Games are a great way to get kids and teens engaged in learning about money and finances! Check out these helpful financial literacy games for kids.
Most schools do not have a comprehensive financial program for students before they graduate. Even if they offer one or two financial classes, is that enough?
After graduation, teens are often left to make do the best they can to manage money and pay bills.
The truth is one financial class or one financial lesson is not enough to prepare kids for successful money management as an adult.
Kids need solid repetition and repeated practice budgeting money, balancing checkbooks, and understanding savings and retirement.
Help your kids and teens be better prepared for a solid financial future with these financial literacy games for kids.
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Financial Literacy Games for Kids
Online games and apps:
Elementary School
This game teaches money management and adding money skills with buying items in a grocery store.
In this cute game, kids identify, count, and save money. At the end of the game, kids can use the money to buy items to dress up Peter Pig and create a fun scene.
This game teaches the value of the different coins and dollar bills and kids can learn how to sort and organize them.
Race your dolphin against others by answering questions counting money. Kids can compete against others in this fast-paced game.
Kids add money (coins and bills) to play bingo. You can set it to use only one coin or bill or all of them.
This game has quite a bit of reading involved but teaches kids the fundamentals of bartering and the value of money.
Help the character balance her budget by selecting items and placing them on the scale in this very simple game.
An easy, simple game where you start with $500 and make a decision on each screen. Will you end up with more or less in your account at the end?
Middle School
Take a road trip across America on a budget! Teaches the value of saving, budgeting, making wise spending choices, and managing debt.
You are the producer and have a budget to create a successful movie! Answer financial questions along the way.
Play a football game answering financial questions throughout in order to advance.
Kids can practice balancing a checkbook with this online check register. Follow the story and make deposits and withdrawals. Check your balance against the correct balance at the end.
High School+
Payback helps high school students plan for college and life and teaches them how to make good career choices to balance student debt.
Enzo the magician needs to balance his budget and run his business. Players practice balancing short-term wants with long-term goals and plans. A fun introduction to budgeting skills.
An interesting game that allows players to save and invest money as they choose over a 20 year period.
In Shady Sam, teens play the part of a loan shark. The goal is to get customers to pay more in interest and fees. This game teaches kids how lenders make money by taking advantage of people.
A fun, interactive card game to teach teens about credit scores. Students learn that higher credit scores mean lower interest rates on loans.
Based on interviews with real Uber drivers, this game allows players to become a full-time Uber driver with a family. Players have to make smart choices, pay their mortgage, and manage their time well.
Players become a video blogger and need to prepare for a competition and make smart money decisions.
Teens can use this app to fill in their budget for prom and see how much they have and need to spend.
Misadventures in Money Management
A fun, graphic-novel themed online game where you can choose a player and make a series of financial choices based on the story. Learn about impulse purchase, building wealth, and more.
Teens can see what life could be like on their own by answering questions and trying out a simple budget.
Starting with a base salary, this exercise takes teens through a series of questions to learn basic budgeting techniques.
A very simple program that shows you what an item actually costs when using a credit card (and not paying the balance off monthly!). Choose from the listed items or add your own, put the interest, and calculate the final, real total.
A simple game where teens can choose from several options to learn to manage money, prioritize wants and needs, and understand the importance of saving.
This activity gives kids an insight into low-income living and poverty. You have lost your job and home and have to make it through and pay your bills. What will you do? Facts are woven throughout the game to demonstrate how the cycle of poverty can be hard to break.
Young Adult
A free, 8-week email course to teach you financial literacy and money management tips.
Games are a great way to help kids learn and practice important concepts, including budgeting and money management.
Prepare kids and teens for the real financial world and money management success with one of these financial literacy games for kids. Which ones did you like? What other money games have you tried with your kids?
In addition to online games, don’t forget to try one of these money board games.
Related:
- Money Board Games for Kids
- Best Money Books for Kids and Teens
- What to Teach Kids about Money at Each Age
