Showing Them the Money

Choclo and Oob and I have spent a lot of time over the past few months playing with money. 

We started out with a large jar of unsorted change, and have progressed to a cash box with bills!

The basic format is this: we each bring random things and place them out for "sale."  The banker gives everyone a random amount of money to start, and then the wheeling and dealing begins.

This is a game that can continue indefinitely because a kid can always go off and find a random object to sell to the store, so they can keep replenishing their funds.

In terms of math skills, this covers counting, skip counting (5s, 10s, 20s, and 25s), adding, subtracting, decimals, and making change.  But it also teaches saving, spending, and valuing money.

If you don't have a pile of cash, there are some great internet games that do similar things here, here,  and (more advanced) here.