We see money being used everyday just about everywhere. It is important because it helps our society to function by buying goods and services. In the very old days, people didn’t have the kind of money we do today. Originally, they would barter or trade. For example, one farmer might give a bag of eggs to a merchant in exchange for a container of oil. Gradually, people started to discover the value of the products that they were selling they symbolized that value with very early forms of money, such as pretty shells or rocks. You can imagine how heavy a pocketful of rocks could become! To make things even easier, coins were developed and later on, paper money too. Think about the last time you went with your parents to the grocery store, the bank or the movies. Money and transactions exist in several different forms today, including credit cards, debit cards, checks and investments. Follow this resource guide to learn more about how money evolved and how we use it today.

History of Money

• A Kids’ Guide to the History of Money
• Trace the Evolution of Money Through Time
• The History of American Money
• Learn About the History of the U.S. Mint, Where Our Money is Made
• Scrip, an Old Form of Paper Money
• A Timeline of Money

Games

• Games to Help Kids Learn About Money Past and Present Around the World
• Practice Buying Fun Things and Giving the Exact Change
• Savings Quest: How Well Can You Manage Your Budget?
• Ed’s Bank, Financial Football, Money Metropolis and More Games
• Play and Learn About Debt, Earnings, Saving and Spending
• FedVille: Learn About How Money Works in Cities

Lesson Plans

• Downloadable Elementary Lesson Plans on Financial Goals and Concepts
• Less Than Zero: Book and Activity Pack on Investing and Saving (PDF)
• A New Coat for Anna: Learn About Scarcity and Trade
• Personal Finance Lesson Plans for Grades 1 to 5
• What Would You Work For and Trade?
• Create a Mini Economy in Class!

Worksheets and Quizzes

• Assorted Activities and Worksheets on Allowances, Savings and More
• The Online Money Worksheet Generator
• Take a Quiz to Test Your Knowledge of Money and Savings
• Free Student Activity Workbook to Understand All About Money
• Learn To Develop an Econ Explorer’s Journal (PDF)
• How Much Do You Know About Money? Try This Quiz!

Miscellaneous

• Did You Know? Money Facts and Trivia
• A Comic Book About How Banks Work (PDF)
• Downloadable Classroom Comics on Basic Economic Principles and Scarcity
• A Glossary of Money and Bank Words
• Check Out the Special Features of U.S. Bank Notes
• How to Spend Money Wisely

Written by Rachel Summit