Games that secretly teach budgeting

Quick answer

Games that secretly teach budgeting help children learn to plan, save, and spend money wisely by using pretend shops, coins, and spending rules that mirror real-life financial decisions.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand how to use games to learn about planning your money, saving for things you want, and making smart choices about spending.

• You can count coins and notes to make a certain amount
• You can decide what to buy with your money and what to save
• You can play pretend games that teach you about money
• You can think about how to spend your pocket money or allowance

Why this matters

Learning about money through games helps children understand how to plan and make choices with their own money. This is important for school, play, and growing up. When you play games with money, you practice skills that help you later when you have your own pocket money, go shopping, or save for a toy.

Games teach you to think about how much things cost, how to save up, and what is most important to you. These are skills that help you in real life, not just in games.

How it works

Games that teach budgeting work by letting you pretend to be a shopkeeper or a customer. You use pretend money, plan what to buy, and learn how to make choices. Here’s how it works step by step:

1. Set up a pretend shop with items that have prices
2. Give yourself a budget - how much money you can spend
3. Decide what to buy and how to save for bigger things
4. Play with the money and learn about spending and saving

When you play these games, you are using maths to count, add, subtract, and think about choices. It’s like learning how to be a smart shopper or saver.

Examples you can see

Here are some examples of how games teach budgeting:

• Pretend shop with toys - You have 10p and can buy one toy. You must choose which toy to buy.
• Shopping game - You have 50p and must buy 3 items. You plan which items to buy and how much you will have left.
• Save for a big toy - You get 10p each week and want a 50p toy. You plan how many weeks it will take to save.

Let’s imagine you are playing a game where you have 20p to spend at a pretend shop. The shop has:

You can buy the toy car and the stick (5p + 3p = 8p). You have 12p left. You could buy the ball and the stick (10p + 3p = 13p). You have 7p left. You could not buy the book because it costs 15p, and you only have 20p.

Try it as a mini adventure

Imagine you are a shop owner and you have 50p in your till. You must sell items to customers and make sure you don’t run out of money. You have these items:

Customer 1 buys 3 stickers and 1 eraser. How much do they pay? (3 × 2p = 6p, 1 × 5p = 5p, 6p + 5p = 11p)

Customer 2 buys 2 coloured pencils. How much do they pay? (2 × 10p = 20p)

How much money do you have left in your till after both customers?

Customer 3 buys 1 sticker, 1 eraser, and 1 pencil. How much do they pay? (1 × 2p = 2p, 1 × 5p = 5p, 1 × 10p = 10p, 2p + 5p + 10p = 17p)

How much money do you have left in your till after all customers?

Common mistakes

• Mistake: Thinking you can buy something that costs more than you have.
• Why it happens: Not checking how much money you have before buying.
• Fix: Count your money first, then choose what you can afford.

• Mistake: Forgetting to save money for something you want later.
• Why it happens: Spending all your money on small things.
• Fix: Plan ahead and save some money for bigger things.

• Mistake: Not thinking about what is most important to you.
• Why it happens: Not planning your choices carefully.
• Fix: Decide what you really want, and choose the best items.

Parent and carer guide

Playing budgeting games with your child helps them learn important life skills. Here’s how you can help in 5-10 minutes:

1. Set up a pretend shop with toys, books, or food items and give them a budget.
2. Ask questions like: "How much does that cost?", "Can you buy that with your money?", "What will you save for?"
3. Encourage planning - let them decide what to buy and how to save.
4. Use real money - let them count coins and notes to make a certain amount.
5. Be patient - it takes time to learn how to save and spend wisely.

Don’t worry if they make mistakes. It’s part of learning. The goal is to have fun while understanding money.

Practice questions

1. You have 15p. You buy a sticker for 5p. How much money do you have left?
2. You have 20p. You want to buy a ball for 10p and a book for 8p. Can you afford both? How much money will you have left?
3. You save 5p each week. How many weeks will it take to save 30p?
4. You have 30p. You buy 3 stickers for 4p each. How much money do you have left?
5. You want to buy a toy for 25p. You have 10p and 5p. How much more money do you need?

• Answers:
  1. 10p
  2. Yes, 2p left
  3. 6 weeks
  4. 18p
  5. 10p

FAQ

How can I teach budgeting to a 4-year-old?

You can use simple games with coins and pretend shops. Let them choose one item with a small price. This helps them understand how much things cost and how to make choices.

Can games really teach children about money?

Yes! Games help children practice counting, adding, and making decisions. They learn about saving, spending, and planning. These are real-life skills that help them as they grow up.

What are some fun budgeting games I can play?

You can play pretend shops, use coins to buy items, or save up for a toy. You can also play games where you earn money for tasks and decide how to spend it.

How do I make budgeting games fun for my child?

Use their interests, like toys, food, or games. Make it like a story. Let them be the shop owner or the customer. Make it exciting and full of choices.

What should I do if my child spends all their money?

It’s normal for children to make mistakes. Use it as a learning moment. Ask questions like: "Why did you spend it all?" and "What will you do next time?" This helps them think about their choices.