Helping Hands
Here's What To Do
1
Invite your child to play a game about working to earn money.
2
Choose simple tasks your child can do (stacking blocks, putting books away, wiping the table). Then give your child a job to do and when they finish, give them a piece of pretend money. Repeat a few times so they earn more coins.
3
Show the items they can buy. Help them count their money and trade it for an item, helping them make the connection between completing their task and getting paid. Celebrate their understanding together!
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Have your child lead you in to take a few deep breaths or some stretches together.
E
Engage:
- “People earn money by doing helpful things, then they use it to buy what they need or want. Let’s do some activities and earn some pretend money!”
- “Look! You have enough money to buy something. What would you like?”
E
Encourage:
- Wow! You’re working so hard, keep going you can almost buy _____!
- You’re making great choices about what to buy.
R
Reflect:
- You worked hard to earn your money! How did it feel to save up and buy something?”
Not quite ready?
Use stickers or high-fives as "money" to help them understand earning rewards.
Ready for more?
Introduce saving. Let them keep extra money for a future purchase instead of spending it all at once.
As your child masters this skill...
They will know more about how money is used.