Grocery Store Fieldtrip? Really?

Most of us dread the weekly grocery store shopping, bringing home foods and planning meals to feed our families.  So, when the fieldtrip planned to go to our local Safeway store came about, a few parents had these quirky looks on their faces that screamed, really?  A grocery store fieldtrip?  I have to tell you, it was one of our best field trips ever.  Follow us here on what a fieldtrip to Safeway looks like through the eyes of our little ones.

We park our cars, meet up with our friends from Tanya's daycare and enter the store.  We are greeted by our tourguide, Rebecca.  She has a granchild of her own that is 3 years old, so she immediately knew at what level to keep this fieldtrip.

Our first stop; the Deli.  The children meet all the deli workers as they bring out slices of turkey for all the kids to sample.  Immediately knowing a fed child is a happy child.  After all questions are answered, we continue our walk through the store and pass by the bakery. 

The smell of bread baking wafts through the air.  The kids peer through the glass, expressing how yummy all the cakes and treats look.  Then we are taken to the back and shown how a cake is made and decorated.  The kids meet all the bakers and are promised a cookie at the end of our tour.  Again, all the children's questions are answered and we continue on our way through the store.

Next, the meat department.  The children were asked, "what is your favorite meat to eat."  The kids shout out, chicken, shrimp, donuts!  Hmmm, donuts?  One child was still mentally in the bakery department.  He wanted that donut he saw in the glass case. 

Now on to the produce department. 

Can you name all the produce you see around you?  Yeah, careworts, celawree, brocowree, mushwooms....you know where this is going.

After the produce department, we head over to the flower and balloon department where the kids point to their favorite mylar characters.  Toy Story, Thomas the Train, Hello Kitty and so many more. 

They smell the beautiful flowers, see the sweet little stuffed animals, got introduced to the florist behind the counter and after all their questions are answered, are all given balloons as a gift from the department.

As we walk through the store and get many stares from all the customers and employees, you can hear in the background, "oh how cute, aren't they adorable, where are they from?"  The children strut around holding their heads high and feeling important knowing everyone is watching.  You would have been so proud of your children.

Last on our list, a treat; Starbucks.  The children are all given a free hot chocolate from Starbucks, us teachers are given a free drink of our choice and the kids recieve their goodie bags full of healthy foods.  You have never seen such excitement over cheese, oranges, fruit juice boxes and cookies.

Thank you Safeway for your patience and care given to show our children that grocery shopping can be a fun experience. Parents, next time you go to the grocery store, don't fear, the kids will help you locate that hard to find item.

Until our next fieldtrip with PattyKakesKidz