Financial literacy activities may help prepare children for financial confidence in adulthood and help parents and children feel more comfortable talking about money. Teaching children about money and financial literacy using games can make learning fun. Here, we outline ten financial literacy games for kids of various ages:
Board Games
- Monopoly- Monopoly was developed in 1935 and modeled after an early 1900s game by Elizabeth Magie to demonstrate that an economy rewards individuals that make comprehensive financial decisions. The game is available in 37 languages and 103 countries worldwide—ages 8 through adulthood.
- The Game of Life- “Life” was developed in 1860 by Milton Bradley as a parlor game to teach financial concepts as players progress through life, college, and retirement—ages 8 through adulthood.
- Money Bags- Players collect, count, and exchange money as they learn money management skills throughout the game and try to be the first to cross the finish line—ages 7+.
- Act Your Wage- The game’s goal is to live within your means, pay off debt and be the first player to scream, “I’m debt free!” —ages 10+.
- Payday- Players accumulate bills and expenses to pay during the game and collect their monthly wages on “payday” at the end of the month. The winner is the player with the most money at the end of the last month of play—ages 8+.
Digital Games
*Available on Android, iOS, and computer
- Cash Puzzler- Players use pictures of $1, $5, $10, $20, or $100 cut into puzzle pieces to learn facts about the president featured on the bill. Peter Pigs Money Counter teaches how to identify coins. Players use virtual money to save or spend on accessories for Peter Pig in the virtual store—for ages 3-8.
- Financial Football- Endorsed by the NFL, the game uses football to make multiple choices on topics such as saving, budgeting, credit, debt, and identity theft while teaching them the appropriate answer. During play, appropriate responses advance the player down the field toward the goal line. The game has different levels of play: Rookie, ages 11 to 14. All-Pro, ages 14 to 18; and Hall of Fame—ages 18 and up.
- Con ‘Em If You Can– Created by FINRA, the game is about financial scams where players take on the role of a scammer as they learn how to spot a scam. The game teaches about extravagant promises, faking expert credentials, and creating a false sense of scarcity—ages middle school to high school.
- Jumpstart’s Reality Check- The quiz asks teens what lifestyle they imagine for themselves once they graduate high school or college. Questions include where they plan to live, their transportation, lifestyle choices, and how much debt they expect to have. The game then analyzes their answers and shows the monthly income they need to support their choices, helping provide realistic career decisions—ages teens through college.
- FamZoo- This app is a virtual family bank where parents are the bankers and children are the customers. Parents set rules for rewards for chores and other jobs, regular automated payments, saving, spending, deductions for ‘missed work,’ charitable giving, interest earned, matching contributions, and more—ages 8+.
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