Tricks to Teach Your Preschooler About Coins

Teaching your preschool child the different money coins can be a frustrating venture. As adults we know so automatically which coin is which it can be difficult to understand why it is so hard for our preschoolers to distinguish one coin from another. These tips will help you teach your preschooler the different coins and help him get a head start understanding money.

Donate. The donation boxes at the grocery store checkout, the fast food restaurant line, and all over the neighborhood are a great way to teach your child the different coins while also teaching him a little about giving. Preschoolers love dropping coins into donation boxes. A great way to start teaching your preschoolers the different coins is to give him one coin to put in the donation box but ask him to identify the coin first. If you do this every time you pass by a donation box not only will your child start to distinguish the different coins, you will also have an opportunity to talk with him about the different organizations he is donating to.

Reward. If you would like to reward your child for a particular task, let him choose between two coins. As she chooses, tell her the name and value of each coin. Your child will start to realize which coins have a greater value the more often you use this trick. Rewarding your child with coins for his piggy bank, coupled with a little discussion about the coins, will help him learn to identify the coin names and their values.

Take Advantage of Waiting. More than likely you always have at least a few coins on you. When you are stuck waiting in at the doctor's office or in like at the grocery, pull out a few coins and practice with your preschooler. Many learning activities can take place while waiting, but since coins are almost always available in your purse, learning about coins during wait times is a great choice.

Try Flashcards. A final way to help your preschooler learn to identify the different coins and their values is to use old fashioned flashcards. Simple tape real coins to the front of cards. On the back of the card write the name of the coin and the number value of the coin. Use these cards often to teach your preschooler about coins.

Help your child start to understand money by using these tricks for learning to identify coins and understanding how much each coin is worth.