Teaching Financially Literacy: Cheap Stocking Stuffers
stocking stuffers for kids: 10 Financial Literacy Books, Games, and Toys we love all under $10
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“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
-Benjamin Franklin
Stocking stuffers for kids can be a fun an easy way to get them started on their financial education. Whatever financial concepts you are trying to teach, there are some really great and creative ways to do it without costing you an arm and a leg. Below we highlight 10 cheap stocking stuffers each under $10 that can help you get started!
ThinkFun Math Dice
Age Range: 8 years old and up
Manufacturer: ThinkFun
Our Take: Math Dice has sold more than 50 million worldwide with competitions even amount local school districts. The game is great for 8 and up although really targets probably more 10 or 11 age range and can be a fun and easy way to improve the kids math stills.
The game can be combined with coin counting or money identification (how many ways can you make 25 cents?). As we often say at Future Funders, math is one of the foundations of financial literacy and so improving up our kids skills here with simple games like this is a great start!
About The Product: The product includes 2 target dice, 3 scoring dice, lesson booklet, and game go storage bag for easy cleanup and storage. The way the game works is a player will first role the two 12 sided target dice and multiple the two numbers to get your target number.
Then players will role the three six sided dice and attempt to be the first to be able to combine the three numbers in any way to reach their target number (for example, if your target number is 32 and you role a 5,2, and a 6, the player can win by figuring out that 32 is also equal to 5 x 6 + 2).
What Do You Do With An Idea?
Age Range: 3 years to 7 years old
Author: Kobi Yamada
Our Take: This book is part of a ‘What Do You Do With A…’ series but we picked this one specifically as it related to Skills For Self-Empowerment (term we use in our course for entrepreneurship) because we think the book does an excellent job relating how ideas can be linked to a young child’s self confidence and even doubt. Ideas are powerful and we think we need to help our kids foster their ideas from a young age (especially if they are interested in entrepreneurship) and stand behind them when they have a dream.
While we loved the illustrations and think for young kids the book is wonderful, we also think this is a good book to hang on to through the years (similar to a Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Suess) as a reminder in the power of their dreams.
About The Book: This is the story of one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.
This is a story for anyone, at any age, who's ever had an idea that seemed a little too big, too odd, too difficult. It's a story to inspire you to welcome that idea, to give it some space to grow, and to see what happens next. Because your idea isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's just getting started.
Exact Change
Age Range: 6 years and up
Manufacturer: Continuum Games
Our Take: Exact Change is a great game overall looking to teach money identification and counting skills for kids. The way the game works is with the goal to play all of your cards first.
You can discard cards by matching the color of the last card played (kind of like Uno for people familiar with that game), by matching the currency value (play a penny on a penny for example), or by making Exact Change for the card. Making exact change allows you to discard multiple cards that add up to the value of the last card played.
About The Product: The game includes 110 cards and a rule sheet meant for two to six players. It is a winner of Winner of iParenting Media, Dr. Toy’s Top 100, Creative Child Magazines Seal of Excellence, and the National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval awards designed as a great product for parents or for the classroom.
Sadie Builds a Business
Age Range: 6 years to 12 years old
Author: Will Scott
Our Take: Ok, so we are clearly biased but this highly rated first children’s book of ours does a great job teaching entrepreneurship wrapped in fun story about accomplishing your goals.
It is an inspiring story that also touches on many other financial literacy topics like wants vs. needs as well as the concept of working, saving, and waiting for what we want in life. The concept of working and waiting, or deferred gratification, we believe is one of the most important qualities for our kids to learn about money and life.
About The Book: Sadie Builds a Business is a fun and uplifting tale for parents who are trying to teach important money lessons to their kids. On the way home from school one day, Sadie sees a super cool pair of roller skates sitting in a toy store window that she has to have but realizes she does not have enough money to pay for them.
Through creative thinking, determination, and some help from her friends she works to reach her goals along the way realizing she holds all the power within herself to make all her dreams come true!
Money Jar
Age Range: 3 years old and up
Manufacturer: Learning Resources
Our Take: For simple toy to get kids learning about saving or teaching the even more powerful behavior of deferred gratification the Money Jar from Learning Resources can be a wonderful place to start. The product is small coming in at 3.6 x 3.7 x 3.5 inches and comes with plastic bills and coins to enable real time learning (they are lighter weight vs. real bills and coins but do look realistic).
If you combine a few of this you can teach different jars for spending, saving + investing (we always combine the two as we believe money not being used and not for emergencies should be approached with the mindset to earn), and giving as well as incorporate many other month concepts!
About The Product: Includes 80 bills of various denominations and 140 realistic coins in their own storage jar. Kit includes 40 pennies, 30 nickels, 30 dimes, 30 quarters, 5 half dollars, and 5 Sacagawea coins. Paper bills include 20 ones, 20 fives, 15 tens, 15 twenties, 5 fifties, and 5 hundreds.
Play Money Coins & Bills Tray
Age Range: 5 years old and up
Author: Educational Insights
Our Take: This is another solid affordable resource to teach coin and bill identification. Overall we found the coins and bills here a bit more realistic than the Money Jar option (the coins were about equal size to real life with the bills still slightly smaller) above but would note we liked the Money Jar option for storage and teaching different locations for money better (i.e. spending, saving + investing, giving).
One point here, we would flag that this does not go with the Learning Resources cash register as several product comments also point out.
About The Product: The product includes 30 $1 bills, 20 $5 bills, 20 $10 bills, 15 $20 bills, 10 $50 bills, and 5 $100 bills in storage tray. Pretend bills measure 4 5/8" X 2". 30 pennies, 30 nickels, 20 dimes, 15 quarters, and 5 half dollars.
Canvas Money Bag Pouch with Drawstring Closure
Age Range: 3 months and up
Manufacturer: Super Z Outlet
Our Take: This is just a bag (no coins or bills) but we found it sturdy and big enough to hold coins and bills (we would say it can hold about 50 bills total). The product can be used to teach spending, saving + investing, and giving locations for kids with the purchase of a few with the “$” sign also being a neat feature to be used for dress up or perhaps costume occasions.
There is a drawstring to tie it closed if need be which was a neat little feature and the fabric was lightweight but still decently sturdy. There are several similar options here as well as the ability to adjust the size.
About The Product: Canvas money sign bag measures at 11" x 17" inches. and can hold about 3-5 lbs of contents. Black "$" Money sign design on both sides of bag, essential for carrying or storing anything from piles of cash to some foods and snacks for picnics. Made out of a lightweight natural color canvas material, bag can hold a great amount of prizes and treasures.
Gold Pirate Treasure Hunt Coins Toys
Age Range: 3 years old and up
Manufacturer: N/A
Our Take: There are several of these gold coin products for sale on Amazon so we would be hard pressed to say that the above product is the best. That said, we found this one to be decent for under $10.
The coins themselves were thin but shiny, and can be used as a great way to talk about different types of money used throughout history (at one point in Amsterdam people were so crazy about Tulips they were considered rare currency!) as well as the concept of money just being a symbol for value.
About The Product: 150 Pieces plastic gold coins and and they note the product can also be used as party favors or party decorations. Your little treasure-hunters will celebrate their victory with these collectible Gold Coins! Perfect when included in loot bags or given out as welcome treats. Perfect for Stage Props, Centerpiece Decoration, Party Decoration, Halloween Decoration, Treasure Box, Treasure Jewels,Perfect gift for your child.
The Money Lessons Guidebook
Age Range: 6 years old to 12 years old
Author: Future Funders
Our Take: We are obviously biased but The Money Lessons Guidebook is a printable workbook of games that can be a great starting point for kids ages 6 to 12 to learn financial literacy. These are games that are ideal for any family with a busy life and can be played at home, in the car, or even out shopping in order to help start important money conversations. The book is also filled with mazes, exercises, and helpful definitions of terms to help your child learn while also having fun!
About The Book: The book is immediately downloadable. It measures 36 pages and contains 19 games along with puzzles, connect the dots, and fun explanations to keep the kiddos entertained. We give you exercises and games to play at home, in the car (getting them off the screens!), and even when you are out shopping. Once your kiddo completes the workbook we will also send of a special Certificate of Completion they can show off to their friends!
The Sub Shop Board Game
Age Range: 6 years old and up
Manufacturer: Imagination Generation
Our Take: For any parent looking to introduce their kids to entrepreneurship this is a great game to start with. This game was quick taking us about 15 minutes with 4 players. The way it works is players receive an order for 3 subs from one of 9 crazy customers.
Everybody builds on any of the three subs, using ingredient cards on their hand. The person who completes each sub gets money and the person who completes the last sub gets money and the tip. Once you get three orders of 3 subs each that completes the game.
There is also an advanced play option that uses an additional set of cards also included that makes the game a bit more challenging for older kids.
About The Product: The product includes Includes 54 cards, 9 zany & overcooked customers, play money, a real tablecloth game board, & a classic kitchen service bell for 2 to 6 players. Printed on high-quality, German card stock, plastic-coated and finished with a premium linen texture. Original art, silly character bios like Petey Pig, Cheezy Chaz, and Butcher Bill, packed with 40 fun facts! Can you handle each of their unique orders?
Check out these and financial literacy tools for kids at our curated book library, game library, and toy library.
To check out our flagship course teaching you how to teach your young kids financial literacy click here.
Know of any other great stocking stuffers that you have used with kids? We would love to hear about it here or in the comments below.
