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Programs for Children

Programs for Children

Programs for Children

OUR FINANCIAL JOURNEY

The importance of financial literacy lies in comprehending how to save, earn, borrow, invest, and safeguard money wisely. It is crucial for establishing both short- and long-term financial behaviors and skills that contribute to improved financial well-being.

During the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, the financial literacy journey enters a crucial phase. As executive function skills develop further, individuals become better equipped to make informed financial decisions and prevent fraud/scams. Money-related habits and norms continue to change as young adults gain independence and encounter more financial obligations. This phase is pivotal for solidifying financial knowledge and decision-making abilities, enabling them to effectively manage their finances in daily life. By nurturing these skills and cultivating a positive attitude towards money, young adults can establish a sturdy financial foundation for their future well-being.

A DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL

Early childhood (ages 3-5)

  • During this stage, children start establishing the fundamental skills associated with executive function.
  • Basic values and attitudes linked to financial concepts start taking shape.
  • Children start grasping mathematical concepts and number skills essential for financial literacy.

Middle childhood (ages 6-12)

  • Development of executive function skills and behaviors progresses.
  • Formation of financial habits and norms becomes prominent, influenced by the observation of family members and peers' interactions with money, shaping children's independent identities.
  • Introduction to fundamental concepts of money management occurs during this stage.

Adolescence and young adulthood (ages 13-21)

  • The maturation of executive function persists.
  • Money-related habits and norms evolve.
  • Young individuals enhance their financial knowledge and decision-making abilities, which become increasingly significant in their daily routines.
Meet the Money Monsters - A Parent Guide

Meet the Money Monsters!

Youth Financial Education Publications by CFPB - Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Meet the Money Monsters!

The Money Monsters, fresh faces in town, are on a crash course to understand the ropes of school, pals, and the money game.

Financial literacy? It's like having a secret manual on making money moves that rock your world. These Money Monster tales spill the beans on the tips, tricks, and must-dos for when you step into the big world of money management. 
Money Monsters
Piggy Bank

Piggy Bank Pageant

ALL AGES

Piggy banks are one of the first tools that allow children to see how putting away small amounts can add up to big savings. Have kids make their own piggy banks, or money holders, that they can use as a fun craft and a way to kickstart their savings journey. The budget of this project can range from free to higher cost depending on your vessel. Higher budget projects can incorporate ceramic piggy banks. Here is a base level budget option.

MASON JAR PIGGY BANK

Lower cost options include clean recycled jars from items such as Pringles cans, mayonnaise jars, and cans.

Supplies: Mason Jars and their caps, chalk or acrylic paint, paint brushes
Optional: painter's tape, markers, glitter

Directions:
ADULTS ONLY: Cut a slot large enough for a coin on the top of the Mason Jar. Other options include putting a piece of paper or cardboard between the ring of the jar and cutting a slot from this.

Have children paint the jars with the acrylic paint. Once the paint dries, children can decorate with markers, glitter, and other designs.

Theme ideas: "My Saving Jar", "Superhero", "Princess", "_'s Bank"
Board Game

Board Game Day

AGES 8+ GRADE 3 AND UP

Playing board games is a fun way to teach children about money management, investing, and personal finance without sitting them down for a lesson. Use board games you may already have at your library or source these to start your school library's collection and have a board game day all about financial literacy!

The budget of this project can range from free to higher depending on if your library has these games. Many libraries loan out board games from their Library of Things. If yours does not, board games can be purchased at general merchandise retailers, thrift stores, or you can survey your community members to see if they have games to donate.  

Board game options can include Game of Life, Monopoly, PayDay, or for older kids - Catan and the Next Big Thing.

Coloring Day

ALL AGES

Coloring is an interactive way for children to gain comprehension on big topics like budgeting, savings, and money management. Provide these pages to children and have open conversations on saving goals, counting, and the value of money. 

The budget can range from free to higher based on the art supplies your library provides. Utilize your pre-existing markers, crayons, and other art supplies and provide children space to color.

Visit "Students and Educators" located Investor Education Resources.

Addition Word Search

Color the Coins

Money Match

Needs and Wants

Stars and Falls Math Game

Toy Store Math

MAKE SPENDING CHOICES AT THE PARK

AGES 3 - 5 PRE-K & K

Visit Park Spending Choices to download the worksheet.

  • Tell children to imagine they're visiting the park in the picture on the worksheet. They'll choose how to spend or save their money on the visit.
  • Explain that buying is when you pay money and get to keep something in return. For example, you get to keep the balloons or kites in the picture when you buy them.
    • For younger children, you may need to explain that some items cost more than others. You can use real coins or play money to help them understand which items cost more.
  • Tell children that renting is when you pay money to borrow something. You give it back when you're finished. In the picture, you can pay money to rent the boats and fishing poles, but return them when you're done.
  • Before they make their choices, ask questions to help them think about their decisions. See the "Things to talk about" for suggestions.

Things to talk about:

  • Ask what they'd like to do at the park in the picture. Where would they like to spend their money? What could they do to have fun without spending money?
  • For older children, you may ask them to add the costs of each item they pick. You can ask, "How much money would you need to buy the items you chose?"
  • You can also give older children a budget and let them decide how to spend their money. You can ask, "How would you spend your money at the park if I gave you $7.50?"

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has great resources for the questions children may have about earning, saving, planning, and shopping.

Visit Money Skills CFPB to access materials covering more topics.

Lemonade Stand Activity 

AGES 3 - 7 PRE-K - GRADE 2

Lemonade stands are often the first time children learn about essential financial concepts like income, expenses, profit, and budgeting.
"It Began with Lemonade" by Gideon Sterer

Host a lemonade stand outside or encourage your patrons to take these lessons to their own sidewalks. Supplement lemonade making with strong stories such as "It Began with Lemonade" by Gideon Sterer or "Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money" by Emily Jenkins.

"It Began with Lemonade" by Gideon Sterer
"Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money" by Emily Jenkins

Budget for this activity is low cost, depending on lemonade supplies and book acquisition.

Supplies: Lemon juice, sugar, cold water, ice, pitchers, cups.
Optional: paper and craft supplies.

Directions:

  1. Optional: Have children use paper and craft supplies to advertise their lemonade stand. Librarians can guide children on what a lemonade
    stand is and where to hang posters.
  2. Have children make lemonade with supervision. Combine 1 1/2 cups lemon juice with 5 cups of cold water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Stir in a large pitcher until sugar is completely dissolved. Set up a stand outside of your library and supervise children, making sure to discuss the importance of a business plan, profits, and fun!
"Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money" by Emily Jenkins.

GAMIFICATION RESOURCES

AGES 5 - 10 GRADE K - 5

Before you can focus on more complicated concepts like saving and investments, kids have to learn the basic concepts of what money is and what different bills and coins are worth.

Supplies: Free Online games.

  • Grade level academic standards are provided.
  • *Color pages, teacher resources, worksheet and activities printable are provided with a subscription cost.

Note: This is not an endorsement to any information provided on all online games mentioned here.

Here are five (free) game suggestions for your little money-mavens:

  • Learning Coins - Learning Coins from ABCYa provides kids with an introduction to what each of the different coins is, how to recognize them, and what they're worth.
  • Money Bingo - Also from ABCYa, Money Bingo lets kids put their coin knowledge to use, along with some math skills, to fill a virtual bingo card.
  • Dolphin Feed - Once you've mastered those first two games, ABCYa has one more financial literacy game for students at a slightly higher level. Dolphin Feed lets you compete against other kids to see who can make the right change the fastest.
  • Escape from Barter Island - Escape from Barter Island helps kids learn just why we use money, to begin with. It teaches what bartering is and shows why it's less practical than currency. This one does require some reading, so you might need to help the younger kids out with it.
  • U.S. Mint Coin Classroom - From the U.S. Mint, Play free educational games online and learn more about coins! These fun kids games can be played for individual enrichment or as part of a lesson plan.
 

Additional Tools for all Readers!

Supplement each of these activities with free materials aimed towards boosting financial education!

Remind your patrons that Michigan residents the Library of Michigan subscribes to a number of online databases that are accessible for Library of Michigan library cardholders. To apply for a card, go to our online application form.

Visit Library of Michigan to access the list of newspapers, and other subscription databases along with online resources that do not require a library card.

A List of Participating Michigan eLibrary (MeL)

Michigan eLibrary provides you with free access to online full-text articles, full-text books, digital images, and other valuable research information at any time via the Internet; and provide an easy-to-use interlibrary loan system to allow Michigan residents to borrow books and other library materials for free from participating Michigan libraries. 

EDUCATORS LESSONS AND ACTIVITIES - GRADE 1-12 BY CFPB
 

Marriage and Money

Michigan Investor Guide

Military Guide to Money and Investing

Your New Job

Here is a bookmark you can order directly to your library, non for profit organizations, and educational institutions by contacting Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations and Commercial Licensing, Investor Education.

Phone: (517) 335-5237
Fax: (517) 763-0039
Email: LARA-CSCL-Securities-Audit@michigan.gov

Front of Bookmark Back of Bookmark          

REFERENCES


13 Financial Literacy Games for Children and Adults (Gamification Resources). Retrieved from
https://www.fitzsimonscu.com/financial-literacy-games-for-children-and-adults/

CFPB Bulk Publications. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved from 
https://pueblo.gpo.gov/CFPBPubs/CFPBPubs.php?PubID=1349

* Discover Your Financial Personality. Marcus by Goldman Sachs, the Myers-Briggs Company. (January 6, 2021). Retrieved from
https://www.marcus.com/us/en/resources/lifestyle/discover-your-financialpersonality 

Examining Elements of a Paycheck. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.consumerfinance.educatortools/youth-financial-education/teach/activities/examining-elementspaycheck/

I Want to Help My Daughter Start Her Credit History. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (August 16,2016). Retrieved from
https://www.consumerfinance.askcfpb/i-want-to-help-my-daughter-start-hercredit-history-what-should-i-do-en-1643/

Licensee Lookup Division of Banks. (2018). Retrieved from https://services.oca.state.ma.us/LicenseeLookup/in-choose.asp

Publications. Federal Trade Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.bulkorder.ftc.gov/publications

Understanding a Check and Balancing a Checkbook. National Credit Union Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://mycreditunion.gov/manage-your-money/credit-union-accounts-services/checking-accounts

Understanding Taxes. Internal Revenue Service. (2014). Retrieved from
https://apps.irs.gov/app/understandingTaxes/index.jsp

* What's Your Money Personality? Empower. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://empower.me/quiz/ 

Young children. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/money-as-you-grow/young-children/

* Website is no longer available as of 4/17/2026.

 

CONTACT US!

Licensing and Regulator Affairs, Corporations and Commercial Licensing
Investor Education
Phone: (517) 335-5237
Fax: (517) 763-0039
Email: LARA-CSCL-Securities-Audit@michigan.gov

Visit Investor Education Resources for more information.