This game was designed for a group setting for all ages. I think that some pretty young children can be introduced to the idea of money management with this game. To start seeds of a fruitful finance, you need to start earlier than later. This is also great to help them understand that the bible can be a resource for managing life, not just hearing stories as it often seems for many young children.
Have them all in a circle. Assign one person to be “sick” and unable to participate in physical activities. Tell the kids you will be their boss and you will pay them a “dollar” (fake money) for each 30 seconds of work.
Have them do the following (or other physically active “jobs”) and pay them one fake dollar after each task is done (no work no payment: Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth).
· 30 seconds of jumping jacks
· 30 seconds of running in place
· 30 seconds of standing on one leg (give them a breather)
· 30 seconds of hopping
· 30 seconds of arm circles
· 30 seconds of lunges
· 30 seconds of squats
· 30 seconds push ups (on floor, on wall, use knees – whatever they can do)
· 30 seconds marching
· 30 seconds walking around the room
At the end they should end up with $10.
Ask the following questions:
Do you all feel you worked for your money?
Do you feel anyone helped you earn your money?
What about God?
Who created you?
Who gave you the arms, legs and body to do the required jobs?
Who allowed you to be healthy enough to do the work? (Perhaps point out the “sick” child who couldn't earn money).
So did we earn our money all by ourself?
Lay out a Bible. Read and explain verses about tithing (try to refrain from too many wordy scripture - or summarize)
Suggestion:
Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting...
God doesn't only want us to give part of the money back to further his kingdom, he wants it to remind us where to put our treasure and what should be important in our hearts.
Refer to: 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 2For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Have the children take $1 to put on top of the Bible as a symbol of giving to God (usually this would be the offering plate). Explain that this is 1/10 or 10% of what they have. It leaves them with plenty still. Also, it may not seem like they gave very much and of course they can give more but it all adds up when everyone gives.
Now, what about the sick child? Is it fair they couldn't perform the required duties? God provides for them too but often through us.
Refer to:
Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Proverbs 22:9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
Again, I feel that God asks us to do this because it will build us to be good Christians with great character but we can also be blessed spiritually just by helping others. He designed us this way.
Ask them to give a dollar to the “sick child”.
Remind them that just as when they gave to God, they still have quite a bit left, a little ads up quite a bit. Have sick child also tithe (try to even out money- perhaps say because the child has been sick they have fallen behind on their tithing and bills and make it where everyone has $8 left).
Now, the third thing we are supposed to do with our money is save it (bring out the piggy bank) Most people try to save whatever is left, but that rarely works well. Usually, there is little or nothing left so we need to put some away first before we go shopping, etc. if it's already tucked away we will have to find a way to wait or make do without that money. We never know if we might become sick too or if we have a really big expense like our car broke down and needs to be repaired so we can even get to work. We are to save and be prepared for those things as well.
Refer to (you may need to better explain these particularly):
Proverbs 21:20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
Have each child place a dollar in the piggy bank. Ask them to pretend that instead of this being dollars from all different people, pretend that each dollar is a dollar being added each month. It may start small, but it very soon starts to grow and grow which hopefully will grow enough to cover you when you really need it (not just when you want something).
Now point out that everyone still has $7 left and that is enough to take care of their bills. Have them pay $4 for bills (give examples of bills but explain they usually cost much more than a few dollars).
With the $3 fun spending money, let them “purchase” a prize from a prize bin/shop.
Have them all in a circle. Assign one person to be “sick” and unable to participate in physical activities. Tell the kids you will be their boss and you will pay them a “dollar” (fake money) for each 30 seconds of work.
Have them do the following (or other physically active “jobs”) and pay them one fake dollar after each task is done (no work no payment: Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth).
· 30 seconds of jumping jacks
· 30 seconds of running in place
· 30 seconds of standing on one leg (give them a breather)
· 30 seconds of hopping
· 30 seconds of arm circles
· 30 seconds of lunges
· 30 seconds of squats
· 30 seconds push ups (on floor, on wall, use knees – whatever they can do)
· 30 seconds marching
· 30 seconds walking around the room
At the end they should end up with $10.
Ask the following questions:
Do you all feel you worked for your money?
Do you feel anyone helped you earn your money?
What about God?
Who created you?
Who gave you the arms, legs and body to do the required jobs?
Who allowed you to be healthy enough to do the work? (Perhaps point out the “sick” child who couldn't earn money).
So did we earn our money all by ourself?
Lay out a Bible. Read and explain verses about tithing (try to refrain from too many wordy scripture - or summarize)
Suggestion:
Proverbs 3:9-10 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting...
God doesn't only want us to give part of the money back to further his kingdom, he wants it to remind us where to put our treasure and what should be important in our hearts.
Refer to: 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 2For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Have the children take $1 to put on top of the Bible as a symbol of giving to God (usually this would be the offering plate). Explain that this is 1/10 or 10% of what they have. It leaves them with plenty still. Also, it may not seem like they gave very much and of course they can give more but it all adds up when everyone gives.
Now, what about the sick child? Is it fair they couldn't perform the required duties? God provides for them too but often through us.
Refer to:
Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Proverbs 22:9 The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.
Again, I feel that God asks us to do this because it will build us to be good Christians with great character but we can also be blessed spiritually just by helping others. He designed us this way.
Ask them to give a dollar to the “sick child”.
Remind them that just as when they gave to God, they still have quite a bit left, a little ads up quite a bit. Have sick child also tithe (try to even out money- perhaps say because the child has been sick they have fallen behind on their tithing and bills and make it where everyone has $8 left).
Now, the third thing we are supposed to do with our money is save it (bring out the piggy bank) Most people try to save whatever is left, but that rarely works well. Usually, there is little or nothing left so we need to put some away first before we go shopping, etc. if it's already tucked away we will have to find a way to wait or make do without that money. We never know if we might become sick too or if we have a really big expense like our car broke down and needs to be repaired so we can even get to work. We are to save and be prepared for those things as well.
Refer to (you may need to better explain these particularly):
Proverbs 21:20 The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.
Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.
Have each child place a dollar in the piggy bank. Ask them to pretend that instead of this being dollars from all different people, pretend that each dollar is a dollar being added each month. It may start small, but it very soon starts to grow and grow which hopefully will grow enough to cover you when you really need it (not just when you want something).
Now point out that everyone still has $7 left and that is enough to take care of their bills. Have them pay $4 for bills (give examples of bills but explain they usually cost much more than a few dollars).
With the $3 fun spending money, let them “purchase” a prize from a prize bin/shop.