East Lampeter Township police said 40-year-old Heather Lynn Defreitas had been in the store with the children from 10:30 p.m. Tuesday until her arrest 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Detectives said her children - ages 3, 6 and 7 - spent most of the time sleeping in a shopping cart.
Defreitas is charged with corruption of minors, plus a felony count of retail theft due to multiple prior shoplifting arrests.
She was released after posting $500 bail. There was no phone listing for her and she couldn't be reached for comment.
The children were turned over to their father.
