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Teaching Financial Literacy to Your Toddler: Fun Activities to Try at Home

Have you ever taken your little one to the store and heard, "I want this!" or "Can I have that?"

By introducing financial literacy at a young age, your child can develop valuable skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. Learning about money can help them become responsible, independent, and disciplined. It can also enable them to make better financial choices when they grow up. Additionally, it can increase their confidence, improve their communication skills, and enhance their chances of achieving their financial goals.

One easy activity that you can do is playing store. Use play money and household items to set up a pretend store. Let your child be the cashier and practice counting and making change. Talk about buying and selling and encourage wise decisions. This activity can help children learn about the value of money and how to manage it effectively. 

Another fun activity is creating a savings jar. Decorate a jar with your child and encourage them to save spare change. Discuss how saving money can help them achieve their goals and teach them the importance of delayed gratification. This simple activity can help your child develop good financial habits and instill the value of saving at an early age. 

You can also find money-themed books at your local library. Look for educational books about money, like “Curious George Saves His Pennies” or “Bunny Money.” Reading them together with your family can make for a fun learning experience.

Lastly, take advantage of community resources like the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County (ELCHC). The ELCHC provides free prekindergarten education to eligible children in Florida through the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) program. This program prepares children for success in kindergarten and beyond by teaching literacy, numeracy, and social and emotional skills. Enrolling your child in this program can give them a head start in life and help them build a strong foundation for their future.

Learn more about VPK
Father and son putting coins into piggy bank at home, family money savings concept. Dad teaching son on savings & financial planning, Little 5 years old kid saving money for future concept

Blog written by: Kiyana Scott
Manager, Marketing & Resource Development at Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County

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ELCHC lobby and phones are closed from 12 – 5 PM the third Friday of every month for staff professional development.

Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) services provided by the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County are available to all families residing within Hillsborough County. We are committed to ensuring that every family has access to resources, information, and support to find high-quality child care options that meet their specific needs.

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Continuing Education Units (CEUs) may be awarded for all learning events three hours or longer in duration. Learning events less than three hours will be awarded in-service hours upon completion. CEUs will be awarded upon successful completion of the learning event. To successfully complete the learning event, learners must arrive on time, attend all required sessions, be an active participant and complete all related assignments and/or surveys as defined by the trainer/instructor. Online training must have an engagement score of 75% or more. For all online training – CAMERAS MUST BE ON – NO EXCEPTIONS. Participant’s names for online training must match the name provided at registration.  Any required assignments or surveys will be outlined in the Training Description on our online platform. Learners are encouraged to contact trainers/ instructors with any questions and/or clarification needed regarding the successful completion of assignments or surveys. In-service hours will be awarded in place of CEUs if the learner does not meet the requirements of successful completion as defined by the instructor/trainer.
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