If you’re a parent trying to teach kids about investing, or if you’re just looking for fun ways to learn about finances and saving money, there are a few online games that can help. From simulators that feel incredibly realistic to games that focus on teaching specific skills, there are several options to consider for your students.
One of the most popular options is The Stock Market Game, which allows players to trade stocks on any U.S. exchange, including the New York and Nasdaq. The game also offers a free lesson plan, as well as other learning resources. It’s a great option for students of any age, though teachers will want to make sure their network settings are set to block access to the website before allowing students to play it.
Developed by the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, or SIFMA, this interactive game takes investment simulation to a whole new level. Players start with $100,000 in play money, and can choose from a variety of investments, including stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and cash. The game offers the ability to track performance, and it’s even possible to compete against other schools or families.
While it’s not as user-friendly as some of the other games on this list, it still provides a good way to get kids to understand how the stock market works and how to invest. This game is available for free on any browser, and it also features a free lesson plan and other learning resources for teachers. It is a little more complex than some of the other games, as children have to search for clues, follow the news, and sometimes follow their gut instincts.
A free web-based stock market simulation, this game is hosted on the Dow Jones website and comes with its own free lesson plans. It’s a great tool for students of any age, as they can see how the stock market works by playing around with it, and they can also compare their results to other students’.
The premise behind this game is to grow your wealth over the course of 20 years by making a series of savings and investment decisions. As you go along, you’ll face life events that you have to deal with — from buying a house to getting married. The goal is to get as much of your wealth as possible, which can be accomplished by choosing from a wide range of investments, including CDs, index funds, individual stocks, government bonds, and crop commodities.
This game is a bit more complicated than some of the others, and it requires the use of spreadsheets to keep track of your progress. However, it’s a great way to teach the importance of diversifying your portfolio and how to be patient while you wait for your investments to grow. This game is especially useful for younger students, as it gives them the opportunity to learn how to read and interpret charts.