Games to Teach Kids About Saving and Money

Here are several great games and books to teach kids about money.  My family has learned a lot about saving, spending, and giving from playing these games and reading the below books. It has made going to the checkout line at the grocery store a teaching moment.  I summarized each one and added appropriate age levels. Although, both my 5th and 8th graders have enjoyed all of them.

How to Turn $100 into $1,000,000 3rd grade and up (I like the use of graphs and visuals to make a point)

From the creators of Biz Kid$ and Bill Nye the Science Guy, here is a comprehensive guide for kids to the basics of earning, saving, spending, and investing money. Written in a humorous but informative voice that engages young readers, it’s the book that every parent who wants to raise financially savvy and unspoiled children should buy for their kids. It is packed with lively illustrations to make difficult concepts easy to understand—all as a way of building financial literacy, sound decision-making, and the appreciation of a hard-earned dollar.

Financial Peace Jr. Storybooks for Kids 2nd grade through 5th grade 

Financial Peace Junior is designed to help you teach your kids about money. It's packed with tools, resources, and step-by-step instructions for parents. What can be intimidating is made ultra-easy. There are ideas for activities and age-appropriate chores, and you'll have all the tools you need to make learning about money a part of your daily life. The lessons of working, giving, saving, and spending are brought to life through fun stories in the activity book, and kids will love tracking their progress on the dry-erase boards.

Act Your Wage - Dave Ramsey Board Game Ages 10 and up (Yet my 6th-grade daughter loves to count money and ask for change)

Based on Dave Ramsey's Baby Step 2: Get out of debt by paying off everything but the mortgage, the goal of this new board game is to be the first to yell, "I'm debt-free!" A fun way for anyone to learn the principles of saving and spending! Have a family game night, or invite friends over to play. This game allows you to choose your profession as well as different types of debt. The goal is to be smart with saving, paying off your debts, and save enough just in case you get laid off!

Cashflow for Kids 6 years and up (More simplistic game for kids)

CASHFLOW for Kids is an educational board game that simulates real-life financial strategies and situations in a context that engages and educates your child. Your child’s school teaches them how to work for money, but CASHFLOW for Kids teaches them how to have money work for them. As a simulation, your child learns valuable lessons and gains priceless insights into how money and investing work - all with play money! CASHFLOW for Kids is an educational board game that teaches the basics of accounting, finance, and investing at the same time - and makes learning fun.

Escape the Rat Race Comic Book Grade 3 and up

The creators of the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, attempt to teach financial intelligence to children through colorful cartoon images and cute animal characters. However, the lessons are more suitable for high school students. The authors tell readers to minimize their liabilities, such as credit card debt, while building assets, such as starting their businesses. The lessons encourage "financial intelligence" but seem to discourage readers from getting a traditional job and fail to mention the hard work and long hours involved in running one's own business. 

Personally, all the above games are useful and help to reinforce my habits about saving, spending, and giving, as well as trying to pass down those habits to my kids.

 

For additional Frequently Asked Questions, please follow our main webpage for more information Movement Solutions FAQ webpage