Stories about Finance for Our Little Ones
Finding learning opportunities for ourselves is possible almost anytime, but discussing finance with the little ones can be challenging. How to teach children the basics of responsible money management? We're suggesting a solution they'll surely love. After all, what do they enjoy more than stories at their age?
Šimon Pekar | Investment academy | 18. November 2022
Education is often associated with schools, but that is just one of the many possible settings of this process. Although parents often expect teachers to provide their children with financial education, this is unfortunately not always the case.
Hence, we should encourage non-formal education at home. This becomes especially important when you realize that you, the parents, are the most important source of knowledge for your kids. 🙂
You may wonder if it makes sense to financially educate children who are yet to start attending school. After all, they haven’t had the chance to learn how to perform basic mathematics, combine facts, or master abstract reasoning. Don’t worry, these obstacles can be tackled like any other.
How? If you want to introduce your kids to the basics of financial life, get inspired by a short selection of stories that we consider to be the best and most interesting for our little ones.
Moneybunnies
The author of the Moneybunnies book series is Cinders McLeod. The first book was published in 2017, primarily targeting the younger age group of children (3 to 5 years old). Each book is dedicated to a different financial topic, providing a unique development tool for the young reader (listener in this case).
Earn It!
It's never too early to explain the basics of money in a simplified and fun way to your kids. This book is filled with brightly colored illustrations that show the Bunny family learning that nothing can be obtained for free, and it takes a reasonable amount of effort to get it.
In the Bunnyland, the only currency is juicy carrots, making everyone want as many as possible. The story is about the big dreams of a little Bun who discovers that it takes a lot of hard work and time to achieve them. This disappoints her at first, but over time she finds out that progressing towards her dreams via her own effort is much more rewarding, as she realizes that even a little Bunny can accomplish great things.
Your kids can devise their own plans to make their dreams come true, just like our little Bun did. This book will show them how to do it.
However, the Bunny family’s adventures don’t stop here.
Spend It!
In the second, Sonny joins the Bunny family, receiving an allowance once a week, which he conscientiously sets aside. One day he gets the opportunity to go to the store and buy something with the money (carrots) he has saved. However, as he pays, he realizes that finance works differently than he had previously imagined, forcing him to decide on his priorities. While thinking, he realizes he‘s learning to manage 'money'. Sonny quickly learned how money works, try it with your children too. 😊
Save It!
Another Bunnyland story is the book named Save It! In this story, the family gets to know Honey, who would very much like to have her own house (property). Her parents, however, don't have enough money for it, and she also seems too young to live on her own. Since Honey has a job, she decides to start saving to at least buy a toy house to relax in from time to time.
Along the way, she learns that financial planning can be both interesting and easy. Your little ones can learn this just like Honey did. As saving is a problem also encountered by many adults, Finax has created the Finbot app that will help you gain complete control over your spending.
Give It!
The most recent among Bunnyland adventures introduces us to Chummy, who receives 10 carrots as a birthday gift from his Gran. Since Gran advises him to use a part of the received amount for helping others, they spend time thinking of ways the carrots can be used to improve the lives of others. The story illustrates the process of consciously deciding how to spend a larger amount of money, as well as the importance of solidarity.
The Missing Money: Money Monsters
This book by Okeoma Moronu-Schreiner is praised for its beautiful illustrations and creative approach to explaining the modern banking system. Its main protagonist is Kai, a boy with wild imagination typical for kids his age, who wants to deposit his earned money in a bank.
In this process, he gets robbed – a scary „ATM monster“ swallows his precious savings. Because he starts devising a plan to save it from the monsters, his parents sit him down to talk about the modern banking system. Kai delves into several topics, including how banks work and keep money safe, what banking technologies may come in handy, and why saving is important.
If you’re looking for a creative and modern way to educate your kids, give this book a shot.
Money Plan
Our last suggestion will please the lovers of poetry since it’s written in rhyming verse. Monica Eaton’s Money Plan is a freshly published book that seeks to teach kids about the importance of creating a budget and sticking to it.
The story features Mia accompanying her mommy on a Saturday trip to the grocery store. Being refused a treat that wasn’t included in mommy’s money plan, she starts asking a series of related questions.
Similar to the previous book, mommy patiently explains how money is earned via work and why it’s important to plan what you can afford, sticking to it while shopping. What a clever way to launch a conversation with your children if they tend to get frivolous on your weekend trips to Tesco.
Each of these books is interesting in its unique way. We hope you will find the right one to read to your children. Each offers a different story written in an engaging and entertaining manner, disproving the idea of dull, stereotypical education in schools. Such works enable us to make financial education both effective and enjoyable.
