Do you remember your first interactions with money? Whether your child has bought treats from the ice cream truck, sold lemonade or cookies, or not yet used cash, here’s a great way for him to learn more about math in everyday life! Adding up money using correct coins and bills will help your child learn how to solve real-life problems involving money. This game can be played daily with coins, bills, and sticky notes left on a table.
What You Need:
- Sticky notes
- Pencil
- Coins (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies)
- One dollar bills
- Jar
What You Do:
- Fill a jar with one dollar bills and various coins.
- Gather the supplies and place them in the middle of your table.
- Have a pre-game meeting to explain the rules.
- Explain that the sticky notes, pencil, and money will stay on the table.
- Make sure your child knows the value of each coin and bill on the table.
- Write an amount on a sticky note, and instruct your child to put the amount in bills and coins on the sticky note.
- Keep the sticky note there until the correct amount of money is placed. When your child puts the exact amount of money written on the sticky note, write a new amount and put the coins back in the jar.
- Every so often, challenge your child by asking for additional change. For example, put a dollar on the table, and write 75 cents on the sticky note. Instruct your child to place 25 cents on the sticky note.
- Save up money to buy a treat for your child!
This easy activity is perfect for Grade Two aged children. My son loves trying to figure out the different amounts so he can earn a sweet treat. 🙂
Do you have any other fun ways to teach children about money math?
FT&PD
Suz
This is great, very simple but effect way to teach them.
A simple but effective way to help children learn about our money and do the calculations needed.
Cute – We’re a little younger and having fun with how the coins can break down – 5 nickles to a quarter for example
Sounds like a really good idea!…especially the treat part.
I also found that playing dice with my children helped them to add up numbers quickly too.
I do like treats and I’ll bet children playing this game too 🙂
Good exercise for kids, and easy to do.
I think this is a great way teach kids about money
Teaching kids the value of money is so important