15+ Interesting Accounting Activities that No One Knows

As a mother of two kids, I strongly believe in imparting life skills to my little ones from an early age. 

Financial literacy is an important aspect of their education, and it’s never too early to start teaching your kids about money💰 and basic accounting concepts. 

We can make teaching our children about money easy and enjoyable with a few creative ideas and enjoyable activities.

interesting Accounting Activities For Kids

In this blog post, I will share some exciting and engaging accounting activities for kids in which I’ve introduced my children to the world of finance and accounts. 

These accounting and money-related activities are designed to be simple and enjoyable for kids, helping them lay the foundation for responsible money management in the future.

The Piggy Bank Challenge

I make saving money fun as well as an important lesson for my kids through the Piggy Bank Challenge. 

I start by giving each child a piggy bank or a jar🫙, explaining that it’s for their allowance, spare change, or even birthday money. We set a savings goal together, like saving for a special toy 🧸 or a fun outing.

To help my kids keep track of their savings, I give them a chart or a simple notebook 📒 . They write down the amount they add to their piggy banks each time. 

This way, they see their savings grow, which teaches them patience and the joy of reaching a goal. You can do this in your own home to teach your kids about saving money, too.

Pro Tip:

You can make the concept of saving visual and exciting for kids by using a clear jar or piggy bank for their savings.

Track progress on a chart or notebook. Celebrate milestones together to show the joy of reaching goals, nurturing patience, and money management skills while making saving money a fun adventure for your kids.

The “Grocery Store” Game

To do this in my household, I set up a pretend grocery 🏬 at home using toys or play food. I let one child be the “shopkeeper” and the other become the “customer.” The shopkeeper sets prices for the items they’re “selling,” and I give the customer a pretend budget.

My son keeps a simple list or uses a piece of paper to record what he is buying and how much he is spending. 

I would say that it’s a fun way to teach your kids about budgeting, spending, and basic accounting concepts. You can easily do this in your own home to make learning about money 💴 enjoyable for your kids.

This game not only teaches kids about budgeting and spending but also encourages role-playing and cooperative play.

Pro Tip: 

You can use this pretend grocery store game to introduce the concept of budgeting and money management to your kids. 

It’s a fun way to teach them valuable financial skills while encouraging creative role-playing and cooperative play and to make money a fun subject for your children to study! 🛒💰

The Lemonade Stand

The classic lemonade stand is an excellent way to introduce kids to the concept of earning money through their efforts.

You can set up a lemonade stand in the park nearby or in your front yard. Then, let your children take charge of making the lemonade and setting prices. They can even design colorful signs to attract customers.

While running the lemonade stand, kids can keep track of their sales and expenses, such as the cost of 🍋, sugar, and cups. This hands-on experience will help them understand income, expenses, and, most importantly, profit.

The Savings Jar

A savings jar 🫙 is another simple yet effective tool for teaching kids about the importance of saving. You can create separate jars for different savings goals, like one for a new toy, another for a family vacation, etc.

As your children receive their allowances or find loose change, encourage them to allocate a portion of it to their savings jars. 

Set specific savings targets for each jar and regularly revisit their goals and progress, discussing how close they are to achieving them.

Pro Tip: 

Help your kids personalize their savings jars with pictures or labels representing their goals, making it visually exciting. By setting specific targets and regularly reviewing progress, you’ll motivate them to save regularly while visualizing the rewards of reaching their financial goals.

Play Money 

I often use “Play Money” as a fun accounting activity for my son right in our home. I start by making colorful play money using paper and markers. Then, I assign values to each bill, like $1, $5, and $10.

During playtime, I give him his pretend money and set up a mini store with toys 🧸 and snacks. He takes turns with me to become the “shoppers” and “cashiers.” As he “buys” items, he practices counting and making changes with the play money. 

Trust me when I say that it’s a playful and fun way to teach basic money math, budgeting, and even some entrepreneurial skills.

Personal opinion- You can engage kids in real-life scenarios with play money by encouraging role-playing as shoppers and cashiers in a mini-store setup. This activity teaches kids counting making change, and introduces basic financial concepts in a fun, hands-on manner, fostering early money management skills.

Board Games

Board games ♟️ can be both educational and entertaining for kids, and I recommend you introduce your kids to board games related to money and accounting. 

There are several board games designed to teach kids about money and accounting, such as “Monopoly Junior” and “The Game of Life.” These games provide hands-on experience for kids in managing money, making investments, and understanding financial concepts.

Playing these games as a family can be a fun way to bond while learning about finances. You can also incorporate conversations about real-life financial decisions based on the game’s scenarios.

Allowance and Chore Charts

An allowance is an excellent way to teach your kids about financial responsibility in a simple way. 

You can create an allowance system suitable for your family and combine it with chore charts. Assign age-appropriate tasks to your children and determine a fixed allowance amount for completing these chores.

Use a simple chart 📊 to track which chores have been completed and when. Then, Calculate the allowance at the end of the week or month and give it to your children. You can encourage them to decide how they wish to spend or save their earnings. 

This exercise helps kids understand that money is earned through effort and responsibility.

Money Math

Basic money math for kids is essential for their financial literacy and is an essential skill. 

Engage your children in simple money math activities like counting coins and bills. You can use real money or play money for these exercises. Teach them the values of different coins and bills and help them practice counting and making changes.

You can also introduce them to basic math 🧮 operations, such as addition and subtraction, by creating simple problems involving money. For instance, ask them to calculate the change they should receive after buying an item with a given amount of money.

Pro Tip:

I suggest you make math fun for your kids by incorporating it into everyday activities. 

When shopping, involve your child in paying for items and calculating change. You can also encourage them to manage a small budget for toys or treats, applying addition and subtraction to understand spending and savings.

Family Budgeting

I involve my son in our family budgeting process to the extent they can understand. 

When we talk about our family budget, I explain to him what income means (the money that comes into our home) and what expenses are (the money we spend). I also emphasize how important it is to manage our money wisely.

To make it easier for my son to grasp these concepts, I like to use visual aids, such as simple pie charts or graphs. These visuals help them see where our money goes and where it comes from. We use colorful charts 📊 that they can easily understand.

Entrepreneurship

I turned entrepreneurship into an exciting accounting activity for my son to engage with. 

First, we brainstorm ideas for small businesses, like a lemonade stand or crafting homemade jewelry. I guide my son in creating a simple business plan: what to sell, pricing, and even making a budget.

Next, we set up shop in our driveway or at a local market. My son takes charge of sales, keeping track of income and expenses. We talk about the money they earn and how to use it wisely, whether for savings or to reinvest in their business.

Charity and Giving

I find that teaching my son about charity and giving is important. I do this by involving my son in our household activities. 

We gather clothes👖, toys, or food 🍱 that we no longer need, and I explain to him that we can share these with less fortunate people. We choose a local charity or shelter to donate to, and the kids help me pack these items. This teaches them the value of giving and the joy of helping others. 

You can do the same by involving your kids in small acts of charity, making it a part of your family’s values, and creating a sense of empathy and kindness 😊.

Conclusion

These engaging accounting activities offer more than just lessons about money. They introduce kids to important life skills such as saving, budgeting, entrepreneurship, and the value of giving. 

I believe that by participating in these accounting activities, children learn responsibility and how to manage money wisely. Encouraging these habits early on will prepare kids to make informed financial decisions as they grow up.

Feel free to share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below. Your insights could inspire others who are guiding young minds in understanding finances.🌟