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Money Detectives: money lessons for ages 8–10 (grades 3–5)

Crack money cases with clues · Ages 8–10 (grades 3–5)

18 lessons · about 15 min each · free

For kids in grades 3 to 5. Each lesson is a money case to crack with clues: a short story, a game and a few questions, with read-aloud on every screen.

Play with your kid

What kids learn

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

Unit 1 · Foundations

Detective Training: recap of Coin Crew

  1. Count It, Pay It, Check Your Change

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: count up from the price to check your change. With a pretend register game and three quick questions.

  2. The Detective's Toolkit: Needs, Wants and Jars

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: before money moves, ask “Need or want?” and “Which jar?” With a sorting game and three questions.

+2 more lessons coming

Unit 2 · Earn

Earn: Where Money Comes From

  1. Every Job Solves a Problem

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: people get paid because their work solves a problem for someone. With a job clue game and three questions.

+5 more lessons coming

Unit 3 · Spend

Spend: Clues at the Store

  1. The Mystery of the Extra Cents

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: the price tag isn’t always the total. Find the sales tax, the total and a mistake on pretend receipts.

+6 more lessons coming

Unit 4 · Spend

Spend: Make a Plan

  1. Every Choice Has a Cost

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: every choice means giving something up. Meet opportunity cost in a choose-your-path Saturday game.

  2. The Budget Map

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: a budget is a plan for money, made before you spend. Plan a pretend class party, then change the plan.

+3 more lessons coming

Unit 5 · Save

Save: Goals and Keep-Safe Money

  1. Goal Getters

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: a goal plus a steady way to add money makes a plan. Work out the weeks to a pretend bike.

  2. My Money Rule

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: decide your split before money arrives, so saving happens first. Make a rule and split pretend money.

  3. Keep-Safe Money: Plan for Surprises

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: keep some money saved for surprises, so one problem doesn’t wipe out your goals. With a surprise card game.

  4. Bank Vault Tour

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: a bank or credit union keeps money safe and counted, and lends some out. Read a pretend statement.

+1 more lesson coming

Unit 6 · Grow

Grow: Watch Money Grow

  1. Money Magic? The Bank Pays You

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: interest is money a bank pays you for keeping your savings there. Watch pretend savings grow, year by year.

  2. Snowball Money

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: with compound interest, your interest earns interest too, so savings grow like a rolling snowball.

+1 more lesson coming

Unit 8 · Spend

Money You Can't See

  1. Invisible Money

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: cards, phones and online buys use real money, even when you never see cash. Follow a pretend card tap.

+2 more lessons coming

Unit 9 · Spend

Games, Apps and Online Buys

  1. Game Coins Are Real Money

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: game coins and gift cards stand for real dollars. Translate pretend gem prices into dollars before you spend.

+3 more lessons coming

Unit 10 · Borrow

Borrow

  1. The Price of Borrowing

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: interest is the price of borrowing, so borrowed things cost more than the tag. Compare borrowing with saving first.

+3 more lessons coming

Unit 11 · Protect

Protect

  1. Scam Spotters

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: if a message seems too good to be true or rushes you, stop and tell a grown-up. Spot the scam clues.

  2. The Gift With a Catch

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: if someone you only know online offers a gift or asks for a code, treat it as a trick and tell a grown-up.

+5 more lessons coming

Unit 12 · Give

Our Community

  1. The Case of the Missing Paycheck

    A Money Detectives case for ages 8 to 10: part of what people earn goes to taxes, which pay for things we all share. Sort what taxes help pay for.

+5 more lessons coming

See what’s coming(2 units)
  • Unit 7 · Money & Me3 lessons
  • Unit 13 · Grow II: Money Over Time3 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.