Think back to being 16 years old, you just passed your driving test and your in the market for your first vehicle. Do you buy or lease? What is interest? How much will you pay over time? Do you get a truck or a car? Do you get something new or used? How do you plan the expenses you’ll spend long term?

So many children at the age of 16 haven’t had any exposure to financial literacy, and one decision as small as their first vehicle, can have so many implications on their life. And of course, many of these children have much larger financial burdens ahead of them, such as their college education.

Adulthood is inundated with financial decisions: saving for retirement, renting or buying a home, paying off loans, budgeting daily expenses. So how do we help these children thrive and understand their financial futures?

According to a 2017 Financial Report Card from Champlain College’s Center for Financial Literacy, only 5 states require High School students to take at least a half-year Personal Finance course. It is clear that schools are not doing enough to provide financial literacy education, but there are plenty of resources out there to teach this information to children, as young as Preschool. Below is a compiled list of resources to try: 

Ages 4-8 Resources:

How Much Is That Doggie in the Window? by Bob Merrill

The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Tia Isa Wants a Car (Tía Isa Quiere Un Carro) by Meg Medina

Peter Pig's Money Counter computer game

Ages 8-12 Resources:

Wow The Dow! The Complete Guide to Teaching Your Kids How to Invest In the Stock Market by Pat Smith

Monopoly Board Game

The Game of Life Board Game 

Ages 13-18 Resources:

Complete Idiot’s Guide to Money for Teens by Susan Shelley

The Motley Fool Investment Guide for Teens: Eight Steps to Having More Money Than your Parents Ever Dreamed of by David Gardner

Biz Kids TV series

Cashflow 101 Board Game