Here’s a great game for helping children learn about the value of coins. I’ve successfully used this with my daughter in the past (she’s now nearly 11), and now with my 6yr old son.
I wrote out the instructions on an index card and saved it and all the coins mentioned in the instructions in a zipper bag with one die.
Here’s the game:
To play this game with 2-3 players, start out with 10 dimes, 6 nickels, and 15 pennies. The first player will roll the die and what ever number comes up from 1-6 they will take that many coins. If they roll a six they can take six pennies, but then they have to exchange 5 pennies for a nickel. After a few times of having to exchange them they’ll learn to pick a nickel and one penny. The next player will do the same and take the allotted amount. On the players next turn they take the allotted coins, but if they end up with five pennies they exchange them for a nickel and if they have two nickels they have to exchange them for one dime. When all the dimes are gone the game is over and all players count out their change. The person with the highest number wins. For the next level of learning money combinations add 10 quarters and then the next level you can add dollar bills.
Here’s a pic of the coins you need:
I usually only use nickels and pennies until I’m sure they get the concept of those 2 coins, then I add dimes, and do not add quarters until the dimes and nickels have been mastered. For such a simple game, both my kids have always enjoyed it!
And here’s a video of my son and I playing the game:
