Every Job Solves a Problem

What your kid learns

• A job solves a problem

  A job is work someone needs done. They pay you to do it. Every honest job matters. Caring for family and helping out matter, too.

• Goods and services

  Goods are things you can hold, like bread. Services are things someone does for you, like a haircut.

• Who pays?

  Some people work for an employer and get a paycheck. Others run their own business. Their customers pay them.

The story: The Case of the Mystery Helpers

On a city street, Marcus and Mei follow clues to the farmer, driver and seller who bring bread to town.

1. Helper: A mystery, detectives! Who helped bring this bread to town?
2. Marcus: Clue one: a farmer grew the wheat.
3. Mei: Clue two: a driver brought it to the store.
4. Seller: And I sell it. People need food, so I help.
5. Marcus: Each helper solved a problem. So each one gets paid!
6. Mei: Bread is goods: a thing you can hold. Selling it is a job.
7. Helper: Case closed! Help solve a problem, get paid.

The game: Case of the Mystery Helper

Read each clue. Tap the job that solves the problem.

Games use pretend money and work with taps or a keyboard. Nothing is timed.

New words

income

money you get, like pay for work

goods

things you can hold, like bread

services

things someone does for you, like a haircut

employer

a person or business that pays workers

Questions at the end

• Which one is a service?
• Leo runs a lemonade stand. Who pays Leo?
• Why do people pay for work?

Remember this

Help solve a problem, get paid.

Talk about it

Tell your kid what problem your work solves. Paid work, caregiving and volunteering all count.

Try it at home: Interview a worker

1. Ask a grown-up about work they do or did.
2. Ask: what problem does that work solve?
3. Family, a neighbor or a coach all count.

This whole mission is free. No account or app needed.

School standards

• National Standards for Personal Financial Education: Earning Income