The Internet has many websites about economics for kids, developed for teachers (and parents) who are looking to explain money and concepts of economy to their kids. The economy is constantly on the news and many kids are trying to understand it. So let’s take a look at some of the online resources that are available to help explain economics. These quality websites for educators are all free, interesting, and offer a good deal of informative content.
Top 14 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Money
It’s never too early to lay down some solid economic foundations. This web page provides helpful tips to teach younger kids about the value of money and investing. This is a good starting point to introduce the basics of economics. The advice in this article is very practical and can be utilized in everyday situations. This page also offers some advice on how to talk with teens about credit, taxes, and investment.
EconKids
EconKids, developed by Rutgers University’s Project on Economics and Children, offers educators ideas for utilizing children's literature to introduce economics to younger kids in elementary school. Website features include a database of books which can be used in basic economic lessons and downloadable research papers which focus on teaching strategies, assessment tools in economics education, and how children learn economics. EconKids also provides links to all the states’ content standards in economics.
Center for Economic Education
This website was developed by James Madison University’s Center for Economic Education, which is dedicated to promoting economic literacy through teacher training and consultation. The site provides links to economic based lesson plans created for students in elementary school, middle school, and high school.
The Council for Economic Education
The Council for Economic Education is another organization committed to furthering economic and financial literacy. They are recognized and supported by the U.S. Department of Education. The Council’s quality website includes Virtual Economics, which provides over 700 lesson plans for grades from K to 12. It also features an online personal finance game for middle school and high school students.
Helping Kids Understand the Financial Crisis
This special collection of articles from Scholastic News was designed for teachers looking for age appropriate material to help their students understand the current news about our economy, stock market, and the financial crisis. Highlights include a glossary of economic terms for kids, a slideshow about the great depression, and a page called How to Talk to Your Kids about the Economy.