Financial Storytelling for Early Learners (Ages 3-5)

Picture books are a staple in early childhood education. They provide colorful illustrations, simple narratives, and relatable characters that capture young children’s attention. Money-themed books introduce basic financial concepts, such as saving, spending, and sharing, in a way that feels natural and enjoyable.

Here are a few popular money-themed picture books for young children:

• “Bunny Money” by Rosemary Wells
  This book follows siblings Max and Ruby as they navigate spending and saving to buy a birthday gift. Children relate to the story of making choices with limited resources, introducing them to basic budgeting.
• “A Chair for My Mother” by Vera B. Williams
  This Caldecott award winner shares the journey of a family saving up for a new chair after a fire. It’s a powerful story that emphasizes the value of saving for something meaningful, teaching patience and the satisfaction of reaching a goal.
• “Just Saving My Money” by Mercer Mayer
  Part of the “Little Critter” series, this book follows Little Critter as he learns to save money for something he wants. It’s a simple, relatable tale that helps children understand that saving takes time and dedication.

After reading a money-themed book, talk with your child about what they learned from the characters’ experiences. Ask questions like, “Why did Max and Ruby need to save their money?” or “What was Little Critter trying to save for?”

• Learning Outcome: Children begin to connect the idea of money with choices, value, and saving, guided by relatable story characters and family discussions.

Short educational videos cater to young children’s visual learning styles, presenting financial concepts in colorful, engaging ways. Video content uses animation, songs, and simple narratives that make money-related ideas like saving, earning, and spending easier to understand.

Here are a few video resources that introduce young children to financial concepts:

• “Sesame Street: For Me, For You, For Later”
  This series by Sesame Street includes videos featuring popular characters, such as Elmo, teaching children about saving, spending, and sharing. The characters help break down abstract ideas in relatable, age-appropriate ways.
• “Blaze and the Monster Machines: The Super-Size Prize” – This episode from Season 4 involves Blaze and AJ taking on various small jobs around town to earn money for a prize. This storyline introduces basic earning and spending concepts in a relatable, age-appropriate way, making it suitable for young children learning about effort-reward relationships.
• “Peppa Pig: Shopping” – This episode (s1e49) follows Peppa and her family as they go shopping at a grocery store. They select items from their shopping list, giving children an introduction to making choices and sticking to a budget while shopping, which aligns well with basic financial concepts

Watch an educational video with your child and discuss the themes afterward. Ask simple questions like, “Why did Elmo save his coins?” or “What did Peppa buy at the store?”

• Learning Outcome: Videos combined with guided conversations help children understand money concepts visually and make connections to real-world situations.

Sharing personal or family stories about money adds a meaningful, relatable layer to financial storytelling. When children hear anecdotes from trusted family members, they gain real-world insights into saving, spending, and the value of hard work.

Share a simple story about a time when a family member saved up for something important. This could be a story about saving for a vacation, a toy, or even an experience, like a trip to the zoo. Talk about how it felt to reach the goal and why saving was worth the wait.

• What to Do: Keep the story simple, focusing on the excitement of reaching the goal. Explain that saving sometimes means waiting, but the reward is worthwhile.
• Learning Outcome: Children begin to connect the idea of saving with positive, real-life outcomes, building patience and an appreciation for delayed gratification.

If your family has used a piggy bank, tell your child the story of how everyone contributed to it and what it was eventually used for. If possible, show them the piggy bank or a similar one as a tangible reminder.

• What to Do: Describe how each family member added coins and contributed to a shared goal. Use the story to reinforce that saving is a collective effort that can lead to something meaningful.
• Learning Outcome: Children see that saving can be both individual and collective, helping them value teamwork and contribution.

Children love learning from familiar characters, whether from TV, books, or games. Using characters they admire can make financial concepts more engaging and relatable, especially when those characters model behaviors like saving, sharing, or making thoughtful choices.

Choose a favorite character from your child’s TV show, book, or toy collection, and make them the “leader” of a “Super Saver Club.” Let your child join the club by saving coins or making wise spending choices. Each time they make a good choice, they earn a badge or sticker for their Super Saver Club.

• What to Do: Use printouts of the character or stickers to represent the club’s “rewards.” With each saving effort, give your child a small token to recognize their accomplishment as a “super saver.”
• Learning Outcome: Associating saving with a favorite character helps children see the activity as fun, positive, and even heroic, making them more excited to practice saving.

Let your child pretend to be a character who has to make a decision about spending or saving. Use a situation related to that character’s story—like a tea party for a princess character or buying tools for a construction character.

• What to Do: Create a mini role-play game where your child, as the character, has to decide whether to spend on one thing or save for something bigger. Guide them through the decision-making process.
• Learning Outcome: By using imaginative play and familiar characters, children become more comfortable exploring financial choices and seeing the consequences of spending and saving decisions.