Assortment of small toys (dice, cars, etc.)
Price tags for each category of items
Coins (real or play money)
Shopping baskets
Receipts for recording purchases (printable templates available)
Calculator (optional, for cashier use)
Set up the toy store with several of each item available for purchase.
Attach price tags to each category of items (e.g., dice for 2 cents each, cars for 5 cents each).
Prepare receipts for the cashier to use.
Setting Up the Store:
Assign roles: one student as the cashier and others as shoppers.
Provide each shopper with a shopping basket and some coins.
Shopping and Calculation:
Shoppers choose items to purchase, placing them in their baskets.
The cashier sorts the items by type and writes a receipt for each shopper. The receipt includes multiplication sentences for the total cost (e.g., 3 cars x 5 cents each = 15 cents).
Making Payments:
Shoppers pay the cashier using coins from their jars.
The cashier calculates the total amount due and provides change if necessary, reinforcing both multiplication and money-handling skills.
Role-playing and Discussion:
Rotate roles so each student gets a chance to be both the cashier and a shopper.
Discuss the process and the concept of using multiplication as a faster way to perform repeated addition.
Repetition and Practice:
Repeat the activity with different items and prices to reinforce learning.
Encourage students to explain their thought process and calculations to solidify their understanding.