From a Little Book to a School Workshop: How Our Kid-Finance Project Grew
Our project began with a simple observation: schools teach math, science, and history, but rarely how to use money wisely. One summer afternoon, a few friends sat around a kitchen table and listed what we wished we’d learned earlier—allowance, saving, needs vs. wants, credit, even beginner investing. That rough list became outlines, drafts, and finally a children’s financial literacy book families could use at home.
But a book is only alive when it’s used. So we built a blog to translate ideas into bite-sized, practical posts: the Mock Credit Card game, the 3-Jar Method, parent scripts for tough moments, and printable goal cards. The blog let us share stories from real families, too—the negotiator who learned to wait a week, the generous six-year-old who chose to fund classroom crayons over candy.
Next came workshops. We designed 45–60 minute sessions that blend creativity and practice: kids draw their own “cards,” price a pretend store, run a save-goal thermometer, and role-play cashiers and customers. Parents leave with conversation prompts and routines that take five minutes a week but add up to big change.
What we’ve learned:
Participation beats perfection: Kids learn by deciding, not by being told.
Visual beats abstract: Clear jars, progress bars, and ledgers make money tangible.
Routine beats intensity: A weekly check-in outperforms a once-a-year lecture.
Where we’re headed: partnering with local schools and libraries, adapting sessions for different ages, and expanding activities for tweens (intro to interest, debit vs. credit, subscription traps). Our vision is simple: make money talk normal, kind, and practical—at the table, in the classroom, and in the checkout line.
Financial literacy isn’t a one-time download; it’s a journey built from small, consistent choices. If our book, blog, and workshops help a child pause, plan, and feel proud of a decision, that’s real impact—and it lasts longer than any impulse purchase ever could.
