Wednesday, June 4, 2014

"Aux Beaux Pieds" Shoe Store Pretend Play

First things first: I must thank my beautiful children for inspiring this pretend play station YEARS ago...That's right. For years I've witnessed them trying on my shoes and my husband's shoes and somehow, I always thought it'd be a neat thing to make an activity out of it since they liked it so much. Somehow, kids, young and old, always seem to have a fascination for walking around in someone's else shoes (literally and figuratively I must say...). This set up would, at last, provide a good, lasting opportunity to try on an endless array of footwear (heels, oxfords, slippers, sandals...). I had all the best intentions on making this playdate outside once again but the weather had different plans...all week. It rained and rained and rained some more and let's not mention how cold it was. Although we did the grooming salon station last week under the sun and its 28C rays, this week, it was a big "generous" 8C. Not too warm for the tootsies. As such, I set up the pretend play station in the "man's attic" (shhh. We've put everything back since). Here's how we rolled...

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Entrance of our shop with small "check out" area and shoe store sign

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Register and homemade receipts for our store kept the children busy

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The slipper corner; it even featured the traditional Quebec slipper!

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The fitting area where the "customers" sit to try on the shoes.
Equipped with a shoe horn and sizing "ruler".

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Some of the shoes available for "purchase". Picked the ones that didn't have dirty
soles as we did this inside on a carpeted room. Put out different styles for variety.

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Most definitely the most popular area in our shop: The newest arrivals, featuring the platforms (tin stilts),
the flip flops (foam and thread), and air slippers (taped bubble wrap). Provided tons of giggles!

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A "customer" trying on the tin stilts...Decided not to purchase...
Apparently, they are not as comfortable as they look... :)

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One of our "staff" filling in an invoice for a "customer"...

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Our store also provided some services such as an in-store shoe cobbler . There, one could "buy"
insoles, shoe products, laces, etc and get old shoes fixed!

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Here's the best shoe cobbler in town: recommended me
a neutral wax for some scuffing on my tan heels!

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Shoe Store Pretend Play : Shoe boxes and little blocks will
make the best displays! :)

And that folks, is how we managed our shoe store pretend play station. Next week, we'll be hosting a brand new themed station and hopefully, it will be just as exciting (and outside please!). To see the upcoming stations we have this summer, check out our line up here.

P.S. Let the children be the children today (aka you are not allowed to cry if they damage the shoes you put out...thus do not put out the ones you'd cry over if they were to be ill-treated! :) ).  Also, use your good judgment when the kids try on and walk with the shoes...Some children may be too young for heels for example or may need a hand to walk steadily. Supervision will be key!


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