“If children are included in family financial discussions, such as planning for a fun vacation or purchasing a highcost toy, then parents can begin to place daily spending decisions in a context their child will understand,” says Stuart Ritter, CFP, a family financial expert with T. Rowe Price, and father of three. “Teaching children to set savings goals and make decisions about money that align with those goals is much easier when the discussion is concrete rather than abstract.”
A complementary approach is to introduce children to games that teach basic money lessons. One example is the game “The Great Piggy Bank Adventure” at www. GreatPiggyBankAdventure. c o m . T . R o w e P r i c e collaborated with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online to produce this free online board game, which conveys basic financial concepts in a way that is fun and easy for kids to understand.
To extend the lessons from the game, parents can also download a free “Journey to Your Dream Goal” activity book from www. FamilyFinancialHub.com. Puzzles, games, and tricky challenges help guide kids through the process of making smart financial decisions.
To get your child started with saving and money lessons, visit www. FamilyFinancialHub.com.