Use Smart City to Teach Your Child About Money: A Website for 2nd Through 5th Graders

Alex the ant takes your 2nd through 5th grader through 10 activities. Each stage teaches your child a different aspect of money. You don't have to register for the site or anything, you can just click and play.

Choose your grade level and begin Activity 1. This activity tests your knowledge of each coin and dollar bill. Alex will ask you to show him which of the pictures is $1.00, $.05, $10.00, etc. Just click on the correct picture. When you have gone through each one you will go on to Activity 2.

Activity 2 will ask you to drag the correct amount of money in to the draw. If the cash register asks for $1.50 then you drag a $1.00 bill and 2 quarters. Click the drawer when you are done and it will close and count your money.

Activity 3 gives Alex $50 total. Alex pays himself $10 first and deposits it in to the bank leaving him with $40 which is plenty to get his mother a Birthday present. He leaves the bank and encounters several friends who each want him to go with them and spend some of his money. He then has to learn about needs and wants and what the difference is. He is given several different things and asked to choose if it is a need or a want.

Activity 4 teaches kids about donating and volunteering using a food pantry as an example. Alex donates $5 to buying groceries for a food pantry leaving him with $35. Hear from real kids who are volunteering just like Alex did. You even get to hear and see a kindness rap about giving.

Activity 5 teaches kids about the common good. Things in our community that we can all use and benefit from.

Activity 6 has Alex help out in a food pantry. He learns that we can donate money and time. Then he learns how to create a chart to make the best decision as to which present to buy his mom.

Activity 7 teaches Alex about saving and investing for short and long term goals. Alex must match the short term goals with the letter S and the long term goals with the letter L.

Activity 8 teaches Alex about investing for long term goals and how interest works. Students can change the interest rate and the amount invested and click graph to see how the money would grow over time. This activity is hands on and really gives the child a chance to grasp just how banks work.

Activity 9 helps Alex come up with a plan for his money. He learns about Income and expenses. The example is based on how much money he had at the beginning of the example. That was $50 which was his income. Then we see all of Alex's expenses. Then some examples are given for planning for the future.

Activity 10 is a quiz which combines everything Alex learned from the above 9 activities.

This site will give your kids a great head start on grasping the concept of money. It is a free resource that I feel all parents should be taking advantage of.