Free Printable Play Money For Kids

Make financial literacy fun

Education is focused on the ABCs and 123s with something that could be compared to tunnel vision. No one is denying that reading and writing are essential ingredients of a happy and successful life.  But what about financial literacy? As children move into young adulthood the ability to make, manage, and save money is one of the most crucial skills they can ever learn.

Imagine the hours of fun your kids can have playing with their rolls of paper money. Their natural zest for life and curiosity mean that basic financial concepts can be introduced to them by incorporating money-based games and role play into their early life. Who can forget the fun of setting up a pretend shop or being a pre-school banker? Without even realising it, their daily play is teaching them life skills like counting, budgeting, making transactions, and making decisions about spending and saving.

Let career role-play open their minds

Play money serves as a catalyst for imaginative play and role-playing. Children act out the roles of bankers, shopkeepers, parents… or even cops and robbers, or pirates hiding treasure! Although maybe focus less on some of the ‘careers’ at the end of that list! This play which focuses on careers in the adult world helps them to exercise their problem-solving skills, their organisational skills, social interaction – and just all-around creativity! Role-playing helps children understand the world around them, develop empathy, and learn to navigate different situations, all while having a blast with their play money adventures.

Making maths fun!

Now, less of the ABCs and more of the 123s! Maths seems to be a constant topic on the news, particularly from politicians. This much-maligned subject seems to get a bad rap in the public arena – but maybe the answer to the problem is to inject some fun back into numbers! Of course, maths is a critical subject, and teachers and parents alike spend years, trying to engage their students and children in the subject. Maybe our free printable play money is the answer!

Whether they are a shopkeeper selling playdough apples, or a busy mum paying for a cotton wool ice cream, children are using their printed-out play money as an invaluable teaching tool. Without even realising it, they are practising their addition and subtraction, as they exchange, count, and manage their play money. Having the play money physically in their hands makes the process more real. More understandable, And ultimately more applicable to everyday life.

Improving people skills with paper money

Getting friends and family involved in their play money activities is an excellent way for children to develop their social interaction skills. It’s not all about just playing in a group – maybe there’s a future high-flyer in the group who is learning their trading and negotiating skills at the living It for

These games foster fun, in the form of teamwork and cooperation. They help children learn how to share and work together effectively. These social skills are essential for their personal development and future success in both education and career.

Teaching Responsibility

Using play money introduces the concept of responsibility in a gentle and age-appropriate way. Children can learn about the consequences of their choices, such as overspending leading to a lack of funds for other activities. By experiencing these consequences in a safe play environment, they develop a sense of accountability, which is valuable for their overall character development.