Objective

By the end of this lesson, Willow will learn about saving money, making choices, and understanding the value of her savings as she plans to buy a toy at Target.

Materials and Prep

• Paper and crayons for drawing
• Play money (if available) or real coins for counting
• List of toys from Target (you can create this together)
• Calculator or a simple method for addition and subtraction
• Space to spread out and work comfortably

Activities

• Counting Money:

  Willow will practice counting her $60.00 using play money or real coins. This will help her understand how much she has to spend.

• Making a Wish List:

  Willow can draw or write down the toys she wants from Target. This will help her visualize her choices and prioritize what she really wants.

• Budgeting Fun:

  Willow will pretend to shop by picking toys from her list and adding up the prices. She will learn to stay within her budget of $60.00.

• Decision Time:

  After budgeting, Willow will decide which toy to buy. This will teach her about making choices based on her savings.

Talking Points

• "Willow, how much money do you have saved up?"
• "What toys do you really want? Let’s make a list!"
• "Can you count how many dollars you have? Let's see how much you can spend!"
• "If this toy costs $30, how much money will you have left?"
• "What happens if you want two toys? Can we add their prices together?"