Teaching My Child to Shop for Groceries

Supermarket adventures are actually a great learning opportunity for an ASD child.

With the plethora of online supermarket services today, shopping for groceries has become more convenient than before. This can seem like the best choice for parents with autistic children, being able to avoid stressful environments and prevent meltdowns in public. However, supermarket adventures are actually a great learning opportunity for an ASD child, equipping them with useful life skills for the future. Here are some methods to prepare your child for a tricky supermarket trip! 

Before Going to the Supermarket

Social Stories and Visual Supports

Firstly, it is important to walk your child through the steps of a supermarket outing. Using social stories or visual cards, describe to your child how a typical supermarket looks. Some things you can introduce are the supermarket layout, items that can be found there, the different sections of food and arrangement of aisles. It is good to use realistic videos (Juban, 2022), to also show your child the variety of people that may be present, such as the grocer staff, normal patrons, cashier and tasting booth helpers. This helps your child anticipate a possible crowd, especially for children who are easily overwhelmed and fear large crowds.

Role-playing at Home

To further prep your child, parents can set-up a pretend grocery store at home. Prepare items such as shopping basket, trolley and toy foods to recreate the supermarket experience. Do a walkthrough of selecting items, placing them in the cart and checking out at the cashier. This gives your child an understanding of the sequence of events, and increases their comfort level of going to the store (Rogers & Cermak, 2023). In addition, life skills can be taught here as well. Parents can teach their child proper bagging tips (such as putting raw foods and delicate items separately) as well as money skills during payment time. 

Visual Shopping List

Afterwards, come up with a list of groceries to buy at the supermarket together with your child (Coppola). Write down the items on a piece of paper for your child to refer to and make sure they are aware of them. For a start, keep the number of items short as your child would manage better with a shorter supermarket trip (Juban, 2022). When their tolerance increases, the duration of the trip can be gradually increased. Pro-tip! A way to increase your child’s motivation to enter the supermarket would be to let them choose 1-2 items they want to buy and add it to the list! 

At the Supermarket 

Getting Familiar with the Supermarket Environment 

Start by visiting the supermarket at non-peak hours to familiarise your child with the setting. With a smaller crowd, it means one less sensory aspect to take note of. Allow your child to explore the aisles and get a better sense of where different categories of items are located. Let them touch different textures and temperatures, exposing them to environments they may be wary of in the beginning, This aids in reducing their anxiety.

Rules and Expectations

Before entering the supermarket, go over the expectations you have with your child. Some rules can include - holding onto the trolley at all times, only getting items on the shopping list and checking them off after, showing proper conduct such as not running or shouting (Center, 2021). If you sense your child is becoming restless, get them to tap you for attention instead of acting out or throwing a tantrum. Bring them to a private corner to regulate themselves and only provide a motivating toy once they calm down (Healthcare, 2021). It would also be good to include a little routine into the trip (Coppola), by walking through the supermarket in the same direction every time. This predictability helps with your child’s unease. Once your child is settled, slowly switch up the routine to prevent rigidity from forming. Every time your child completes a task, be sure to provide verbal praise! Praise should be consistent and specific, no matter how small the accomplishment is (Rogers & Cermak, 2023). For example, “I like that you are pushing the trolley and walking nicely in the supermarket” or “Good job finding the apples and ticking them off the shopping list!”

Prepare Sensory Friendly Items

To better be prepared, consider your child’s sensory needs and pack a bag of possible items they will require during the trip. Headphones or earplugs are a good option to minimise noise (Miller & Wood, 2022). Fidget items or a comfort toy can help a child feel more grounded as well. Getting your child to perform some heavy work (Aylward, 2020) before the trip such as helping to move the laundry or carrying bags might help with sensory processing and reduce sensory overload at the store later.

Concluding the Grocery Shopping Trip

Lastly, do not forget to have a debrief with your child after shopping! Go through the steps to grocery shopping again by reviewing your supermarket trip, ensuring adequate understanding from your child (Center, 2021). Fret not, if your child is still unsure, as practice makes perfect! If your child is more verbal, parents can also ask them about their feelings and thoughts. Then, adapt and make changes to make future trips more pleasant for your child. As usual, include praise along every step of the way to boost their confidence level. 

With small steps and supporting your child through them, grocery shopping may just become an activity they enjoy! 

Written by: Micole

References:

Aylward, L. (2020, May 27). Heavy work: Keep your kids moving!. Bristol Autism Support. https://www.bristolautismsupport.org/heavy-work-keep-kids-moving/#:~:text=A%20technique%20that%20may%20help,give%20a%20sense%20of%20calm. 

Center, L. (2021, November 3). Grocery shopping with your child with autism. LeafWing Center. https://leafwingcenter.org/grocery-shopping-with-child-autism/ 

Coppola, M. (n.d.). 8 tips for tackling the grocery store with your autistic child. Autism Resources and Community (ARC). https://blog.stageslearning.com/blog/8-tips-for-tackling-the-grocery-store-with-your-autistic-child 

Healthcare, C. (2021, March 8). Tips for shopping with your child with autism. TIPS FOR SHOPPING WITH YOUR CHILD WITH AUTISM. https://www.centriahealthcare.com/blog/four-tips-for-shopping-with-your-child-with-autism 

Juban, B. (2022, October 7). Grocery shopping can be a learning opportunity. Expert Columns: Grocery Shopping Can Be a Learning Opportunity. https://www.mayinstitute.org/news/acl/asd-and-dd-child-focused/taking-a-child-with-autism-to-the-grocery-store/ 

Memmott, A. (2023, August 23). On being overwhelmed by grocery shopping while autistic. THINKING PERSON’S GUIDE TO AUTISM. https://thinkingautismguide.com/2023/08/on-being-overwhelmed-by-grocery-shopping-while-autistic.html 

Miller, C., & Wood, V. (2022, December 11). Sensory strategies for the Grocery Store • Kids Creek therapy. Kids Creek Therapy. https://www.kidscreektherapy.com/sensory-strategies-for-the-grocery-store/ 

Rogers, L., & Cermak, S. (2023, May 30). Autism acceptance: Tackling the grocery store. ChildServe. https://www.childserve.org/autism-acceptance-grocery/