I have found over the years as a parent, our kids have to much stuff. When they get more stuff a lot of it just sits in the corner and they do not use it. When it comes to holidays or birthdays everyone wants to get kids gifts and believe that is the only thing they will enjoy. I was bad for that as well for many years. But now that my son is 7 and he even asks for money I have changed my tune.
Now I will still say just giving money is boring right? So I think it is still important to try to be as creative as possible to give money as a gift. The concept of giving money has allowed my kids to really understand the concept of how quickly money disappears when they want to go to a arcade or have Roblox cash added to account.
Still not sure you believe people rather have money over a gift they may or may not use? A study showed that 58% of people said they prefer getting cash to a physical gift. Now of course that is looking at adults, but I do believe the same rules apply to them. Now I know my kids wont be flying off to an exotic island or purchasing a home any time soon, but they can still learn about money and making small transactions by having some cash of their own.
And just because you’re doling out dough for your gift doesn’t mean it has to come packaged in a boring white envelope. There are many fun ways to give cash as a gift that even children will enjoy.
Add Up The Money
Giving kids cash can be an educational opportunity in more ways than one. On one hand, putting your child in charge of their own money can help them learn about responsibility with managing money, and can also be a primer on how to make transactions as an adult. But more than that: the act of gift-giving itself can be educational! Using math cards, like this printable set, can teach your child how to do the math and figure out just how much they’re receiving.
Scavenger Hunt for Money
I have done a number of different scavenger hunts over the years with my kids. We have done it at easter finding eggs filled with coins and dollars. You can add a little activity to your gift by hiding increments of cash in small containers and hiding them throughout your home.
If you have a Minecraft fan head on over to the post I wrote that shares every details of a Scavenger Hunt I did for my sons 6th Birthday. It was filled with educational activities, money prizes and much more. Minecraft themed scavenger hunt free printable
Fortune Cookies
Fortune cookies are a fun trinket that is also aesthetically pleasing. And though these won’t be edible, you can still share some good fortune with your child by holding up some cash and putting it inside a fun origami cookie. You can find printable instructions for making your own origami fortune cookies here.
Money Puzzles
If you are not that creative but your kids love puzzles there are a lot of different options online right on Amazon you can get a puzzle for them to solve and get to the money in the middle of puzzle.
Here are a few examples
My Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, there’s no need to spend hours searching for the perfect gift. Children are easily excitable, and will be just as excited about receiving cash as they are about any other toy or trinket — especially if it’s cute and fun.
