5 Online Money Games for Screen Loving Kids
We all know how challenging it can be to distract kids away from Ipads & tablets these days.
It quickly becomes an Olympic sized challenge when your reason for distraction is to impart an essential life lesson, lets say on financial capability for example.
We’d be the first to admit that money isn’t a topic generally associated with fun (unless of course it involves spending it)
However, we all know that financial capability is one of life’s most important lessons and the key to our financial well-being as adults.
So the question is, how do we get kids interested in something often considered as boring?
It’s all about meeting them where they are at. What I mean by that is if your child enjoys being on the computer, then you are likely to set yourself up for failure if your first attempt at teaching them money skills involves sitting at a table building a paper-mâché piggy bank.
Research has shown that when we engage in activities we enjoy we are more likely to learn and retain that knowledge. Enjoyment helps activate the long term memory compartments within our brains.
So when is comes to kids who love computers its a bit like hiding the veges in the pizza or surprising them with a beetroot chocolate cake (yes they do exist). It’s about giving kids the goodness they need in a most unexpected way.
Below are some of our favourite FREE online money games for kids.
So remember when introducing your kids to financial concepts meet them where they are at – incorporate it into something they love
 | Money Metropolis by Practical Money Skills In this fun game kids learn about making life decisions in a multidimensional world. They create an avatar, decide on a goal, then get the opportunity to work, spend & save around their local community introducing them to key financial competency concepts |
 | Free Rice by UN World Food Program Use your brain power as currency to buy rice and help end world hunger. It’s a WIN-WIN you have fun, learn and people get fed in the real world – It’s as simple as that! (various levels for different abilities) |
 | Wackyville by Entertainment This is a great intro for kids new to mobile phones – Helping them wise up to the potential traps of mobile games. Through a sequence of ‘what would you do’ scenarios that track data usage & additional charges based on their choices, kids learn to consider their decisions and the impact they have on friends, family & their bank balance. |
 | Groove Nation by Financial Entertainment Become the manager/choreographer for an upcoming dancer. Go to competitions, manage money, trips, hotels. Great game to learn about money management. (If you’re not into dancing try Celebrity Calamity https://financialentertainment.org/games) |
 | Money Master by Maths Is Fun Good game for younger kids – teaching them to add & recognise different notes & coins. You can even try different currencies. |
