When it comes to teaching the next generation how to spend, save, and invest with discipline, remember one thing: the sooner, the better! Here’s a few suggestions to make learning about financial literacy both fun and practical.
Books
There are dozens of books marketed specifically for young children, such as The Money Tree by LaDonna Smith, and Happy Birthday Mali Moore by Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche, that simplify lessons like the difference between a want and a need. There are more advanced titles, too, like The Money Club: A Teenage Guide to Financial Literacy by Jasmine Brown.
Board Games
Think Hasbro’s Monopoly is the only board game that can teach your tween how to handle money? Think again! There’s also Black Wall Street: The Board Game that teaches players about visiting vs. buying businesses, and the Black history of business districts at the same time.
Local Field Trips
Nothing beats real world experience. Visit a local Black business owner with your children and encourage them to ask questions about how operations turn into revenue.
Entertainment/Exposure
Make it a movie night! Expose older children to brilliant professionals and cautionary tales with hit movies like Netflix’s Uncorked, a fictional portrayal of a master wine taster torn between a dream and family traditions, or the Black-girl-magic-filled documentary She Did That.