Investing Games For Students

Teaching students about the importance of saving and investing money is a crucial part of financial literacy. However, what students choose to do with their money once they have it can have a more significant impact than how much they invest. That’s why teaching children how to budget and save is just as important, if not more so, than choosing the right stocks.

Investing games can help introduce young students to the world of finance and the stock market while offering them an opportunity to practice budgeting, saving, and making investment decisions in a safe environment. These games can also be used to teach students about entrepreneurship and the role that businesses play in the economy.

One popular option is the online investment simulation game Wall Street Survivor, which offers students the ability to compete against their classmates and teachers in a virtual trading environment. The game has more than just an online platform — it also includes educational content, reports, videos, and tutorials that allow users to learn and grow as they trade. Students can select from a number of different securities to trade including U.S. stocks, bonds, mutual funds, options, futures, currencies, and global stocks.

The online game is free to use, but teachers and students can upgrade to the premium version for a small annual fee to unlock additional features. This includes the ability to trade real-time securities, access investor reports, and create customized lesson plans and student assessments. In addition, teachers can get targeted professional development, participate in virtual events, and download posters.

Another great investment game is Build Your Stax, which is a fast-paced online investing game. The game gives players 20 years (or about 20 minutes in real time) to invest their money and try to make as much as they can. It’s a fun way to show kids the benefits of index investing and proves that hard work pays off.

Students can also learn about the stock market by playing a board game. The Stock Exchange Game, for example, is a combination game and learning tool that requires at least two players and allows up to six people to play at one time. It teaches students the importance of diversifying their portfolio and how to save for major life events.

The Minnesota-based Stock Market Game (SMG) connects classroom content through a real-world investing simulation and experience for students in grades 4-12. Through this program, students invest a virtual $100,000 in stocks and mutual funds and are provided with resources to support their research, teamwork, and communication skills. It also enables them to apply concepts from their core classes such as math, English language arts, economics, and social studies. The program is supported by the SIFMA Foundation’s Invest It Forward initiative, which matches teachers with investment professionals to discuss careers in finance and capital markets with their students. To learn more about registering for the program, click here.