Money Lessons You Can Learn from Children’s Games

April 24th, 2025

6 min read

Valuable Money Lessons Inspired by Children’s Games

Explore valuable money lessons from classic children’s games. Learn how simple playtime activities can teach budgeting, saving, risk management, and smart financial habits for kids and adults alike.

Valuable Money Lessons Inspired by Children’s Games

When you think about learning about money, most people picture textbooks, spreadsheets, or perhaps a financial advisor in a suit. The reality is that some of the most practical lessons about money come from the most unlikely sources — including the games we played when we were young.

Kids' games are meant to be easy and enjoyable, but most of them reflect real-life money scenarios more than we know. Whether it's learning to save, learning about risk, or planning for the long-term, these games can impart timeless lessons that we take into adulthood, often without even knowing it. Here are ten old-fashioned kids' games that contain surprisingly potent financial wisdom.

1. Monopoly – The Power of Investing and Passive Income

This classic board game is effectively an economic simulator. You purchase properties, construct houses and hotels, and charge rents to other players in Monopoly. The objective? To amass fortunes from good investing and passive income.

Lesson: Early and strategic investing can generate a flow of income that increases over time. Monopoly educates you on the value of diversification, cash flow management, and risk understanding — all critical to investing in real life.

2. The Game of Life – Preparing for Life's Large Expenses

From college and career to unexpected costs and retirement, The Game of Life reflects many of the large financial choices adults make. Players observe how early decisions affect long-term results.

Lesson: Save for the future. Budgeting for significant life events such as education, getting married, purchasing a home, or having children can minimise financial anxiety. The game also demonstrates how unexpected occurrences — losing a job, fixing the car — can throw plans off track, highlighting the value of an emergency fund.

3. Lemonade Stand – Understanding Revenue, Costs, and Profit

A childhood classic both in physical and virtual format, Lemonade Stand is one of the earliest business simulations most children encounter. You determine prices, handle supplies, and respond to weather — all while attempting to maximise profit.

Lesson: Business is more than selling stuff — it's learning how the cost, pricing, and state of the market influence your profit. This game is a good teacher of budgeting, stock management, and customer behaviour — essential skills for anyone who dreams of entrepreneurship or just running a side business.

4. Chutes and Ladders – Surviving Financial Booms and Busts

One of the most straightforward children's games, Chutes and Ladders, is a graphic interpretation of life's uncertainty. One minute you're ascending a ladder of success, the next you're slipping back down.

Lesson: Financial life is seldom a linear ascent. There will be ups and downs — a salary increase one year, an unplanned expense the next. This game reminds us to remain tough and prepare for the downturns. Emergency funds and sound financial habits soften the fall when setbacks occur.

5. Simon Says – Practising Financial Discipline

This old favourite game of listening and obedience requires focus and self-discipline. Get it wrong, and you're out.

Lesson: Personal finance is also about discipline. Whether it's staying within budget, resisting impulse buys, or regularly adding to savings, keeping your eyes on the prize — even when temptation is nipping at your heels — is the key to financial security.

6. Candy Land – The Virtue of Patience and Progress

Candy Land is a basic, no-thought game that moves players along a colourful journey towards the end line. It's slow, gradual, and frustrating at times.

Lesson: You don't accumulate wealth overnight. Whether you're saving for retirement, eliminating debt, or accumulating an emergency fund, improvement tends to be gradual. But remaining consistent and patient rewards you in the end.

7. Jenga – Constructing a Secure Financial Base

In Jenga, each block removed makes the tower more unstable. Eventually, the wrong move sends it all crashing down.

Lesson: Your financial health works the same way. Removing key supports, like not saving, taking on too much debt, or living paycheck to paycheck, makes your foundation fragile. Focus on building a strong base with emergency savings, manageable debt, and insurance coverage before making riskier moves.

8. Hide and Seek – Searching for Concealed Costs and Opportunities

A game of observation and awareness, Hide and Seek challenges players to explore and be creative.

Lesson: In the world of finance, what you don’t see can hurt you. Hidden fees in investment accounts, surprise subscription charges, or overlooked credit card interest can drain your money silently. On the flip side, opportunities like cashback rewards, employer-matching retirement plans, or tax deductions are out there — you just have to look for them.

9. Uno – Managing Limited Resources and Strategic Timing

Uno is all about getting through a minimal hand of cards and playing intelligently and in a timely manner. The most important thing is when to hang on to a strong card and when to play it.

Lesson: With limited financial resources, timing is everything. Whether you're planning when to invest, buy a big-ticket item, or pay off debt, careful decision-making and resource planning can make a big difference. Making it isn't about owning the most — it's about making what you have work for you.

10. Red Light, Green Light – Knowing When to Stop or Go

This high-speed game instructs in swift reaction, but only if you get off at the correct moment.

Lesson: Make financial choices with caution. Learn when to go forward — e.g., invest in your education or business venture — and when to stop, re-evaluate, or hold back. Lack of impulse causes financial errors, but timely action propels growth.

Utilise Your Pay Advance App As a Backup Plan

You might be surprised by the knowledge you can get from playing children's games, as they are usually hidden in plain sight. However, as you noticed, you can examine them and discover that some valuable financial lessons can be learned from these seemingly innocent pastimes. Whether it's cultivating patience, realising the potential for risk, or realising the significance of planning, these child's games have a lot of wisdom to offer for anyone wishing to better their financial situation.

Of course, what should be paired with these valuable lessons is the reservation of a fallback in case all else fails with your financial plans. That's why Wagetap, Australia's leading wage advance app, can come in handy. It can provide early access to your pay when you need it — up to $2,000! Download the app on the App Store or Google Play now.