Pretend Play Laminated Grocery Store Labels for Kids

I’ve been slowly but surely putting together a little grocery store for my kids.  While creating this space for them, I knew I needed TOUGH toys, tough decor and anything paper had to be encased in plastic to make it indestructible   You see, my boys are the type that can destroy anything (cue the photo of the crashed bunk beds and broken hardwood dressers), so to give the store a fighting chance, it had to be tough.

That is where my laminating machine came into play.  I wanted to have cute labels for the various produce sections, without going for crazy loud and bright colors.  And even with thick cardstock, I knew my boys would destroy them instantly, so I decided to laminate them.

In with the cards went all the spare pieces of money to fill up space on the edges of the sleeves.  Can someone explain to me why paper money is always extraordinarily flimsy?  Can sweet little girls even play with that stuff without ripping them constantly?  In any case, here is a quickie tutorial for you on how to create these watercolor, laminated cards.

Supplies needed to make your own pretend play laminated grocery store labels:

• Plain Cardstock
• Charcoal Pencils or Thin Tip Sharpie Markers
• Watercolors
• Paintbrush
• Laminating Machine
• Plastic Laminating Sleeves (come included in machine kit above)
• Hot Glue and Gun (optional – to attach cards to store)

Cut your cardstock into the shape and size you want for your labels.  Start with pencil and draw an outline of the fruit or vegetable you are focusing on.  If you are very confident in your sketching abilities, go ahead and use fine-tip sharpies.  I tend to stay with the charcoal pencils for a lighter look and the ability to erase. 🙂

Once you are satisfied with the sketch, break out the watercolors.  Using light strokes, fill in the interior of your sketch.   Stick to 2-3 colors to prevent the watercolors from mixing and becoming muddy brown.

When you are finished, label the card with print and cursive names, names in other languages, no names – whatever you prefer!

Now it is time to laminate those puppies.  Choose a sleeve and open it up, placing your larger items in the crease of the envelope.  Fill the extra space with smaller paper items, keeping a bit of distance between each piece so that you can cut them without damaging your cards after lamination.  The laminating plastic can get expensive, so it is frugal to use every little bit of that space, even if it is just on plain squares of construction paper that you can use later to write on, use as playing cards, etc.

So here goes!  You have to slowly feed the plastic through the laminator, without pushing or pulling at all.  Let the machine do the work.  Just make sure everything stays steady and your pieces don’t fall out of the plastic sleeve.

When the laminating is complete, the plastic sleeve will slide right out on its own (don’t pull!).  Allow it to cool for a few minutes and then break out the scissors and cut out each piece.

While nothing is fool-proof against my boys, these labels and money at least have a fighting chance now!  What do YOU love to laminate?

Amy Renea

Hey y’all! I’m Amy Renea, a freelance photographer and writer based out of Hershey, PA. I spend my days chasing children and chickens around the back yard, sipping on dandelion tea and munching on sweet potato chips. Come visit the Nest for All Seasons to learn more about my food, photography, DIY designs and modern garden living! www.anestforallseasons.com