Moneyville is a fun and entertaining online game that gives your child a basic understanding of the value of money and the basic principles behind earning and spending money.

by Rune H. Rasmussen

At an early age most children grow a natural interest in money. They hear their parents and other adults talk about finances and they are exposed to advertisements and other media that deal with money on a daily basis. Children understand that money can buy pretty much whatever you want. But it is difficult for children to understand the real value of money, and where money comes from.

How do you explain to your child that money is not something that grows on trees?

An educational and fun universe
Moneyville.ie is an educational and fun universe for children from 5 to 9 years of age. The many games and activities found in this universe introduce children to information about where money comes from, what money is worth and how to prioritise and save up.

In Moneyville children are given their own personal house and room, and they can develop their own character. Within the universe there is a wide array of areas and games that can be explored, all of which have a specific purpose. In order to make money you can work at the apple booth gathering apples and selling apple juice, at the post office you can make money sorting packages and at the city gate you can earn money by helping to paint. When you have saved up enough money you can purchase items for your house and character at Karen’s shop.

There is also a sanctuary in Moneyville, the Time Machine, where the only objective is to have fun. But the games in the Time Machine aren’t free. All the time you have to consider what to prioritise, buying necessary clothing for your character or having some fun in the Time Machine. In addition, you have to save money in order to be able to buy what you want, and it is far from certain that what you wanted to buy one day is available the next.

When you leave Moneyville.ie, all of the money and things you have bought are automatically saved until the next time you visit.

There is also a family game, which is specially designed for children from 8-9 years of age, where your child can create an imaginary family, design their home, devise forms of transport and decide where they spend their holidays. The choices you make affect how much money is left over for unexpected expenses and other purposes. Thus, your child learns to prioritise and save up so that the family can pay their bills each month.

A good starting point for a discussion
Moneyville provides good opportunities to discuss money with your child. Many of the games have elements that function as dialogue tools or a good starting point for a constructive conversation. A number of subjects are dealt with, the most important being:

• Where does money come from? Money doesn’t grow on trees. It requires an effort to make money, and doing a job is the right way to earn money.
• Prioritising money. One must consider how to use money. Buying one thing might make it impossible to buy another. It is important to make sensible choices.
• The value of money. Some things are expensive, others are cheap. What do you get for your money’s worth? It is important to learn how to differentiate between different products’ value and price.
• Saving up. It isn't possible to get everything at once. Children need to learn how to save money over a period of time in order to be able to buy what they want or need.
  

Visit Moneyville.ie
Kids and Media recommends that parents introduce their children to the Moneyville universe, and help them getting started playing the game. Moneyville is free of charge, and requires no downloading to play.

You can play the game and find more information at http://moneyville.ie/

Source:
http://moneyville.ie/

Video Clip:
A short presentation of Moneyville. Just click the play button at the top of the right hand column to watch the clip.