hand over items for my daughter to put in the trolly, she has one toy brought in to play with and if she gets too grizzly I usually buy something for her to munch on.
But recently she has learnt to do the scanning on the 'scan and shop' in tesco- best thing ever!

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Turnipvontrapp · 16/10/2013 16:34

Shop at Aldi, it takes a lot less time so there's no need for entertaining then! Failing that, get them to go and find things for you (older ones).

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gazzalw · 16/10/2013 16:43

Getting each child to plan a meal (main and pudding) they want to cook so that when we go supermarket shopping they take responsibility for sourcing their own ingredients - keeps them separate and focused and away from the 'naughty' aisles with all the things which would otherwise tempt them!

Or as someone said upthread, do online shopping or even better, plan shopping trips whilst they're at school so they are usefully entertained learning Grin!

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Glitterfairys · 16/10/2013 16:43

I'm in different shops every day as I have to walk through our local town centre to take ds to school. I make sure I have drinks and snacks on me at all times as it's always when were out my nearly 4 year old decides his hungry/thirsty so this saves me spending money each day.
On a Friday if they have been good all week they can have a treat, this works as when they ask for something like a magazine , small toy or a pack of stickers I remind them that they can buy it on Friday and this normally encourages them to keep behaving .

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Katz · 16/10/2013 16:47

We shop online! The only time we go to the supermarket it's then a novelty. I get my girls involved in working which is the best deal and get them to help chose what we want.

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WowOoo · 16/10/2013 17:09

I find it quite stressful shopping with the children so I always need to have a pep talk before about how we are going to stick to the list.
I also try to avoid taking them, but sometimes I have to.

I get them to help me find things and they can choose some things themselves - fruit, a dessert or which type of crisps.
Sometimes, they can take some pocket money and choose a magazine.

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