Help! My child wants to touch everything in the store. No worries. I have one simple tip for the child who wants to touch everything.
I like to keep some of my parenting tips super simple, and this is one of those times Here’s another: a simple phrase that motivates kids to help.
One Simple Tip for the Child Who Wants to Touch Everything
Note: This post was written back in 2012 when my kids were little. I’m updating in 2025 to improve my points and writing. While it’s a very simple idea, when my kids were young, I found practical little nuggets as a lifeline for surviving a challenging season. I hope you find it helpful too.
I have tactile kids. One of them is in sensory processing therapy, and we’ve been learning so much about how their need to touch has shown up over the years—and how to better support them moving forward. If you have a child who loves to touch everything, running errands can quickly become overwhelming.
But here’s the thing: touching isn’t bad. In fact, if you’re not in a rush, it can actually be a great opportunity to let them explore. Letting them help pick out produce, feel the textures of different fabrics, or put items in the cart is not only engaging—it’s healthy sensory input. I have to remind myself often to slow down and let go of my own schedule, because these moments are valuable.
That said, we don’t always have the luxury of time. Sometimes, you just need to get through the store without detours, and that’s when it gets tough—especially if your child’s urge to touch never feels satisfied. They may want to pick things up constantly, or even sneak items into the cart when you’re not watching.
We’ve worked a lot on self-control, and they’ve made great progress, but there’s one simple strategy that has made a huge difference for us during those faster-paced errands.
Parenting Tip for Shopping with Kids
Here is my shopping with kids tip: let them touch things with one finger. That’s it. As much as they want, as long as it’s gentle and just with one finger. It’s a great way to honor their sensory needs without causing chaos, especially when you’re around more fragile items. When we first started using this rule, I had to give a few reminders, but it quickly became second nature. It helps satisfy their urge to touch while still keeping things manageable.
This isn’t a rule we use every single time, but it’s a tool I keep in my back pocket—and it’s been a lifesaver more than once.
I know it is simple, but it was so helpful for me when my kids were young. It kept them both interested and moving. Hope it helps you too!
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What an awesome idea! I’ve never even thought of this before, but I think it would work nicely. Great goings Mama!
You don’t worry about them knocking something breakable off a shelf? (Not being snarky or argumentative, just truly trying to think this through. Mine always want to touch everything, too.)
Good question. I always prepare them when we’re going into a more fragile area and say they can’t touch anything in there. I keep my eyes on the section we are in so I can direct appropriately. I guess it’s just a general rule that still needs monitoring.
I had touchy kiddos too. I learned to remind them when we were in fragile areas/stores to only touch with their eyes. If they broke the rule, I had them hold their hands in front of them. It is hard to touch when your hand is holding the other hand. LOL
Yes, this is great. I say, “We are going to look with our eyes only now.” I also love to hold their hand or have them put one hand on the cart if they are having trouble obeying. Sounds like we are very similar in this regard. 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
I have a niece who does this everywhere and with everything and her mother does nothing to help her manage her urge to touch things. It’s incredibly frustrating because parties or family get togethers she often destroys cakes and desserts by putting her fingers in everything, breaks objects, and even goes into other people’s purses and things to touch whatever is inside. She has no other developmental issue that I know of. How does a non-parents address this with parent and child?
That is so incredibly hard, and I think it depends on the relationship and parenting style. Sometimes I watch these moms and see them struggling against a really strong will or kids with deeper special needs. This article might help you see what some parents are dealing with every day: https://meaningfulmama.com/unless-you-are-raising-a-special-needs-child-you-dont-understand.html You don’t know all they are trying behind the scenes. Other parents are super laid back about this kind of thing. Sometimes I wish I could channel a little of this laid back energy. That said, I firmly believe in structure and discipline. Psychologists say that an authoritative (not authoritarian) and engaged parenting style is the most effective. I say that if you do decide to approach it, fill the conversation with love and grace. Explain how you feel instead of an attack. “I start to feel really anxious when (insert name) is touching everything. It is hard to talk about it with you because I don’t want to be judgmental. I love you both so much, and I would love to partner with you to help so that we can all have more fun together. How can I best do that?” I would encourage you to have this kind of conversation when you are not in the middle of the frustration. Emotions run high for both the potentially exhausted parent and for yourself as the daughter is running around destroying things. I hope that helps.