Grocery Store Shopping with a Camera

Grocery store shopping can be fun.  Tim used to have fun with it before we had kids because he enjoyed trying to save money.  You know how the Safeway receipt tells you what % you saved at the bottom?  He would always try to beat 30%.  Oh those bygone days when saving money at the store was something we did more for entertainment than out of necessity.

Tim's shopping and saving game contrasted with my premarital habit of grocery shopping at the 7-11 across the street from my apartment.  For each meal, one at a time.  Meal being very loosely defined.  Anyway, with enough time and money, or really just time, I do love shopping for food.  I also love my kids and I like taking them places with me, but a full week of grocery shopping is not one of my favorite errands to do with them in tow.  I mean I suppose it has built my character to go chasing after Jo down an aisle while Tess, fighting to get free of my arms, gouges at my eyes and nose while making noises that usually only come out of zoo animals when they're hungry.  But given the choice I will actually choose to forgo that.

Tonight we all went to the store together and I found a great way to occupy Jo while grocery shopping, and it ties in nicely with a project I have lined up for them.  I gave her a camera!  She has been really interested in taking pictures lately and with the little camera I gave her it's easier for her than using our larger and heavier camera.

We started talking today about Pop Art.  We checked out a DVD from the library that is part of a cool series called, "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists."  We watched the one about Andy Warhol, which is animated and very fun. We also read a little about Pop Art in the book, Art Revolutions, "Pop Art," by Linda Bolton.

We are also planning on doing some Pop Art themed projects from the book "Discovering Great Artists," by MaryAnn Kohl.

At any rate tonight we gave Jo a camera and suggested she take some Pop Art inspired pictures.  I really like seeing things from her point of view!  Here are a few of her pictures:

I think I will print these for her and let her paint and/or draw on them like Warhol did with his soup can labels, or perhaps make a collage with them.  Whatever we decide to do, she had a great time using the camera and was much happier being at the store with me than she sometimes is.  

If your child is interested in using a camera and you are looking for tips on showing them how to "see" things in a photo friendly way, check out this.