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12 youth financial literacy programs
These programs help kids build healthy money habits.
About 66.9% of American adults believe that financial literacy should be a mandatory part of school curriculum, according to a Finder.com study. With a push for more financial literacy education, our financial experts pulled together a list of financial courses with lesson plans, videos, games and quizzes on standby for parents and teachers to use.
Financial literacy programs in the US
| Program name | Best for | Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| EVERFI | Teachers teaching grades 4–12 | Free | 5–7 ready-made lesson plans and games for financial literacy, covering:
|
| Fifth Third Bank Young Bankers Club | Teachers teaching grades 4–6 | Free | This 8-week program teaches kids how to apply financial knowledge with the help of Maximillion Money, a character that guides kids through a financial literacy game. Kids learn:
|
| Hands on Banking for Youth | Parents and teachers of grades 1–12 | Free | Teachers and parents get access to 3–8 lesson plans, worksheets and engaging activities for each grade, teaching:
|
| Jump$tart Clearinghouse | Parents and teachers of kindergarten through adulthood | Free | Search this library to find over 800 resources developed by educators and experts, including quizzes and games. Resources cover everything from:
|
| Money 101 by Step | High schoolers in one of Step’s 100+ participating schools | Free | High schoolers run through 6 lessons online via Step’s app, learning about:
|
| Money Smart for Young People by the FDIC | Parents and teachers of pre-K–12 | Free | Get 6–22 printable lesson plans, handouts and teaching slides per grade, covering everything from:
|
| MoneyTime | Parents and teachers of grades 6–8 | $12.95 per month or $66 per year for one child 25% off to add children | This program provides 30 turnkey lesson plans with quizzes and a money management game that simulates real-life financial choices. Kids learn:
|
| Operation HOPE | Programs designed for all ages for schools or personal development | Free | Virtual learning program led by financial coaches and volunteers. Young adults can attend in-person workshops and 1:1 mentoring. Programs cover:
|
| Schwab Moneywise | Parents and teachers of grades pre-K–12th | Free | Parents and kids explore videos and lessons, while teachers tap curriculums developed by fellow teachers. Kids learn:
|
| School Savings | Parents who volunteer at their kids’ schools | Free | This program, approved by the US Department of Education, helps kids make savings deposits at school through Websaver. It features:
|
| Teach Children to Save Day | Parents or teachers of grades K–8 | Free | Reach out to participating banks to set up a one-time educational event, taught by volunteer banks. Events may cover:
|
| TD Bank WOW!Zone | Teachers of grades K–12 | Free | This program provides up to 10 lesson plans per grade and even TD Bank financial instructors, teaching:
|
Related: Banking for kids
Other financial literacy tools
Lessons and games aside, your child can also learn the ins and outs of managing money through top-notch kids’ debit cards designed to empower them to build healthy spending and saving skills. Some popular cards include:
- BusyKid. This card helps your kids manage chores and automatically save part of their allowance while offering the chance to invest in stocks and give to charity.
- FamZoo. This highly customizable account lets kids set up a budget and track chores and expenses. Parents can also split family bills and start a mock loan with interest that kids have to repay.
- Greenlight. This card is packed with features that help parents limit their kids’ spending per store. It also offers investing for kids, a 2% to 5% savings bonus and cash back on debit card purchases.
- Jassby. Along with allowance and chore tools, Jassby encourages kids’ financial learning by rewarding them with points for completing tasks. Kids can cash out for money at 100 points.
- Step. Not only does Step help kids build credit just by managing their money through the app, but it also lets kids earn cash back in stores and save money using its round-up savings feature.
Dive deeper: Investing for kids: Get started the right way
Are allowances popular?
One popular way to teach kids about money is to give them an allowance, something which most parents (68%) do , giving on average $31 to their kids each week.
Bottom line
Kids can learn a variety of money skills, from counting coins to starting their savings. It’s never too early to teach your kids about money or provide them with the resources and tools to start. The point is to start the conversation so they can grow in financial literacy over time.
More resources on Finder
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