Ever get one of those catalogs in the mail from a company that sells really cool, but expensive, teaching materials? Me, too. Ever been able to afford much of it? Me, neither. Here are some ways to incorporate literacy into your housekeeping and grocery store dramatic play centers without breaking the bank.

Literacy in Your Kindergarten Housekeeping Center

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Labels     

  
  
The cheapest way to get labels for your kindergarten housekeeping center is to make them yourself. To have your literacy labels printed, try the inexpensive Vistaprint. Print your own literacy labels with a DYMO label maker, or use label sheets and free templates from sites like Avery or Online Labels to print literacy labels with your laser or inkjet printer.

 
Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Lists and Forms

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Clocks and Calendars

  
 

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Picture Frames, Artwork, Growth Charts, and Family Trees  

To get free printable lists and forms, calendars, and growth charts to use as literacy items for your kindergarten housekeeping center, visit Nick Jr.

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Telephones and Mail

Everyone gets mail they don't need. Use some of your own junk mail as literacy items for your kindergarten housekeeping center. If you don't get enough on your own, ask around. Or put a stack of envelopes in the center and have the kids mail what they want. As you can see, I also put an old telephone in my housekeeping center.

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Baby Products and Baby Toys 

   

Travel-size versions of baby products, like baby wipes, baby powder, baby oil, and baby shampoo, for your kindergarten housekeeping center are easy enough to come by. If you want to include baby toys, go to Scholastic's toy store, Back to Basics Toys.

 

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Books, Videos, and Music  

   
 
You can get books, videos, and music as literacy items for your kindergarten housekeeping center just about anywhere. To get them cheap, go to dollar stores, garage and yard sales, thrift stores, or your local library. Also try Scholastic's Parent & Child magazine, Little Scholastic baby books, or this bedtime stories booklist. At Amazon, you can find magazines, books, and videos about home life, parenting, and families for your kindergarten housekeeping center. Look for http://www.amazon.com/gp/new-releases/music/598394/ref=pd_nr_m_nav " target="_blank" title="Music for kindergarten literacy centers">lullabies with literacy packaging (including lullaby renditions — Rockabye Baby! and Cradle Rock — of famous rock songs) that also help develop oral language skills.

Literacy in Your Kindergarten Grocery Store Center

 Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Signs

 Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Ads and Coupons

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Food Labels and Packaging 

You have to eat, anyway. Why not reuse the empty food containers as literacy items in your kindergarten grocery store center? 

 

  Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Price Tags

 Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Name Tags

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Dollar Bills, Coins, Checks, and Credit Cards    

      
   

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: IDs or Driver's Licenses

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Cash Registers

To make a conveyer belt for your kindergarten grocery store center, wrap black butcher paper around a rectangular table, tape the ends of the paper together, and keep pulling to make it move just like a real conveyer belt!

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Receipts  

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Grocery Lists  

Kindergarten Centers Literacy Item: Shopping Bags

You'll find free printable signs, coupons, price tags, receipts, and lists as literacy items for your kindergarten grocery store center at Nick Jr., Ernst & Young, About Homeschooling, Free Printables, Free Stuff 4 Kids, and Printables4Kids.

If you want to print pretend money as literacy items for your kindergarten grocery store center, head on over to Money Instructor,Printable Kids Play Money, and DLTK's Crafts for Kids.

As you can see, there are more ways — and cheaper ways — to incorporate literacy into your centers than you might have thought. How do you use literacy in your kindergarten housekeeping and grocery store dramatic play centers?

Have a dramatic weekend!

~Allie

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<a href=""http://blogs.scholastic.com/classroom_solutions/2010/11/literacy-kindergarten-dramatic-play-centers-housekeeping-grocery-store.html">Literacy in Kindergarten Dramatic Play Centers, Pt. 1: Housekeeping and Grocery Store/a>