Learning About Money

What Is Money?

Money is special.
We use it to buy things.
We buy food.
We buy books.
We buy toys.
We also use money for things people do for us.
Like haircuts.
Like doctor visits.
Like movies.

Money Can Buy Different Amounts

A dollar can buy some things.
Ten dollars can buy more things.
One hundred dollars can buy even more things.
What would you buy?

The History of Money

Long ago, people did not have coins.
People traded things instead.
This is called bartering.
They traded fish for rabbits.
They traded baskets for blankets.
Each person had to agree the trade was fair.

Bartering could take a long time.
Sometimes people did not want your things.
So people started trading special items.
They used beads.
They used shells.
They used metals and gems.
This made trading easier.

Money used to come in many shapes and sizes.
Gems and metals had to be weighed.
That took time too.

Money Today

Today, everyone uses the same kind of money.
In the United States, we use dollar bills and coins.
Dollar bills are made of paper.
They have pictures of old presidents.
Coins are made of metal.

Banks keep our money safe.
We do not have to carry lots of cash.
People can use cards to get money from the bank.
People can also buy things online.

Coins We Use

Coins come in different sizes.
Coins have different pictures.
Some coins are called pennies.
Some coins are called nickels.
Some coins are called dimes.
Some coins are called quarters.
Each coin has its own value.

Money Around the World

Other countries have money too.
Their bills can be different colors.
Their bills can be different sizes.
Money looks different in different places.

Saving and Spending

We can spend money on things we want now.
We can also save money.
Saving means keeping money for later.
You could save money for something special.

Let's Think About It

What did you learn about money?
What is one thing you would buy?
What is one thing you would save for?