Unpack the Shopping Tote
Unpack the Shopping Tote is an active cognitive activity for toddlers aged 20–28 months (corrected age). After an errand, your child helps unpack a cloth tote, showing what each safe item is for and carrying it to where it belongs. It takes 5–12 minutes, needs no prep and works indoors or outdoors.
Updated
Unpack the Shopping Tote
After an errand, your child helps unpack a cloth tote, showing what each safe item is for and carrying it to where it belongs.
- Ages (corrected)
- 20–28 months
- Time
- 5–12 min
- Prep
- No prep
- Where
- Indoors or out · Active
You need
- a cloth tote bag
- 4-5 safe items: a box of crackers, a closed food container, a sponge, a roll of paper towels, a bunch of bananas
Steps
- Take out the heavy, glass and cleaning items yourself, leaving 4-5 safe things in a cloth tote.
- Hand them the bag and wait while they reach in and pull something out.
- Name it and its use once: 'Sponge! Sponge is for washing.' Then pause.
- Respond to anything they do with it, like a scrubbing motion, and ask 'Where does it go?'
- Walk with them to put each item in its place.
Safety first
- Never hand over plastic bags, glass jars, medicines, cleaning products or anything with a battery.
- Keep items light enough to carry and too big to fit through a toilet-paper tube.
No level picked yet. The 0–4 scale is a learning log, not a test.
Not yet: show it once, then let them explore
Watch for the first sign: shows an item's use with a gesture, like pretend scrubbing or eating.
Not yet is information, not a verdict. Do it once yourself while they watch, pause, and offer it again in a few days.
Simplify one step
Next time: leave only two very familiar items in the tote.
Give the least help that works: wait first, then point or show, and guide hands only briefly.
Repeat the same version and fade your help
As you step back, watch for: picks the right item when you name its use.
Pause a few seconds longer before you model, and swap showing it for a point or a gesture.
Offer it once more, then add one change
When it is easy again: ask 'Which one do we wash with?' and wait for them to pick, without pointing.
Change only that one thing and keep everything else the same.
Ready for one step up
Ask 'Which one do we wash with?' and wait for them to pick, without pointing. Or carry it somewhere new: unpack a diaper bag or beach bag the same way with a different caregiver.
Starting it on their own or using it in a new place is the strongest sign. Still change one thing at a time.
Stop and rest this one
In 2-3 days, come back with the simpler version: leave only two very familiar items in the tote.
End with something calming together. One hard moment never means a delay.
Stop on a good note
Keep this version and keep it short next time: 5 minutes is plenty.
They can do it, but it was not fun today. Add difficulty only once it feels easy and enjoyable again.
How to play Unpack the Shopping Tote
5 steps, about 5–12 minutes of focus time, no prep.
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Take out the heavy, glass and cleaning items yourself, leaving 4-5 safe things in a cloth tote.
-
Hand them the bag and wait while they reach in and pull something out.
-
Name it and its use once: 'Sponge! Sponge is for washing.' Then pause.
-
Respond to anything they do with it, like a scrubbing motion, and ask 'Where does it go?'
-
Walk with them to put each item in its place.
What you need for Unpack the Shopping Tote
| What you need | A cloth tote bag and 4-5 safe items: a box of crackers, a closed food container, a sponge, a roll of paper towels, a bunch of bananas |
|---|---|
| Prep | No prep |
| Focus time | 5–12 minutes |
| Where | Indoors or outdoors |
| Energy | Active: counts toward the day’s movement time |
| Ages (corrected) | 20–28 months |
| Domains | Cognitive, Practical life, Language |
| Fits the day | On an errand or at tidy-up time |
Easier and harder versions
Change one thing at a time. Drop to the easier version when Unpack the Shopping Tote stalls; move one rung up only once it looks easy on a few different days.
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Easier
Leave only two very familiar items in the tote.
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As written
The 5 steps above, for 5–12 minutes.
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Harder 1
Ask 'Which one do we wash with?' and wait for them to pick, without pointing.
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Harder 2
Ask them to carry an item to a named place: 'Bananas to the table.'
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Hardest
Add one unfamiliar item and show its use once.
What to watch for
The signs of progress in Unpack the Shopping Tote, mapped to the 0–4 learning scale the family plan uses (a tracking aid, not an assessment).
| Level | What it looks like here |
|---|---|
| 2 · After a model | Does it right after you show it or point. Watch for: shows an item's use with a gesture, like pretend scrubbing or eating. |
| 3 · Independent | Does it when offered, with no demonstration. Watch for: picks the right item when you name its use and carries an item to its usual place without being shown. |
| 4 · Spontaneous | Starts it unprompted or in a new place. Watch for: names or points to items. |
Try it somewhere new
Level 4 means the skill travels. Once Unpack the Shopping Tote is easy, change the place, the person or the material:
- Unpack a diaper bag or beach bag the same way with a different caregiver.
- At the store, hand them one named, unbreakable item to hold and pass to you.
Words to model
During Unpack the Shopping Tote, say “what's this for?”, “wash”, “eat” and “where does it go?” at the moment they happen, one at a time, then pause so your child can answer with a look, a gesture, a sign or a word.
Safety for Unpack the Shopping Tote
- Never hand over plastic bags, glass jars, medicines, cleaning products or anything with a battery.
- Keep items light enough to carry and too big to fit through a toilet-paper tube.
Why it works
Using everyday things the way they are meant to be used is part of CDC's 15-month checklist, and letting toddlers help with simple household jobs is among the everyday ideas on CDC's 18-month page.
Evidence rating: Consensus: sensible practice in line with pediatric guidance. Cited: CDC milestones by 15 months and CDC milestones by 18 months.
Skills and ages
Unpack the Shopping Tote practises using objects the right way, naming things and household helping and fits ages 20 to 28 months. Each month below opens more activities for that age.
Skills practised
Activities by month (20–28 months)
Milestone checklists nearby
Activities like Unpack the Shopping Tote
Things That Go Together is the closest match: it also practises using objects the right way and naming things and it uses the same plastic food containers. It suits 25–33 months, takes 5–10 minutes (a little shorter than Unpack the Shopping Tote) and needs 2 minutes of prep. For a younger child, Grocery Tote Unpack starts at 16 months; for an older child, Spoon, Sponge or Colander? runs to 36 months.
Ranked by shared skills, materials and ages
Frequently asked questions
What age is Unpack the Shopping Tote for?
Unpack the Shopping Tote suits 20–28 months, using corrected age for a child born early. For a younger or hesitant child, start with the easier version: leave only two very familiar items in the tote.
How long does Unpack the Shopping Tote take?
About 5–12 minutes of focused play over 5 steps, with no prep. Stop while it is still fun and repeat it on another day.
How do I make Unpack the Shopping Tote harder?
Change one thing at a time. First: ask 'Which one do we wash with?' and wait for them to pick, without pointing. Then: ask them to carry an item to a named place: 'Bananas to the table.'. Hardest: add one unfamiliar item and show its use once.
How do I keep Unpack the Shopping Tote safe?
Play it only with an adult within arm’s reach. Never hand over plastic bags, glass jars, medicines, cleaning products or anything with a battery. Keep items light enough to carry and too big to fit through a toilet-paper tube.
Related
More with the same materials
Cited guidance
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.