Counting Games For Kids - Introducing Money to Children
Counting Games For Kids - Introducing Money to Children
The best things about introducing your child to money, is that it is very simple and can be fun. Almost any parent can invent a game that will help their children to recognize and learn about money and counting.
Have your child recognize different money. Give them certain coins and tell them what it is called and what the value is. If your children are a little older you can explain the images on the coins. Have them draw out different money. A great way to do this is if you have some chalk and a big driveway. Other visual activities children can do to recognize money is coin rubbing. You put a coin under a piece of paper and have your child use a crayon to rub over the coin so the image is rubbed through the paper. Then see if the child can identify which coin it is. Like many other learning activities with children, it will take a significant amount of time for them to learn and retain this information.
Another fun and easy way to teach children is with a variety of counting games. Once your child can identify and distinguish between denominations you can setup different piles of money. Next have them separate and identify the money and then add up the piles of money.
You can make money flashcards. Use money stamps or money stickers (that you can find at a craft or teacher store) and blank note cards. Put different combinations on the cards, and then put all the cards into a manila envelope or bag. Have kids draw the cards out of the bag and have them calculate the amount of the coins. This game works as well with one child as it does with many children.
There are countless numbers of interactive games on the Internet that young children can learn from. A fun site that teaches children about coins is The US Mint website (http://www.usmint.gov/kids/flashIndex.cfm). It is full of games and cartoons that are fun for a variety of ages.
Another site with a lot of good games and activities for all ages is http://www.funbrain.com.
Getting your child excited about math and money at a young age is a good first step in leading them to becoming financially wise adults.