You might think that learning about economics is for older kids and adults. Although economics may sound like a complicated subject, it’s really all about money. As you learn about economics, you’ll start with the basics about counting money and the value of different coins and bills. You will also learn about things such as how people use and save money. You’ll also study shortages of supply and how they affect people’s decisions about how they spend and save their funds.
Games
Just about everyone likes playing games. The cool thing is that if you play games about subjects you are studying in school, you can learn while you have fun. Playing games about money helps you understand lots of different lessons, such as how to count coins, how to shop for the best deals, how to save money, and how to recognize different coins. Play games by yourself on the computer, with your friends, or with your family. You might have so much fun that you forget that you’re learning about the world of finance, economics, and money.
- Escape From Barter Island
- Money Memory
- World of Cents
- Learn to Count Money
- Fun Shopping Game
- Coin City
- Change-Maker
- Toy Shop Money Game
- Counting Money Game
- Money Games for Kids
Web Quests
Web quests can be a great way to learn while going on adventures all over the Internet. Teachers enjoy creating Web quests because students often learn more easily while they work on these projects. You might work by yourself, or you could also work as a team with friends or classmates. You can explore the trail of money: See what happens to a dollar bill and where it goes after you spend it. Find out exactly how debt works so you can make smart decisions about your spending when you get older. Learn about how people who own stores manage their goods, set prices, and make sales. You can delve into supply and demand with a Web quest, too. Supply and demand is a foundation of economics, centering around the availability of items, how much people want them, and how much people are willing to spend to have them.
- Currency Exchange and the Gang of 15
- Manage Your Money Web Quest
- Show Me the Money
- Getting Down to Business Web Quest
- Look Who’s Footing the Bill
- Money Cents Web Quest
- Economics Web Quest
- Economy Web Quest
Lesson Plans and Printables
Lesson plans can teach you lots of things about money. Learn how to make a personal budget that plans out the money you will earn, the money you set aside for saving, and money you give yourself permission to spend. Once you set a budget for yourself, your next task is to make yourself follow it. This may take practice, but setting and following a budget is an important skill to have. There are printable worksheets you can work on to learn economics vocabulary and even what the different coins and bills look like. The more you know about finances and economics, the better you should be able to manage your personal budget.
- Potato: A Tale From the Great Depression (PDF)
- How Coins Are Made (Video)
- Coin Riddle: What’s in Your Wallet?
- The Snack Shack (PDF)
- Addition Worksheets
- My Money Workbook (PDF)
- Dollar Printable (PDF)
- Alexander Hamilton, Young Statesman (PDF)
- Spend, Save, Invest, or Donate
- Personal Financial Literacy (PDF)
Quizzes
You won’t need to stress about these pop quizzes because no grading is involved. Many of these quizzes are fun, and you can’t help but learn a few things as you answer the questions. A quiz with questions about your spending habits or about the history of money can help you learn. You might even learn about your money personality, including whether you are a saver or a spender. If you find out that you spend money a little too freely, you might work on making better spending decisions. Quiz yourself to see how much you know about the banking industry and its history, too.
- Managing Your Money: Writing Sentences
- Money and Finance Glossary and Terms
- What Kind of Spender Are You?
- Money Quiz
- History of Money Quiz
- What’s Your Money Personality? (PDF)
- Money and Banking (PDF)
- Money Quiz
- Smarty Pants Quiz