Good morning all,

Came across this terrific site – http://www.mysavingsquest.com/ – while browsing the ALA’s list of exceptional websites for children. MySavingsQuest is part of A.G. Edwards’ Nest Egg Knowledge for Kids program, a finanical literacy initiative designed to help students, teachers, parents and communities teach children about the value of money. It’s brilliantly done and incorporates a lot more than just math skills!

Turn up your speakers (audio is required for this simulation!) Voiceover instructions begin from the outset, clearly explaining how to get started. The basic idea is that students choose a job to earn money, set a savings goal, create a budget based on lifestyle (the neatest part of the game in my view), choose a job (copy editor, accountant, detective, archaeologist) and do ACTUAL WORK to earn their pay! Then, they get a check, pay their bills, deal with unexpected expenses like car repairs or a crashed computer, and ultimately see whether or not they have achieved their savings goal after six weeks. Terrific!

Although I’d love to know where I can get my car repaired for $50 or my computer cleaned of viruses for $35 (those are among the “suprise” expenses that appear in the game) but realism isn’t the point here, it’s showing how a paycheck gets used up by fixed and variable expenses, how unexpected things crop up and derail your financial plans, and how the choices we make in terms of consumption ultimately drive the amount of money we put away each month.

This high-quality simulation could easily be used by upper elementary and middle school kids, possibly even high school, (although the older kids might find the experience a little juvenile, the fundamental messages are VERY sound and MOST applicable to older kids closer to working age). The graphics are fast and vibrant, the audio is clear, and the ‘gameplay’ is smooth. Be forwarned: it’s actually hard work doing the “job”! I chose to be a copy editor (naturally) and was presented with six different tasks that, while not academically TOO challenging, did in fact require me to expend mental effort. It’s entirely possible that an elementary student might not finish this activity in a single sitting, especially if they take their time setting up a goal and reading/listening to all the prompts. You can’t save your work, so, it’s a one-shot deal! Best to try it yourself and estimate how your kids might do with it. Better still, have one of them try it! At the very end, graphics are presented showing how expenses stacked up overall. It’s really, really fun!

Teachers can request free, high-quality supplemental teaching materials (like this) simply by visiting this website. Ca-chiiiiing! Free stuff! We all love free stuff, right?

This site is just terrific, a real gem, and it belongs in your toolkit if you’re teaching math or life skills in an elementary, middle or even high school setting.

Hope this helps!

-kj-