How To Teach Finance to Children: Fun Day-To-Day Activities To Do With Your Kids

Teaching your children doesn’t always mean having a sit-down talk with them. You can make serious topics like finance fun! In our first How To Teach Finance To Children article, we gave a few tips on getting your kids to know more about finance. In this read, we’re listing down activities you can get your kids involved in, to further strengthen their knowledge about money. And don’t worry, these day-to-day activities can be fun too!

Fun Day-To-Day Activities To Do With Your Kids To Teach Them About Finance

 

Moms, do you remember back when you were younger and still in school? Whenever you had to learn something, were you ever bored because all you were doing was listening? But then when the teacher announced an activity or a fun exercise, that’s when you’d perk up and pay (even more) attention. The same thing applies to our kids. Sure, we can give them a little talk about why money and saving is important, but they’ll really get to hone their finance skills if they actually get to experience it. Dr. David Whitbread and Dr. Sue Bingham of the University of Cambridge say that even a weekly shopping trip can help develop financial habits in our kids.

"The enjoyment of doing something with a parent, the familiar habit of a weekly shopping trip or the feeling of becoming a 'grown up' by participating in activities like going to the bank, provide sufficient meaning and motive for young children to develop these habits." Dr. David Whitbread and Dr. Sue Bingham The University of Cambridge

 

Here are other activities you can do with your kids to help form their financial habits and practices.

Let Them Know About Monthly Bills And Expenses It's good to let your kids know about monthly bills and expenses. Things like water, electricity, and even education, are necessities that are paid for. Let them know that if they leave the water running or leave the lights on unnecessarily, you have to pay a little extra. This will also teach them how to save and use things properly and wisely.

Bring Them To The Bank With You After spending for all the necessities, show them that you have extra money and that you'd like to save it. This will teach them how to save, and the difference between needs and wants.

Savings Now that you've taught them how to spend and save, use a little of your savings to buy them a reward. Let them know that after you spend on everything you needed, there's still a little extra to spend on fun. This will teach your kids the value of money, and that if they want something, they should learn how to save for it.

Bring Them With You When You Go Shopping When you do your grocery shopping, let your kids go with you so that they get to experience it. Let them help you pick the best and most affordable items and place them in your cart. When you're all done, let them watch the sales lady punch in the items so that they can see how each item adds to the total bill.

 

Sources:

  1. Whitbread, David and Sue Bingham. “Habit Formation And Learning In Young Children.” The Money Advice Service. Last modified May 2013.
  2. Shin, Laura. “The 5 Most Important Money Lessons To Teach Your Kids.” Forbes. Last modified October 13, 2013.
  3. Redington, Troy. “How To Teach Finance To Toddlers.” Fat Wallet. Last modified March 16, 2016.
  4. Redington, Troy. “How To Teach Finances To Kids Ages 5-12.” Fat Wallet. Last modified March 23, 2016.

 

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