Children don’t automatically become expert financiers as soon as they learn to read and count; in fact, many children don’t learn the true value of a dollar until they’re out on their own. Learning money management skills early in life is extremely beneficial, as it teaches children from an early age how to be responsible with cash in their pockets. Games can help make the process both educational and fun, and these are some of the best games for teaching kids the value of a dollar.
Payday
This fun classic board game plays out on a format that’s designed to imitate a calendar. As the players move from start to finish, they encounter both gains and losses in their own personal finances. Kids might win the lottery or receive a work bonus on one turn, only to run into unexpected expenses moments later. This teaches kids to make smart decisions with their money and to plan for the uncertainty of the future; these skills will go a long way in their lives.
Piggy Bank
Children are learning to use the internet at younger ages every year, and there are many opportunities for both education and fun on the web. Piggy Bank is a popular online game that can help kids develop their money sense on the computer. The game is a race against the clock to count up change in order to match a total number. Every correct answer adds change to the bank. This helps kids recognize different denominations of money and learn to count quickly, familiarizing them with money handling and sharpening their mental acuity.
Life
Everyone knows that life is hard, but a family game of Life can help everyone have a little fun now and then. This popular board game can also be very educational and helpful to kids who need to learn the value of a dollar. Real life is largely mimicked here, and all players have to make decisions that affect their finances. Decision making is a great learning tool. It helps kids realize that their actions have consequences, and smart money handling can keep those consequences positive.
Allowance
For many kids, the concepts of economy and finance are limited to what they receive on a regular basis. They can benefit from receiving a regular allowance, and the Allowance game can help teach them how to use it without abusing it. Players move around the board, collecting allowance and incurring expenses with each turn. This is one of the few games truly targeted toward children, and it gives them something to which they can relate.
Monopoly
A timeless classic, Monopoly is as high up on the list of hot toys in 2013 as it was 50 years ago. Money is everything in Monopoly, where players’ financial decisions determine whether they stay in the game or lose all of their funds. Children who excel in Monopoly understand how to use money better than any other kids their age, and this can be highly beneficial. Getting kids engaged in this game will help them learn by handling their own play money, which is one of the best ways to learn the value of a dollar.
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