Developing Real Imagination

Our children are experienced in making choices about their learning, about our environment and about our nursery. They are experienced shoppers, making choices about sustainable ways to transport our shopping, to ensuring we have as little waste as possible. 
Recently our home corner was transformed into a grocery shop: selling some basic goods you may need in your home.
Children helped to clear away the home corner, prepare the space, write signs and stock the shop. They even went shopping to check we had everything we needed.
What struck many members of staff was how much the children showed us they already knew about shopping. The understood the roles, knew many pieces of vocabulary specifically linked to shopping. Transporting the shopping also became a huge focus with staff turning their backs for one moment and the whole shop was decamped into bags (for life obviously!) and carted down the corridor "home". 
Children used lots of language related to number, money and time. They also developed turn taking skills as the role of the shopkeeper (and til operator) was popular.
We ensured the children had lots of time to explore and play: sometimes adults scaffolding play, other times children playing freely.
Sadly the shop has gone into administration and closed for this term and the home corner has returned.