A lesson on a screen is one thing. A nine year old working out that a box of cereal costs two jobs, standing in the aisle, is another.
These two missions take about ten minutes each, in a shop or at home, with you beside your child. Nothing is bought. The child says the answer out loud, and you hear it.
How to use them: print a card or read it from your phone, do the mission on your next shop trip, and ask the one question at the end.
Both are written for ages 5 to 8. Older children can do them too, just faster.
Sprout, ages 5 to 8 · Earning and value · In a shop · about 10 minutes
The Job Price Tag
Shops put prices in pounds. Your money comes in jobs.
Every price can be turned into a number of jobs.
Pick one thing you like. Work out how many of your jobs it costs. Then tell a parent or carer the number.
Steps
Pick one thing you like.
Find its price.
Ask: how much do I get for one job?
Count how many jobs make that price. Near enough is fine.
Say the number out loud.
What to look for
The price label, not the shelf edge offer.
Whether the number surprised you.
No trip? No problem
Use a toy or game you already own and the price on the box or in a catalogue.
Stay with your grown-up. You are only looking, not buying.
Done? In Morechard a parent or carer taps Confirm and the badge is earned.
Sprout, ages 5 to 8 · Spending and choices · In a shop · about 10 minutes
Needs Row, Wants Row
A basket is full of needs and wants mixed together.
A need is a thing that stops something working if it is missing.
On the next shop, sort six things in the basket into two rows in your head. Tell a parent or carer which row each one went in.
Steps
Pick six things in the basket or bag.
For each, ask: does something stop working without this?
Needs row or wants row.
Say the two rows out loud.
Ask the grown-up if they agree with one of them.
What to look for
A want that felt like a need.
A need that was boring.
No trip? No problem
The kitchen cupboard works just as well.
Looking only. You are not asking for anything to go back.
Done? In Morechard a parent or carer taps Confirm and the badge is earned.
In the app, the missions come with the lessons
In Morechard the Learning Lab opens lessons from what your child actually earns, saves and spends, and most lessons come with a mission like these,
for every age from 5 to 17: receipts against the till, the per-100g price, a pay-later offer's real cost, a month's rent in hours at minimum wage.
When the mission is done, your child taps Done, you tap Confirm, and the badge is earned. Never money, and nothing the child found is typed into the app.
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