Library Support Materials: Program Kit Contents

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Table of Contents:

  1. Games for In-Person Programming

2. Digital Games on Playaway Launchpads

Games for In-Person Programming

For in-person programming, libraries will receive five custom-made games exploring various financial education topics. The games will come packaged in a wheeled plastic container (approximately 32”x24”x21” and 50 lbs.)

currency conga

Currency Conga

At the flick of a spinner, players vie for space on a vinyl mat as they attempt to touch the correct coins and bills — and improve their currency recognition and money math skills in the process. There are two ways to play depending on the age and skill level of your group. For a younger crowd, explore real coins (included) and discuss what they are worth, then spin the Identifying Currency spinner to test their skills. Use the customizable Money Math spinner to challenge teams of older kids with addition, multiplication, and percents. Two vinyl mats are included to accommodate two teams at once.

Learning Goals

  • Recognize currency
  • Gain proficiency in basic money math

Recommended Age

  • Ages 3–12. The game includes movement, addition, and subtraction, but no reading. Players will need to differentiate right from left. This is a collaborative activity, so older players can help younger ones.

Suggested Variations on Gameplay

  • Players unable to physically arrange themselves on the mat may toss or place beanbags on the coins and bills to denote their choices. This is also an alternative for groups prone to rough play or for facilitators who prefer a less physical version of gameplay.
  • If you wish, you may play without penalizing players for wrong answers. Rather than players being “out” when they answer incorrectly or touch down on the mat, continue spinning and judging players’ placements for as many rounds as you would like.

Downloads

Piggy bank theater

Piggy Bank Theater

In this twist on the classic storytime, audience members learn how three young characters — Kenji, Grace, and Emma — build their childhood interests into successful careers, making financial choices along the way. During the story, audience members are encouraged to respond whenever a character earns, spends, or saves money by raising a paddle (for earning and spending) or by cueing the facilitator to put a toy coin in the piggy bank (for saving).

Learning Goals

  • Use the words “earn,” “spend,” and “save”
  • Understand what it means to earn, spend, and save
  • Follow stories about characters preparing to start their careers
  • Understand the importance of achieving a balance among earning, spending, and saving

Recommended Age

  • Ages 3–8. Ideally, participants would be pre-readers or early readers with some language skills. This program works well for “lap kids” and their grownups.

Suggested Variations on Gameplay

  • Kids can color and/or craft their own paddles. Visit the Thinking Money for Kids website for printable “earn” and “spend” designs; paste them onto paper plates with popsicle-stick handles for DIY paddles.
  • Host a live-action play starring older kids as the actors. Visit the website for a script version of the story and background images that can be projected on a wall or screen.
  • Kids can design their own piggy banks. Simple designs are available for purchase online

Downloads

making moo-lah

Making Mooo-lah

Welcome to the farm! In this collaborative simulation, players work together to see if they can run a financially successful farm. Players take turns rolling the die and moving their bodies through a life-size game board. Depending on where they land, they might buy something for the farm, sell their crops at the farmers’ market, pay taxes, or face an unexpected event. Starting with $200 in their bank account, can the team turn a profit in 12 months?

Learning Goals

  • Differentiate needs vs. wants
  • Understand risk and risk management
  • Work together to manage income and expenses
  • Understand profit and loss

Recommended Age

  • Ages 5–12. The game includes movement, addition/subtraction, and collaboration.

Downloads

Penny pinchers party

Penny Pinchers’ Party

Kids become party planners, creating Planning Boards for their clients while staying on budget. With a budget of $100, the players take turns selecting items from a party warehouse managed by the program facilitator. After five turns, players share their plans with the group and explain their choices. The facilitator, or the group as a whole, may opt to select a Party Champion — the participant who plans the most entertaining or creative party while keeping expenses within budget

Learning Goals

  • Understand what a budget is and how it is useful
  • Understand basic business relationships (customer/provider)
  • Understand that value can differ from cost (i.e., that fun does not necessarily mean expensive, or vice versa)

Recommended Age

  • Ages 5–12. The game includes addition and subtraction, but no reading.

Suggested Variations on Gameplay

  • Kids can color their own Party Pieces. Visit the Thinking Money for Kids website for printable sheets of Party Pieces.
  • Kids can brainstorm their own party themes.
  • Replace the Party Pieces with items from kids’ imaginations or with actual items collected from around the library. Start the game by assigning a price to each item.
  • Using the above program variations, use the winning program as the basis for an actual children’s program (e.g., plan a craft party for $25 and then host it in real life).

Downloads

pet cents

Pet Cents

Players adopt a pet — and take on the financial responsibilities of pet ownership — as they visit various stations around the room. At each stop, players engage in financial transactions with an assistant/cashier (i.e., an adult or older kid), spending and receiving money until the timer runs out. Along the way, they are faced with unexpected events that could result in a financial windfall or expense. All transactions are tracked on the player’s Pet Card. The goal of the game is to meet a pet’s needs while retaining as much money as possible

Learning Goals

  • Understand what a budget is and how it is useful
  • Think about what it means to be financially responsible
  • Identify essential expenses (food, housing, healthcare)
  • Cope with unexpected financial needs

Recommended Age

  • Ages 8–11. The game includes basic reading, writing, addition, and subtraction.

Suggested Variations on Gameplay

  • Partner with a local animal shelter to meet real adoptable pets and discuss the financial responsibilities that come with pet ownership.
  • Partner with a therapy dog organization to plan a complementary program in which children can read to therapy dogs to build literacy skills.
  • Invite kids to write a story featuring their Pet Cents pet.

Downloads

Playaway Launchpads (for circulation)

To continue the learning in children’s homes, libraries will receive a set of six custom-made Playaway Launchpad Kids tablets, pre-loaded with digital content aligned with the in-person programs.

Launchpads have a simple, easy-to-use interface, and they are “designed to be passed from one set of hands to the next.” Launchpads do not require downloading, updates or Wi-Fi to use. Each tablet will come packaged in a plastic outer case and will include an AC power adapter.

The six Launchpad tablets should be made available for families to check out and use at home. Please track the number of patrons that have checked out the Launchpads as you will be asked to report circulation numbers as part of the final report.

Each Launchpad will come pre-loaded with five digital games. All games are bilingual (English/Spanish), with the language controlled by a toggle switch in each game. Games include:

Warranty/Replacement Policy

Your six Thinking Money for Kids Launchpads are covered under Playaway Products’ standard one-year warranty and a low-cost replacement policy. If a Launchpad is defective or malfunctions within one year of delivery to your library, you will be eligible for repair or replacement at no cost. After the one-year mark, the Launchpads continue to be covered by Playaway Products’ low-cost replacement policy, which allows you to purchase a replacement Launchpad device, also loaded with the Thinking Money for Kids games, at a discounted price ($74.99 as of July 2024). Note that missing or stolen Launchpads are not eligible for a low-cost replacement. To file a claim under the one-year warranty or to purchase a low-cost replacement, contact the company’s customer service team at cx@playaway.com or 877-893-0808 ext 0.

Eligible libraries may purchase additional copies of the Thinking Money for Kids Launchpad. Call 877-893-0808 or email cx@playaway.com to learn more.

MARC Files

Here is a Google Drive link to the MARC files for the Launchpads. If you experience difficulties downloading the file, please reach out to publicprograms@ala.org, and we can connect you with Playaway to receive the files directly to your email address.

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