It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about money… and it can be fun! Check out these children’s books to help teach your kids money basics such as saving vs. spending, wants vs. needs, and much more.
Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells (3-5 years)
It’s Grandma’s birthday, and Ruby knows exactly what Grandma would love – a beautiful ballerina box. Max also knows what she’d love – a scary pair of ooey-gooey vampire teeth. Ruby has saved up a wallet full of bills, but as unexpected mishap after mishap occurs, money starts running through the bunnies’ fingers. Will they have enough left for the perfect present? Wells’ story is a fun and lively introduction to early math.
The Berenstain Bears, Trouble with Money by Stan and Jan Berenstain (3-7 years)
Come for a visit in Bear Country with this classic First Time Book from Stan and Jan Berenstain. Mama and Papa are worried that Brother and Sister seem to think money grows on trees. To make money of their own, the cubs decide to start their very own businesses, from a lemonade stand to a pet-walking service.
One Cent, Two Cents, Old Cent, New Cent: All About Money by Bonnie Worth (4-8 years)
The Cat in the Hat puts to rest any notion that money grows on trees in this super simple look at numismatics, the study of money and its history. Beginning with the ancient practice of bartering, the Cat explains various forms of money used in different cultures, from shells, feathers, leather, and jade to metal ingots to coins (including the smallest – the BB-like Indian fanam – and the largest – the 8-foot-wide, ship-sinking limestone ones from the Islands of Yap!), to the current king of currency, paper. Also included is a look at banking, from the use of temples as the first banks to the concept of gaining or paying interest, and a step-by-step guide to minting coins.
A Bike Like Sergio’s by Maribeth Boelts (5-8 years)
Ruben feels like he is the only kid without a bike. His friend Sergio reminds him that his birthday is coming, but Ruben knows that the kind of birthday gifts he and Sergio receive are not the same. After all, when Ruben’s mom sends him to Sonny’s corner store for groceries, sometimes she doesn’t have enough money for everything on the list. When Ruben sees a dollar bill fall out of someone’s purse, he picks it up and puts it in his pocket. But when he gets home, he discovers it’s not one dollar or even five or ten – it’s a hundred-dollar bill, more than enough for a new bike just like Sergio’s! But what about the crossed-off groceries? And what about the woman who lost her money?
Rock, Brock, and the Savings Shock by Sheila Bair (4-8 years)
Rock and Brock may be twins, but they are as different as two twins can be. One day, their grandpa offers them a plan – for ten straight weeks on Saturday he will given them each one dollar. But there is a catch! “Listen now, for here’s the trick, each buck you save, I’ll match it quick. But spend it, there’s no extra dough, so save your cash, and watch it grow.” Rock is excited – there all sorts of things he can buy for one dollar! Each week he buys something different – an inflatable moose head, green hair goo, white peppermint wax fangs. But while Rock is spending his money, Brock is savings his. And each week when Rock gets just one dollar, Brock’s savings get matched. By the end of summer, Brock has five hundred and twelve dollars, while Rock has none. When Rock sees what his brother has saved, he realizes he has made a mistake. But Brock shows him that it is never too late to start saving.
Lemonade in Winter: A Book About Two Kids Counting Money by Emily Jenkins (3-7 years)
A lemonade stand in winter? Yes, that’s exactly what Pauline and John-John intend to have, selling lemonade and limeade – and lemon-limeade. With a catchy refrain (“Lemon lemon LIME, Lemon LIMEADE! Lemon lemon LIME, Lemon LIMEADE!”), plus simple math concepts throughout, here is a read-aloud that’s great for story time and classroom use.
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