6/9/2017
Sarah McCandless
Summer is a great time to have fun with your kids – there are so many activities to choose from! You can enjoy going on family vacations, sight-seeing in your own time, sleeping until noon, and so many other fun activities. But are you taking the time to read with your kids?
According to “Home Room”, the official blog of the US Department of Education, “Summer is an important time for students to keep reading and improve their language skills. If your child hasn’t been reading regularly this summer, they may be in danger of ‘summer slide’ – a decline in their reading ability. Numerous studies indicate that students who don’t read or read infrequently during their summer vacation see their reading abilities stagnate or decline. This effect becomes more pronounced as students get older and advance through the school system.”
Summer is not only a great time to help your kids develop their reading skills, but why not help them improve on their financial literacy skills at the same time? Many of America’s favorite children’s authors have published books on the topic of financial education, and here are a few of our favorites.
Many of us are familiar with the beloved character of Curious George. Perhaps you might remember reading stories in the series by H.A. Rey during your own childhood. In Curious George Saves His Pennies, the monkey has his eyes on a special new toy. In order to save enough money, though, he has to work extra hard and of course he will encounter some obstacles along the way. Here are some more tips on teaching your kids about working to earn money.
You all know the classic story of the Three Little Pigs, but do you know the story of Give, Save, Spend with the Three Little Pigs? This book, written by Clint Greenleaf, gives a modern twist to a classic fairy tale with great lessons on the 3 S’s of responsible money management.
The next book on our list is one of the more difficult ones on our list, but don’t let that stop you from sharing it with your child. Amelia Bedelia Means Business, by Herman Parish, is written in chapter format, so you could easily read one chapter each evening with your student. This way, your child will look forward to finding out what goofy situation Amelia will find herself in next while she’s on her quest to get a new bike.
Do you remember Alexander, who had a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day? Judith Viorst has another book in the same series about Alexander’s money management. In Alexander, Who used to be Rich Last Sunday, Alexander learns that while it’s easier and more fun to spend money rather than save it, that’s not always the best strategy. Want more tips on teaching kids about spending money responsibly? Check out these ideas.
Do you kids seem to think that money grows on trees? That’s exactly what Mama and Papa have noticed lately in both The Berenstain Bears’ Dollars and Sense and The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble with Money. In both stories by Stan and Jan Berenstain, the parents must figure out a way to teach the cubs to make better decisions when it comes to money.
No matter what your child’s reading level is, there are many opportunities to talk with them about personal finance while helping them develop a love of reading. Do you have a favorite book about money that’s not listed above? Please share it with us!