Pocket money, birthday gifts, Hanukkah money… Children receive money from us, the adults, on various occasions, but do they know how to use it wisely? Are they willing to forgo small purchases in favor of a bigger goal? Can they understand the concept of saving?
General Information
Objective
Children will learn basic principles of planning and saving toward a goal.
Activity Steps
- Discuss with the children what they can do with the money they receive from adults.
- Brainstorm together about the benefits of saving money and how they can use it to buy something they really want.
- Make and decorate personal savings banks using recycled materials.
Materials Needed
- A shared savings fund (a decorated box or an empty plastic savings container).
- Play money or small banknotes.
- A bag of marshmallows (or another type of candy).
- Small surprises for all the children.
- A small box with a lid for each child (children can be asked to bring one). The box can be made of cardboard or plastic, but it should have a lid that can be opened and closed, and a slot cut for inserting coins.
- Craft supplies (paints, markers, colored paper, glue, etc.).
- Optional: “I Save” sticker sheets for decorating the savings boxes.
