Money Games for Kids

The Wall Street Journal lists a few games that teach kids money-related principles. It's a short list and I'm not really sure there's much there, so I thought I'd ask you for ideas.

I've stated before that my kids like the Game of Life and I like it because they learn some valuable money-management principles along the way. But other than Life and Monopoly, I'm at a loss for some great games or software that teaches kids money principles while they also have a fun time playing.

So I come to you with this question: do you know of any money games that both teach financial principles and are a load of fun for kids?

Comments

[WesleyTech.com]

Cashflow for kids (A Kiyosaki game) is probably good. I've played the adult version and I liked it. The game is expensive, however.

[cmadler]

I agree that the WSJ article has just about worthless. I was really hoping to check this morning and see a long list of great suggestions here.

Personally, I always liked Careers (Parker Brothers). Apparently elements of it have been simplified over the years, but if you have or find an older copy it's very good. Although it's only loosely a finance game, Acquire (originally 3M, then Hasbro, now Avalon Hill) is also quite good. Then of course there's Stock Ticker (Copp-Clark, now out of print), which insanely confuses equities and commodities.

[MultifolDream$]

Monopoly is classic. The Cashflow 101 is also a good one.

[MasterPo]

Back on the Atari 400/800 computer/game machines (dating myself here!) there was a game called M.U.L.E. Don't remember what it stood for.

The premise was colonizing an alien world. You had to buy land, setup food and energy product, and mining for extra income. Some parcels of land (like near the river) where better for farming while the mountain areas where better for mining. Then when you had extra food or energy you could sell it to your fellow players or the computer player through a bidding process.

You could get real cut-throat and force the players to bid very high before you would sell to them. Or not sell to them at all and reduce their efficiency!

It was a very interesting game that I thought similated both markets and business overall.

[a]

For board games I'd recommend Settlers of Catan. You have to get resources and use them to both build your settlement and undermine other players. There is also a significant aspect of trading and bargaining involved so that you can get the resources you need.

Money management is built into a lot of video games, even if you don't notice it at first. Most real time and turn based strategy games have a money element. Money, not necessarily in the form of US dollars, is there just in the background as a game mechanic. For example you have to have a certain amount of money to buy a unit or an upgrade. Some units have upkeep costs.

In some games like the Sim City series saving, investing and spending money are right up front.

I even remember seeing an article somewhere about money lessons learned from Grand Theft Auto.