Taking the time to
educate kids about money and financial literacy is an important responsibility for parents. According to experts, parents can start educating their kids about the basic concepts of money when they are as young as three years old. Studies also show that kids develop money habits by around age seven.
Financial literacy can help a child learn about being financially independent and confident. They can also learn budgeting skills, develop saving habits, and make smart financial decisions. Let’s explore a few effective ways for you to educate your kids about money.
Introduce Them to Saving
When your kids are still young, it’s a good idea for you to encourage them to save money. Getting a piggy bank for your kids is a clever way to educate them about the importance of saving money. If you give your kids a weekly allowance, you can encourage them to put aside a portion of their allowance in a piggy bank. Piggy banks are ideal for kids because they are convenient, safe, and provide an excellent way for kids to experience the exciting process of saving money.
Take Your Kids Grocery Shopping
While kids are saving money, they will also want the opportunity to spend it. Your kids can adapt to sensible money-handling habits when you take them grocery shopping. Be sure to observe how your kids spend their money when they’re shopping. Give them the advice to spend sensibly, and show them how to avoid overspending and wasting money. You must also remember to shop with cash instead of credit cards. Shopping with cash helps kids to learn basic math skills and how to manage money.
Online Financial Games
Kids love playing games so you can encourage them to play free online video games that teach them about money! Consider introducing your kids to the free online financial games on mortgagecalculator.org
This is a fun website that I introduced to the young members of my family to learn about money and running a variety of businesses through simulation. There are so many game categories and interactive, educational games available on this site.
Supermarket Numbers Game
The Supermarket Numbers game was very addictive and so easy to play! Supermarket Numbers is a fun numerical game that helps kids to test their math skills. The game consists of adding numbers until you reach the required numerical goal that is shown on the screen. Other functions of the game include subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Cash Back
Cash Back is another simple money game that I loved playing! The concept of Cash Back is based on players having to answer questions and give money back to customers with the right money combinations before the time runs out. I believe this is an easy game that kids will love because it helps them to navigate through the game to different levels of difficulty.
This game also teaches kids about money and could be a great resource that kids can use to improve their math skills.
Pizza Cafe
The Pizza Cafe is a food business simulation game that I liked and introduced to my young nieces. Since they love pizza, I knew they would have a fun time playing this game. The Pizza Cafe is a timed pizzeria restaurant game where you quickly serve pizza that matches a customer’s order and collect their payments. I like how this game teaches the importance of serving customers promptly before they lose patience.
Steer Your Child on the Right Path With Good Money Habits
Are you ready to educate your child about money? Try to be a positive example that your kids can learn from. Kids are smart, observant, and love to copy the actions of adults.
This makes it easier for you to teach them the essential steps of financial literacy. With consistency, you can ingrain good money behaviors in your kids that can benefit them later on in life.