Financial Education for Kids: Simple Ways to Teach Money Management

Blog Highlights:

• Key Money Skills for Kids: Teach practical money principles that will build lifelong financial habits, including the value of saving for goals and budgeting wisely.

• Fun Financial Education Ideas: Use role-playing games, family piggy bank competitions, and goal-setting charts to make learning about money interactive, fun, and enjoyable.

• Start with a Youth Savings Account at CCCU: Help your kids (or grandkids) learn about saving, spending, sharing, and earning all while setting them up for financial success!

It’s never too early to introduce financial education to children. Preparing your child for a bright financial future when they are young is a great way to ensure they'll have a good grasp on finances, including the importance of positive saving and budgeting habits, throughout their lives. 

Essential Money Principles for Kids

Providing early financial education to children enables them to make informed money decisions that'll allow them to achieve their financial goals with fewer financial mishaps when they're older. Here are some of the essential money principles for kids to learn more about and what financial lesson each principle teaches them.

Saving

Learning to build a savings account for things they want teaches a child delayed gratification. This helps them understand how setting aside money for future purchases can add up quickly to get the things they want. Using a piggy bank or jar allows children to easily visualize their accumulated savings and gets them excited about reaching their goals.

Sharing

Encouraging and nurturing a giving attitude in children helps them to become more compassionate human beings. Consider creating a plan each year to make donations or contribute to charitable organizations within your community so kids learn to share with those who are less fortunate than they are. It's important to teach our children how to share and give back to the community because it fosters empathy and compassion. Learning this at an early age will create a spirit of community support and better understanding of helping for the greater good throughout their adult lives.

Spending

Learning to keep a balanced budget is a special kind of superpower! Understanding budgeting basics at an early age using real-life examples will prepare your child to create and maintain a budget as an adult! An easy lesson in financial education for kids is a trip to their favorite store. Teach cost awareness by showing them how to compare prices of the things they want versus how much they have to spend. This will teach them how to spend money wisely by getting the best deal and not overspending.

Earning

A child must first learn what it means to be responsible in order to gain a better understanding of rewards. One way to do this is by assigning small household tasks to instill this trait and show them what is expected of them. Learning the value of a dollar means that you must first earn a dollar! Start to reward the completion of simple tasks with an allowance to reinforce the value of their work ethic.

Fun Ways to Teach Good Financial Habits

Get creative when it comes to financial education for kids! Making learning fun and interactive is the key to keeping your child engaged, excited, and motivated to create good financial habits now and in the future.

Role-Playing Games

Set up a pretend store and allow your children to choose their own items and shop using play money. Give them a budget and let them make their own “purchases” with the play money. Be sure to challenge them with having to make hard choices between things they want and things they need. This will help them develop decision making skills that they'll carry into adulthood. A happy bonus is this also teaches them how to count and recognize money!

Money Challenges

Create a fun family piggy bank competition to see who can fill theirs to the top first with the winner receiving a cool prize! Having a goal to work towards reminds them that by practicing good money habits they'll achieve great rewards!

Goal-Setting Charts

Use visual and interactive trackers to chart the progress towards a specific item your child is saving for. Be sure to celebrate and recognize milestones to keep them motivated to continue saving.

CCCU Has an Account Perfect for Your Kids

Jumpstart their savings with all of the fun and none of the fees. Our Kids Savings Account helps youth get on the right financial track! Start teaching them good financial habits that will last by opening a Youth Savings Account. Help your kids (or grandkids) learn about saving, spending, sharing, and earning all while setting them up for financial success!