The clerk and the buyer

On the way to my house from school today, Elena said, "I have my eye on a little stuffed tiger at Cracker Barrel.  Maybe we could stop and look at it?"

Of course, we did.  At Cracker Barrel, however, she changed her mind.  The tiger that she had her eye on was replaced with a zebra.  We also bought a little plastic calculator, which she was intent on learning to use in the car.  Since she was then fairly proficient in adding, she decided that we would play store when we got home.

Here is how a five-year-old plays store.

First, you draw and paint all the items you will sell--grapes, apples, oranges, milk and horse feed.

Then, while your grandmother is making dinner, you invite Makken and Sebastien over to help in the designing and drawing of supplies.

Finally, you sit at your calculator and your grandmother (the boys already gone home) comes to shop.  Items are added up and the prices are improvised: $14 for a sip straw. $4 for horse feed with a free wagon thrown in, $3 for grapes, and $8 for a single strawberry.