Thinkabara

7 lessons Grades 3+, teens and parents

Money Skills for Kids & Teens

Google Classroom

7 short lessons to do together, parent and child. Each lesson ends with a practice task at home and a small quiz, and the last one is a family budget project.

Start: What money is and where it comes from →

All lessons

  1. 🪙 1. What money is and where it comes fromBartering, dollars and cents, and how people earn money
  2. ⚖️ 2. Needs or wants?What you must have, what is nice to have, and how to decide
  3. 🫙 3. Allowance and a budgetThree jars: spend, save, give
  4. 🎯 4. Saving for a goalHow many weeks until I can buy it, with a full example
  5. 🛒 5. Smart shoppingComparing prices, unit price, and the tricks of sales and ads
  6. 🏦 6. Banks and interestAccounts, debit cards, interest and compound interest in dollars
  7. 🔐 7. Money online, safely — and a final projectIn-game purchases, scams, card details and a family budget

✏️ Practice: Percentage calculator: work out sales, tips and savings

About this course

The course fits kids from about 3rd to 9th grade. Younger kids do it with a parent; teens can study alone and then tell the family what they learned. All the examples are in dollars and cents, with prices you know from the store.

This is a course about habits, not investing. We do not recommend any bank, product or stock. The goal is simple: that your child understands where money comes from, knows how to plan, save and shop wisely, and does not fall for tricks online.

Questions & answers

At what age should we start talking about money?
Even preschoolers can count coins and play store. An allowance with three jars usually fits from 1st or 2nd grade, and banks and interest from about 5th grade on.
How much allowance should we give?
There is no single right amount — it depends on age, what the child is expected to pay for, and what the family can afford. What matters more is that the amount is fixed, arrives on time, and the child decides what to do with it.
Does the course give investment advice?
No. It teaches general ideas: budgeting, saving, interest and caution. Before a real money decision, talk it over with a parent and a qualified professional.
Do we need a calculator?
Every calculation in the course can be done in your head or on paper. The site also has a percentage calculator that helps you check.

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Percentage calculatorTip calculatorInternet safety courseExcel course