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Maths Adventures

Dinosaur maths quest: money

A story-led junior maths adventure using fossils, footprints and giant timelines to budget coins, tickets and shop items.

Quick answer

You can use maths to solve money problems in a dinosaur adventure by counting coins, adding up prices, and sharing out money fairly.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to count money, add up prices, and share coins fairly – just like a dinosaur explorer! Success signs:
  • You can count different coins and know their values
  • You can add up the cost of several items
  • You can share money between friends or family
  • You can work out how much change you should get

Why this matters

Money maths is like a treasure hunt! When you go on a dinosaur adventure, you might need to buy tickets, find coins, or share your fossil collection. Understanding money helps you make smart choices, like how many ice creams you can buy or how to split a prize fairly with your friends. Whether you're playing in a dinosaur theme park or helping your parent shop for groceries, knowing how to count money, add up prices, and share it makes you a confident explorer.

How it works

Let’s imagine you’re a dinosaur explorer in a time-travel adventure. You need to:
  1. Count how much money you have
  2. Add up the prices of items you want to buy
  3. Share money fairly with your team
  4. Work out how much change you get
You can use coins, notes, or even dinosaur-shaped money if you're in a fantasy world!

Examples you can see

Let’s look at some real dinosaur maths problems: Example 1: Counting Coins You find 3 coins in the sand: one 10p coin, one 5p coin, and one 2p coin. How much money do you have?
  • 10p + 5p + 2p = 17p
Example 2: Adding Prices You want to buy a dinosaur fossil (50p), a toy dinosaur (25p), and a map (15p). How much do they cost altogether?
  • 50p + 25p + 15p = 90p
Example 3: Sharing Money You and your friend find 20p and want to share it equally. How much does each person get?
  • 20p ÷ 2 = 10p
Example 4: Working Out Change You have 50p and buy a fossil for 30p. How much change do you get?
  • 50p - 30p = 20p

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: Dinosaur Treasure Hunt You and your dinosaur team are on a mission to find the biggest dinosaur egg in the ancient land. You have a treasure chest with these coins:
  • 3 x 10p coins
  • 2 x 5p coins
  • 4 x 2p coins
You need to buy:
  • A map (15p)
  • A lunch box (20p)
  • A water bottle (10p)
Step 1: Count your coins.
  • 3 x 10p = 30p
  • 2 x 5p = 10p
  • 4 x 2p = 8p
  • Total = 30p + 10p + 8p = 48p
Step 2: Add up the prices of your items.
  • 15p + 20p + 10p = 45p
Step 3: Work out if you have enough money.
  • You have 48p and need 45p, so yes!
Step 4: Calculate your change.
  • 48p - 45p = 3p
Step 5: Share your remaining 3p with your friend.
  • 3p ÷ 2 = 1.5p each
Challenge: Can you find a way to share 3p fairly using whole coins?

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Adding coins and getting confused between 10p and 100p
    Why it happens: It's easy to mix up the number of zeros.
    Fix: Use a coin counting chart or draw the coins to help you see the value clearly.
  • Mistake: Forgetting to include pence when adding prices
    Why it happens: Children often think pence is not important.
    Fix: Always write p after each number when adding prices. For example: 10p + 5p = 15p.
  • Mistake: Sharing money and giving more to one person
    Why it happens: Children sometimes don't understand equal sharing.
    Fix: Use real coins or counters to show how to split money equally.
  • Mistake: Not checking if you have enough money before buying
    Why it happens: Excitement can make you forget to add up.
    Fix: Always add up your items before spending.

Parent and carer guide

You can help your child with dinosaur money maths in just 5-10 minutes:
  • Play a shop game at home using coins and items
  • Count money together when you go shopping
  • Ask your child to share pocket money equally between siblings
  • Use a calculator to check answers when adding up prices
  • Make up your own dinosaur treasure hunt with coins and items
What to say:
  • “How much do you think that costs?”
  • “Can you split this evenly with your friend?”
  • “Let’s see if we have enough to buy this.”
What not to worry about:
  • Your child might not get the right answer first time – that’s normal!
  • They might mix up pence and pounds – it’s a common mistake
  • They might need to count coins more than once – that’s okay!

Practice questions

  1. You have 5 x 10p coins. How much money do you have?
  2. How much is 2 x 5p + 3 x 2p?
  3. You buy a fossil for 30p and pay with 50p. How much change do you get?
  4. You and your friend share 18p. How much does each person get?
  5. How much is 4 x 10p + 2 x 5p?
Answers:
  1. 50p
  2. 16p
  3. 20p
  4. 9p each
  5. 50p

FAQ

How do I know which coins are which?

Coins have different sizes and colours. The 1p coin is the smallest and silver. The 2p is also silver but slightly larger. The 5p is gold and larger. The 10p is silver and bigger. The 20p is gold and larger. The 50p is silver and the largest.

Why do I need to know about money?

Money helps you buy things you need and want. It teaches you to make choices, save for bigger things, and share with others. Money maths is useful for life!

Can I use my dinosaur coins to buy anything?

Yes! In your dinosaur world, you can use your coins to buy anything you find – fossils, snacks, or even a dinosaur toy. Just make sure you have enough!

What if I don’t have enough money?

If you don’t have enough, you can’t buy the item. You might need to save more money or choose something cheaper. That’s part of being a smart explorer!

How can I practice more money maths?

You can play pretend shops, count coins, or add up prices when you go shopping. Try counting your pocket money and sharing it with family or friends.