Pumpkin Patch Shop

What you need

• a few orange balls or orange toys, as pumpkins
• a basket
• a cushion, for the shop counter

How to do it

1. Line the pumpkins up along a cushion to make the pumpkin patch shop, and sit behind it as the shopkeeper.
2. Give them the basket and ask for "two pumpkins, please". Count them into the basket together.
3. Swap: they run the shop and you ask for one pumpkin, then three.
4. Pay with a high five and carry the basket across the room, then bring the pumpkins back to the shop.

Why it matters

Asking for "two pumpkins" and counting them into a basket gives the numbers a real job, and swapping who runs the shop is turn-taking they choose to do.

What they're learning

Counting

Touching each pumpkin as they say a number is the start of counting things, not just saying numbers.

Taking turns

Swapping between shopkeeper and shopper gives them both sides of the game.

Pretend talk

Please, thank you and how many are real conversation inside a pretend game.

What to look for

Watch for them touching each pumpkin as they count it: one touch, one number.

A tip

Any orange things will do; a ball, a rolled-up sock and a toy all count as pumpkins in this shop.

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