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Level Up: money lessons for ages 11–13 (grades 6–8)

Money choices with real outcomes · Ages 11–13 (grades 6–8)

20 lessons · about 15 min each · free

For middle schoolers in grades 6 to 8. Lessons use real choices with real outcomes: what a paycheck keeps, what an ad wants and how money grows.

Play with your kid

What kids learn

Open a lesson to see its story, new words and a question to talk about together.

Unit 2 · Earn

Earn

  1. Your First Paycheck: Gross vs Net

    A first-paycheck lesson for ages 11 to 13: why the pay you’re promised (gross) is bigger than the pay you get (net), and what each tax pays for.

  2. Hustle: Price Your Work

    How kids ages 11 to 13 can price a small job like pet sitting: check what others charge, count time and costs, and earn repeat customers.

+9 more lessons coming

Unit 3 · Spend

Spend

  1. The Real Price: Tax, Tips & Fees

    Why the price tag is rarely what you pay: a lesson for ages 11 to 13 on adding sales tax, tips and fees to find the real total.

  2. The Subscription Leak

    How small monthly payments add up: a lesson for ages 11 to 13 on free trials, auto-renew and auditing subscriptions with “use it, love it, or lose it.”

+7 more lessons coming

Unit 4 · Spend

Think for Yourself

  1. Ad Attack

    Ads are built to make you feel something so you buy. Kids 11 to 13 learn three common ad tricks and three questions that take away their power.

  2. Pause Before You Pay

    Impulse buys happen when you’re excited, bored or rushed. Kids 11 to 13 learn to use a waiting period and three questions before they buy.

+5 more lessons coming

Unit 5 · Save

Bank

  1. Banks & Credit Unions: Where Money Lives

    Where money lives: kids 11 to 13 compare banks and credit unions, checking and savings, interest (APY) and deposit insurance.

+2 more lessons coming

Unit 6 · Spend

Digital Money

  1. Debit, Credit or Prepaid?

    Three cards that look alike but use different money: kids 11 to 13 learn debit, credit and prepaid cards, plus overdrafts and interest.

  2. Game Coins: Do the Dollar Math

    In-game coins are bought with real dollars. Kids 11 to 13 learn to turn coins back into dollars, spot the leftover-coin trick and set a game budget.

+6 more lessons coming

Unit 7 · Save

Save

  1. Goals That Stick

    Turn a wish into a goal: kids 11 to 13 learn the three jobs of savings and how a number, a date and a weekly step make goals happen.

  2. Emergency Fund: Keep-Safe Money

    Surprises are certain: kids 11 to 13 learn how an emergency fund (keep-safe money) keeps a bad day from turning into debt.

+2 more lessons coming

Unit 8 · Spend

Plan

  1. Budget Boss

    A budget gives every dollar a job before the month starts. Kids 11 to 13 plan a pretend $60, handle a surprise and meet the 50/30/20 guide.

+3 more lessons coming

Unit 9 · Borrow

Borrow

  1. Credit = Borrowing From Future You

    Borrowing lets you have something now by promising future money. Kids 11 to 13 see the forms of credit, what borrowing costs and when waiting wins.

  2. Credit Cards 101: The Minimum Payment Trap

    Why paying only the minimum on a credit card can mean years of debt. Kids 11 to 13 read a pretend statement and see why paying in full skips interest.

+5 more lessons coming

Unit 10 · Grow

Grow

  1. Compound Interest: The Snowball

    When interest earns interest, money grows faster and faster. Kids 11 to 13 compare simple and compound interest with a pretend snowball.

  2. The Start-Early Race

    Starting early gives money more years to grow. Kids 11 to 13 race two pretend savers and see how time and the rate change who wins.

  3. What's a Stock? Own a Slice

    A share of stock is a tiny slice of a company. Kids 11 to 13 learn how owners can gain or lose, why prices move and why baskets lower risk.

  4. The Risk Ladder

    Bigger possible rewards come with bigger risk. Kids 11 to 13 climb a pretend risk ladder, from insured savings to bonds, stocks and hype bets.

+5 more lessons coming

Unit 11 · Protect

Protect

  1. Scam Spotter 2.0

    Online scams aimed at kids promise free game money, prizes or deals. Kids 11 to 13 learn the four Ps, and how to check, report and tell someone.

  2. Identity Shield

    Your personal info is the key to your identity. Kids 11 to 13 learn what to keep private, why kids are targets and how a credit freeze helps.

+7 more lessons coming

See what’s coming(3 units)
  • Unit 1 · Base Camp4 lessons
  • Unit 12 · Me & My People4 lessons
  • Unit 13 · Level Up Next5 lessons

How kids play

  • Big buttons and pictures, with read-aloud on every screen.
  • No account and no sign-up. Kids never give an email address.
  • Progress lasts until the browser tab closes.
  • “Show a grown-up” at the end opens a code to scan, so you can see the award and save the stickers with Kid Mode.
  • No timers, and every game works with taps or a keyboard. Nothing needs dragging.
Play with your kid

Kids’ privacy

  • No ads, and no analytics or ad tracking on kids’ lessons.
  • Kids never sign up or give an email address.
  • We count lessons started and finished each day, with nothing that identifies who played.
Read the kids’ privacy notice

Kid Mode for families

Kid Mode gives your kid their own jars, goals and lessons on a tablet, with you in charge. It’s for tracking only: no real money moves.

  • Jars and goals for the money you keep for your kid
  • Lessons and a sticker book
  • Screens made for ages 5–7 and 8–12
  • You set it up and stay in charge

Kid Mode is free on every plan.

Set up Kid ModeKids’ privacy notice

Lessons teach how money works. They are not financial advice.