Counting money can be a tricky skill to learn, but fortunately kids love to play with money, so they'reeager to practice. Thesegamesreinforce money counting skills all while kids have fun. Adapt games toaccommodate younger or older children to keep them interested and suit their skill level.

Money Conversion
For this game you'll need two dice, one dollar bill and stacks of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.Children play by rolling the dice and counting out money to equal their roll (one dot equals one penny).They should use the fewest coins possible (so if they roll a six, they should take one nickel and onepenny, not six pennies). As their pile grows, they need to convert their money into the fewest coinspossible. Once they have two nickels, they need to convert that into a dime, and so on. The firstperson to claim the dollar bill wins.

Sock Game
Preface this game with a discussion about the coins themselves. Allow children the opportunity to learnhow each coin feels. Divide students into four teams. Put the same kind and number of coins into four socks. One person from each team reaches into her sock and counts the money just by feeling it. Theplayer then writes the answer on the board. When all four answers are on the board, announce thecorrect answer and give each team a point if its answer was correct. Change the coins in the socksbefore the next person from each team plays.

Shopping Game
This game allows children to practice counting and subtracting money. Game materials are play money(either all coins, all bills or a combination of both depending on students' abilities), containers to use asshopping baskets and several different kinds of items for sale. You should have several of each item.Use plastic produce, erasers or whatever you like. Divide children into buyers and sellers. The sellershave stands set up around the room with the items to sell. Buyers go to the different stands at random,trying to buy as many objects as they can. The teacher periodically rings a bell or says "Stop," thencalls out an item. Buyers must place all of that item in a basket at the front of the room. Make sure kidshave plenty of money so they don't run out before the game is over. Play for a set period of time. Thechild with the most objects at the end wins. Have children switch groups and play again.