This activity is available for purchase in the Simplicity Happens shop. Read on to find out more!

Today’s activity is inspired by our local Farmer’s Market. My family visits the local Farmer’s Market 1-2 times per month because it’s such a fun place to go and look around. We check out all of the fruits and vegetables for sale and take home some favorites to eat during the upcoming week. This fruit and vegetable Farmer’s Market activity is great for supporting your little ones with identifying, matching, and labeling skills.

The contents of this activity, such as text, graphics, images, information, as well as other material and content contained in this activity are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding your child’s development.

This activity features language and cognitive development concepts children learn throughout their early childhood years as a toddler, preschooler, and within their early elementary school years. Specific age milestone information can be found with a simple internet search!

Let’s get the Farmer’s Market activity started!

 First, let’s print and laminate the two background scenes and the picture cutouts.

The first background scene (see picture below) is best for younger toddlers for identifying, labeling and matching picture to picture.

Picture to Picture Matching

The second background scene (see picture below) is best for older toddlers/preschoolers for matching pictures to words (no visual pictures).

Picture to Words Matching

Next, cut out the picture cutouts.

And place them in a pretty pile!

Then, use dot adhesives or magnets for this activity. Note: Adult Supervision is required. Use caution with the magnets, dot adhesives, and small pieces as they are not intended for use with children under the age of 3. Please use caution and supervise your child with the dot adhesives, magnets and small pieces when working on this activity. Only work on activities that you feel are safe for your child. Warning: Choking Hazard. Children under 3 should not participate in any activities that involve small pieces.

Is your child under 3? This activity includes a modified version of this activity available in bigger print for younger toddlers. Small pieces, magnets, and dot adhesives are not intended for use with the bigger print activities. Please remember that adult supervision is required with all activities shared and/or purchased on Simplicity Happens. Just a kind reminder to stay safe and have fun while learning with your little ones!

You’ll notice I used adhesive dots (rough side) on the background scene (you’ll also notice I cut some in half to leave room for the word labels). I also hole-punched my background scene for storage in the interactive play binder.

Adhesive dots (rough side) on picture background scene.

Last, place the adhesive dots (soft texture) on the back of the picture cutouts (see below):

Adhesive dots (soft side) on picture cutouts.

Great! It’s all set up! Let’s PLAY!

Matching and Labeling

This activity can be used used for receptively and expressively labeling the fruit and vegetables.

First, my son and I go through the pictures together. I want to determine his ability to identify the fruit and vegetable vocabulary pictures when I name them. This demonstrates his ability to receptively label fruit and vegetable vocabulary.

First, we work on receptive labeling:

I ask him to, “Pick up the potatoes.” He picks them up and matches them on the picture to picture background scene. Great job!
We continue on with lemons and carrots. He matches them on the background scene. Then, I ask him to, “Pick up the bananas.” He then matches them on the scene as well. Awesome!
We continue on with apples and broccoli. He matches them on the background scene. Toward the end, I ask him to “Pick up the watermelon.” He picks them up and matches them on the scene! Great job!

He continues to work on picking out the remainder of the fruit and vegetables and matching them on the background scene. I keep a record of his learning to support his knowledge during future play activities in my “Activity Garden: Goal Tracking Sheets” booklet:

This booklet includes over 40 tracking sheets for use with each playful activity in the Activity Garden. This booklet can be found in the Simplicity Happens store!

I then take notes on this specific activity in my “Activity Garden: Goal Tracking Sheets” booklet:

Example of receptive labeling tracking sheet.

Next, my son and I go through the pictures together. I want to determine his ability to identify fruit and vegetable vocabulary pictures when I point to the picture and ask, “What fruit/vegetable is this?”. This demonstrates his ability to expressively label fruit and vegetable vocabulary.

Now, we work on expressive labeling:

I point to the apples and ask, “What fruit is this?”
My son responds, “Apples.” Great job!
I point to the bananas and ask, “What fruit is this?” My son responds, “Bananas.” Awesome!
I point to the carrots and ask, “What vegetable is this?”
My son responds, “Carrots.”
I point to the green beans and ask, “What vegetable is this?”
My son isn’t as familiar with green beans so he needs some help from me!
I’ll say, “These are green beans. Green beans are vegetables.” Then I ask again, “What vegetable is this?” He responds, “Green beans!” Great work!
We continue until all of the fruit and vegetables are labeled! I tell him he did an amazing job with telling me about the pictures!

I then take notes on this specific activity in my “Activity Garden: Goal Tracking Sheets” booklet:

Example of receptive labeling tracking sheet.

This activity could also be used for sorting/categorizing fruits and vegetables!

Once we are done playing, the activity goes in the busy booklet, and we store the fruit and vegetable picture cutouts in a plastic zip pouch for later use!

I hope you and your little ones enjoy this activity together! Happy Playing!

What did you enjoy about this activity with your little ones? Let me know in the comments section below!

This activity is available for purchase in the Simplicity Happens Store! If interested in similar activities, subscribe to the Simplicity Happens Newsletter which gives you access to over 20 free activities combined in the Activity Garden and monthly email newsletter!

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