Board games are always great gifts for the holidays.  And board games that teach kids money skills are doubly great!  The key is to sneak in the “money conversation” as you play.

For example, the popular Game of Life oozes opportunities to discuss buying a house, paying insurance, being prepared for unexpected expenses, playing the stock market…

And the lesser known Allowance Game is perfect for discussing wise spending choices, earning interest on savings, and jobs that your kids can do to earn extra money.   Gently tie in your real life experiences with these important money topics as they come up during the game.

We sometimes assume that, through osmosis, kids will make the connections between the money lessons in the game and what happens in the real world.  That is not always true, so it’s up to us to be on the lookout for these priceless opportunities!

Here is a list of additional fun games that help teach kids about money:

Presto Change-o (ages 4 and up)  Making change

Monopoly Junior (ages 5 to 8)  Adding/subtracting money

Pit (ages 7 and up)  Investing, understanding the stock market

Cashflow for Kids (ages 7 and up)  Investing, general financial education

Payday (ages 8 and up)  Household finances, bill paying

Monopoly (ages 8 and up)  Adding/subtracting money, real estate