 Kids are handling money younger than ever—just not always in cash. Nearly half of American tweens have smartphones, giving them access to marketplaces, subscriptions, and purchases at the tap of a screen. Whether it’s a $100 App Store mishap or using Uber to get home from practice, they’re navigating real financial decisions without always understanding how money works. Digital money can feel abstract, but financial literacy doesn’t have to. Middle schoolers are more than ready to learn—especially when it’s framed in a way that’s concrete, relevant, and empowering. In this post, I’ll share 5 practical, classroom-ready ways to teach financial literacy that actually stick. As an author, I’ve seen how storytelling and hands-on activities can help kids build confidence with money before they ever enter high school. Use Storytelling to Teach Real-World ConceptsAs the author of a middle-grade entrepreneurship series, it might come as no surprise that I’m a big believer in narrative-based learning. And for good reason: research published in Teaching of Psychology found that storytelling significantly improves students’ retention and understanding of course material. Most of us can remember a time when Jenny had five apples and gave three to Lisa. Stories stay with us. They bring abstract ideas to life—whether in math, English, or financial literacy. One of the funniest and most effective books for teaching money concepts is Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen, which follows a 12-year-old who receives a lawn mower for his birthday and finds himself on an unexpected business adventure. You could also check out The Self-Starter Series, which I wrote to help make entrepreneurship relatable for kids. Each chapter focuses on a key business principle as the main character builds a company from the ground up. At the end of each chapter, you’ll find a multiple-choice quiz, discussion prompts, and a hands-on classroom activity to help reinforce the material. One of my favorites is the Build Your Brand worksheet in Chapter 3 of Pawing for Profits, where students create a business identity from scratch.  Turn Math into MoneyMath doesn’t always click for students until it involves real dollars. When kids see a dollar sign in a word problem, suddenly it’s not just numbers on a page—it’s their allowance, their birthday money, their dream business. That’s the sweet spot for teaching financial literacy. For younger students, budgeting games are a great place to start. Give them $20 in pretend money and let them plan a school lunch menu, a party, or a shopping list. They’ll get real-time practice in making tradeoffs and thinking critically about needs vs. wants. For older students, introduce the idea of profit margins. Ask: If it costs you $5 to make a bracelet and you sell it for $8, how much are you really making? Then introduce the concept of percentages and show them how business owners track profits. There are plenty of printable worksheets online, but the key is making the numbers mean something. Junior Achievement is a great starting point—they offer free lesson plans and simulations, and their programs are used in classrooms across the country.  Create a Classroom Business or SimulationOne of the most fun ways to teach financial literacy is by letting students try it for themselves. Shark Tank-style projects are a great way to do this. Students come up with business ideas, work in teams, and pitch their plans to the class. It can be as simple as a one-day activity or something bigger, with several lessons leading up to a full presentation. If your students get really into it, there are even national competitions where they can submit their pitches. But even without that, these kinds of projects help students learn how to plan, think creatively, and understand the money side of running something. In The Net Effect—the second book in The Self-Starter Series—students follow a kid who starts a budget-friendly soccer camp. As they read, they build their own business ideas and walk through steps like estimating costs, figuring out how to spread the word, and learning how to solve problems when things go wrong.  Incorporate GamificationIt’s no secret that kids love games. And it’s just as true that teachers love using them to introduce new material—financial literacy is no exception. Games get kids moving, thinking, and interacting with each other. That energy can make all the difference when you’re teaching something that might otherwise feel abstract or “too grown-up.” The key is making money concepts feel like a challenge to solve, not a chore. A few great tools to try:
Even low-tech games work. You can turn Monopoly into a budgeting exercise or use dice games to simulate risk and reward. The format doesn’t matter as much as the mindset: learning through doing. One thing I’ve found especially helpful is adding a short debrief at the end. After the game, ask students to share what they noticed or learned. What surprised them? What decisions were hard? That reflection helps cement the ideas so they walk away with more than just the memory of winning or losing. They remember the concepts behind the game—and that’s where the real value is.  Connect Money to Students’ LivesOne of the most effective ways to teach financial literacy is by making it personal and relevant. You don’t need a special game or a textbook to get started. Simply begin by asking students to look at their own habits and choices. For example, have them track their spending for a week, even if it’s just a few dollars here and there. Then, have them reflect on which purchases were needs and which were wants. This leads naturally into a conversation about opportunity cost and the trade-offs we all make with money. A fun extension is to ask, “What would you do with $100?” Their answers might surprise you and can spark great discussion. From there, help them map out a plan to actually earn or save that amount. Whether it’s doing chores, selling something they no longer use, or cutting back on impulse buys, it gets them thinking about money in a practical and empowering way. Why It Matters More Than EverAs technology advances and banks continue sending credit card offers to teenagers, the need for financial literacy in middle school isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Kids are already making money decisions, even if it’s through a screen instead of a wallet. The earlier they build a thoughtful, informed relationship with money, the better prepared they’ll be for the real world. Whether you start with a game, a story, or a simple class discussion, financial literacy doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. Try one of the five strategies above and see what sparks conversation in your classroom. If you’re looking for a ready-to-use resource, The Self-Starter Series blends storytelling with hands-on activities that help these lessons stick without adding to your prep time. ReferencesButler, L. H., & Pentz, M. (2021). Storytelling as a pedagogical tool: Effects on retention in a college classroom. Teaching of Psychology, 48(2), 136–141. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/stl0000152 Common Sense Media. (2023). The Common Sense Census: Media Use by Tweens and Teens, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/2023-cs-smartphone-research-report_final-for-web.pdf  Case Resor is a writer, entrepreneur, and the creator of the Self-Starter Series. He grew up between Wyoming and Oregon, splitting time between parents who were both educators and business owners. Case also runs a multi-state transportation company. With the Self-Starter Series, he combines story driven writing with project-based learning, giving teachers flexible tools to teach entrepreneurship in a way that is fun, relatable, and built for the classroom.   What’s one money lesson you wish you had learned in middle school? Which of these five strategies would be easiest to try in your home or classroom this week? How do you approach the topic of digital spending with students? If your class created a business simulation, what would be their dream product or service? Please leave your comments below. Your feedback is always appreciated. 
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