NEVER
STOP EARNING
“Earn and Learn by Doing” is often taken to mean that the best way to understand something is by making an activity out of it. Interaction helps the brain develop. Reading and lectures can help with your learning progress, but the ideal path to improving education is active, rather than passive. Recent studies have shown that children who play video games tend to be more creative than those who don’t. Video games force you to make decisions, engaging your brain on multiple levels, including planning, reasoning and problem solving. Variety is the spice of life, and your brain needs a variety of mental exercises to grow.
ONLINE FINANCIAL LITERACY GAMES ACTIVATE YOUR BRIAN
Online financial literacy games tackle a very pressing matter: the poor state of financial education in our country. Only 13 states have financial literacy classes that high school students are required to take in order to graduate. A 2010 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling found that 56% of respondents don’t have a budget, and 5% don’t keep track of their spending, and it's no better today! This country needs better financial education, especially for students who are quickly approaching adulthood and financial independence. Fortunately, there are a few tech-savvy companies and institutions dedicated to increasing financial literacy in young people. They help kids, teens and young adults develop financial skills with games that encourage quick thinking and decision-making.
FUN, NOT BORING
You may be skeptical. How could learning about finance be fun? And while there are some online education games that are lacking in the fun department, these games win points for breaking the mold. They have actual story lines and great production values, and they manage to help you learn vital money management skills without making you feel like you’re in a classroom. Whether they’re solving a case of investment fraud, running a vampire nightclub, building a career in show business, or taking part in a complete virtual world, students will learn how financial concepts impact their daily life. And not all of these games are for students: some of them have content for consumers of all ages. Check out our picks for best online financial literacy games, and see how financially literate you are.
BECOME A SAVINGS KING: MAD MONEY – IT’S MY LIFE (PBS KIDS)
With
Mad Money, It’s My Life challenges you to save up for the all things you love. Pick one thing you really want, like tickets to a concert, or a video game system. You get 30 “days”, or playtime units, to earn money, pay for things you need, and save up for your goal. See if you can keep up with your finances and still afford that one special gift. It’s My Life, by PBS Kids, gives children an opportunity to learn savings skills, while also using their brains to make tough money management decisions.
“COOLEST” WORLD: SAND DOLLAR CITY – DOUGHMAIN
Enter an underwater world full of mystery with
Sand Dollar City. You are given the family candy store, and it is up to you to help get the store out of debt. Fight back against the Kelp King, search for ingredients, and meet a cast of colorful characters, all while playing mini-games that offer lessons in money management, credit, resource coordination and investing for the future.
DoughMain was founded upon the principle of family management and financial education. They use organizing tools, money games, and social media to help families and kids develop financial smarts.