Objective
By the end of this lesson, Daniella and Alisia will understand the basics of money, including identifying different coins and bills, understanding their values, and learning how to make simple transactions using play money.
Materials and Prep
- Play money or drawings of coins and bills
- Paper and pencil for notes
- Items around the house to "buy" (toys, snacks, etc.)
- Preparation: Create a list of prices for the items you will use in the activities.
Activities
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Coin Identification Game:
Start by showing different coins (or drawings) and ask Daniella and Alisia to identify each one. Discuss the value of each coin and how they can be combined to make different amounts.
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Store Role Play:
Create a mini store at home using items that can be "purchased". Daniella and Alisia can take turns being the cashier and the customer, using play money to buy and sell items.
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Price Matching Challenge:
Give Daniella and Alisia a few different amounts of play money and ask them to find items in the "store" that they can buy with that amount. This will help them practice addition and subtraction.
Talking Points
- "What do you think money is used for?"
- "Can you tell me what this coin is? How much is it worth?"
- "If you have two quarters, how much money do you have in total?"
- "Let’s pretend this toy is $3. How would you pay for it using your play money?"
- "Why do you think we have different coins and bills?"
- "What happens if you want to buy something and you don’t have enough money?"
- "Can you think of a time when you used money to buy something?"
- "How does being a cashier help you learn about money?"