Did you ever take a close look at a dollar bill? A $5 bill? A $20 bill? It's hard to believe that we all carry around so much history with us every day, but many of us barely even notice it!
Get out those American bills and coins and read Money $ense for Kids!, by Hollis Page Harman, along with your 9 to 12 year old child. This wonderful resource will inspire you and your child to enjoy many hands-on math activities together, while learning a lot about history along the way.
This book is divided into the following 4 parts:
Part 1: See It
I love part 1 because you can take out your paper money and coins and learn a lot so much about history just by taking a really close look at the words, images, and symbols on each. You'll find out that every single mark was placed on a given piece of money for a specific reason, and find out why. You'll never forget which President is on each bill or coin; that's for sure!
Part 2: Add to It
Part 2 starts out with the topic of allowance, and suggests that children set up "three magic money jars:" one for "now", one for "short-term" purchases, and another for "long term" savings. It goes on to suggest ways to make money, and introduces the concept of "risk," and uses a training wheels to road bike analogy to give a brief overview of savings accounts, bonds, and stocks (hey, I guess I wasn't the only one to use a bicycle analogy).
Part 3: Grow It
Part 3 goes into more detail about bank accounts (referred to as "tricycles"), bonds ("two-wheelers with training wheels), mutual funds ("two-wheelers"), and stocks ("road bikes).
Part 4: Fun With It
Part 4 offers money games, words, and quotes, and many other resources can be found in the appendices.
I hope you enjoy this book! After reading it, you might find yourself heading to the bank with your child, or looking up the stock prices in the newspaper together. Who knows, you may even find that your child is a budding entrepreneur...
Oh, and you can check out the web site too.
You can find some great links to other nonfiction reviews in part 3.
Have a wonderful week!
