Best for this moment
for calmer, lower-pressure moments, especially when you need an indoor option.
Shopping List Scribble
At a glance: Give your child paper and a crayon to 'write' their own shopping list while you write yours. A 10-minute, low-energy indoor activity for ages 19m–3y. No prep needed.
While you write a real shopping list, your child sits beside you with their own paper and crayon, 'writing' theirs. They scribble, make marks, and tell you what each one says: 'Bananas! Milk! Biscuits!' This purposeful mark-making — writing with real intent, even before they can form letters — builds the understanding that marks carry meaning.
Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
What success looks like
A good outcome is a few minutes of engaged play, some back-and-forth with you, and a small sign of progress in early literacy.
More help for this situation
Rainy-day indoor energy
Rainy day
When everyone is stuck inside, choose movement-heavy play that burns energy without chaos.
Try Pillow Path AdventureInstructions
- Sit at the table together with paper and crayons for both of you.
- Say: 'I need to write my shopping list. Would you like to write yours too?'
- Start writing your real list. Say each item aloud as you write: 'Milk... bread... apples...'
- Encourage your child to 'write' their items: 'What do you want from the shop?'
- Accept all marks as writing — scribbles, dots, lines. Ask: 'What does that say?'
- If they say a word, repeat it: 'Bananas! Great choice. Write that down.'
- When both lists are finished, 'read' them back together.
- Take the list to the shop (or pretend shop at home) and tick off items together.
Why it helps
Writing with purpose — even scribble-writing — teaches children that marks on paper carry meaning. This is the key conceptual leap that precedes letter formation. The EYFS Literacy area identifies 'writing for a purpose' as more developmentally valuable than practising letter shapes, because the child understands WHY we write before learning HOW.
Variations
- Use it before a real shopping trip — let them bring their list and 'find' items in the shop.
- Add pictures: draw a quick banana next to the word — connecting image, spoken word, and written mark.
- For older toddlers, write the first letter of each item and let them try to copy it: 'B for banana.'
Safety tips
- Use chunky crayons for small hands — thin pens can be frustrating and are a poking hazard.
- Supervise closely if using pens with lids — small caps are a choking risk.
- Keep the mood light — if they lose interest, stop. This should feel like fun, not homework.
When to pause and seek extra support
Stop if your child becomes distressed, unsafe, or consistently frustrated by the activity. If play, behaviour, or development worries keep showing up across settings, check in with a qualified professional.
Get weekly activity ideas for your toddler
One email a week with practical toddler activities, behaviour tips, and developmental insights. No spam, unsubscribe any time.