Are you looking for a creative way to give money to kids? Surprise a young person with one of these awesome money gifts for kids!
Gift-giving can be hard! But the gift of money is never unwelcome.
Instead of a cheap toy or meaningless item, why not give kids the gift of actual money or something that can prepare them for a financially secure future?
The best way to help kids be financially successful is to have money conversations with them throughout their childhood and to let them have their own money to budget and spend as they wish (with your guidance).
Choose one of these fun ideas to make your money gift more memorable and useful!
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Money Gifts for Kids
Here are some unique, creative ideas:
Hide the cash and make them find it
I love puzzles and mazes! Stash some cash inside one of these puzzle boxes or mazes and make them work to find it!
For a cheaper option, blow up some clear balloons and roll up cash to stick inside them when they are blown up.
In fact, you can hide money inside of nearly any kind of simple gift (socks, books, DVDs, etc.).
Envelope Cash System
The envelope cash system, widely popularized by Dave Ramsey, promotes using real envelopes to budget your money.
You divide several envelopes into categories (like food, entertainment, clothing). Then, according to your budget, you put cash into each envelope at the beginning of the month. When you run out of money, you can’t buy anything else from that category for the month.
This system can be a great way to help kids or teens begin to budget and learn how to spend wisely each month.
There are numerous envelope cash systems to give as gifts, including some fun patterns and colors:
Related: How to teach budgeting to teens: 5 simple steps
Wallet
Not only are wallets a practical and useful gift, there are also many fun patterns to choose from and they can be filled with cash gifts as well!
- Wallet for Girls – comes in several cute patterns!
- Wallet for Boys – sturdy and durable!
Money Origami
Get a Money Origami Book and make some money origami to go with it!
One year I gave my younger brother a plain box filled with different animal money origami as a “zoo” (some $20, $10, $5, and $1 bills folded as various animals). He loved it!
This money origami book looks super fun: Star Wars Origami – who wouldn’t want a little money Yoda?!?
YouTube has a lot of fun money origami tutorials as well:
Gift some cash with a fun magnifying glass. Kids love to examine things, why not coins and dollar bills? They can learn more about money.
Coin Collection Kit
Give kids a coin collection kit so they can collect coins and learn fun facts as well!
Money Management Books
What better way to help kids learn about money and prepare for a financially secure future than through a good book? Help them start on the right path with one of these money books (with some cash tucked inside!)
For Kids:
For Teens (and Young Adults):
- Not Your Parent’s Money Book
- Financial Basics: A Money-Management Guide for Students
- Get a Financial Life
If you are looking for more practical, long-term financial gifts to give babies, kids, and teens, check out this article on financial gifts for kids and help children prepare for a secure financial future (even long before they understand exactly what this means!).
Have you ever given some fun money gifts to kids? What was your favorite? Drop a comment below and let me know!