Smart Financial Habits For Kids and Teens

But, as any parent knows, even if you can figure out what you want to teach them, it’s not always easy to keep their attention so they can learn. From their shorter attention spans to their desire to do what they want, parents are constantly battling for time to help their children learn important life lessons.

Here are some free activities and games parents can try with their children and promote their financial literacy.

This online game teaches kids to build savings and manage debt to save their bank. The game helps kids learn about the options available to them and how to weigh the pros and cons using pink and blue piggy banks and hammers. Biz Kid$ has been helping kids learn about money and business for nearly 20 years.

If your middle schooler is looking to learn about money and the efforts that go into making sure they money we spend is real, let them try to escape the money museum. Not only will they learn about U.S. Currency security features from the Federal Reserve program also puts their algebra skills to the test.

This learning platform gives elementary-aged kids the chance to make their own financial decisions through a series of real-world scenarios and activities. FitMoney is a non-profit that provides free, unbiased financial literacy programs aimed at developing life skills and financial habits for K-12 students.

Have a teen that’s all about sports? Visa and the National Football League have teamed up to help teach financial concepts with Financial Football. This fast-paced, game aims to engage students while teaching them money management skills. If you teen prefers the “other” football, check out Financial Football Soccer.

If you high school student is preparing for college soon, let them give Ramp it Up a go. This game seeks to empower high school students to make positive financial decisions related to paying for college. Commonwealth, a nonprofit working to build financial security and opportunity for financially vulnerable people, had this game recognized as a promising and pioneering innovation by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Empowerment Innovation Fund.

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If you have younger kids who aren’t quite ready for games that involve screen time, some easy activities include having a scavenger hunt to look for loose change, roleplaying checking out at a store, or playing classic board games, like the Game of Life or Monopoly. Of course, don’t discount sharing your own mistakes and lessons with your kids. And don’t forget to lead by example. Ultimately, your honesty and consistency about financial habits will stick with your children for many years, even if they don’t seem open to it at first.