Financial Literacy Month is celebrated in April, and it’s a great opportunity to teach your kids about the importance of saving and understanding money. Our roundup of money-saving games for kids will help children understand how to make financial decisions.
Money-Saving Games for Kids
Play with Money
Make your next family trip to a restaurant or the grocery store into a game. Help children understand how money is exchanged by letting them play with the money and count it for the waitress or cashier. Even if your child is too young to do math, pretend play teaches kids about the decision-making process when it comes to finances.
Teach Savings Habits
Just as children enjoy saving their toys, it’s important for them to learn how this translates to saving money. If your kids get a weekly allowance or birthday money, have them save the cash or coins in a piggy bank. Work together to identify a small savings goal ($1, $5, etc.). Once they reach a certain goal, offer a small reward. This will help them learn the value of saving versus spending. As your children continue the practice of saving into their teens and adulthood, they’ll understand the value of paying themselves first.
Collect Coins
Coin collecting is a great game and hobby for young children to get familiar with currency. Have them collect coins from all 50 states and put them on display on a map of the United States. Another way to engage kids is to have them count coins. For example, teach your child that four quarters add up to one dollar or 10 dimes are equivalent to one dollar.
Clip Coupons
Before heading to the grocery store or running errands, make clipping coupons into an interactive activity. Cut coupons that you receive in the mail with your child to teach him or her the value of saving money on items and sticking within a budget. They’ll see firsthand how exciting it is to get a bargain!
Saving Apps
Many children, no matter their age, are familiar with online or mobile phone apps. Parents can download money-saving apps for kids that offer tips on what to do with an allowance, explain how rewarding saving can be, and teach them about the burden of taking on debt. A couple places to start include FamZoo, a game that teaches kids good money habits, and PiggyBot, a mobile app that offers a fun way to help kids spend, share, and save.
The earlier parents start teaching kids about smart money-saving habits, the more prepared they’ll be to make financial decisions in the future. Making saving into a game offers children an opportunity to learn about saving money in a way that is engaging and fun. Learn more about how PFCU can help kids develop healthy financial habits through youth accounts!
Erin Ellis
Accredited Financial Counselor ®
Philadelphia Federal Credit Union
eellis@PFCU.COM