Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids that Help Teach the Value of Money

The holidays are a joyous time of celebration and giving, and at a time when many families are moving toward more simple lifestyles, the giving part of the holiday season can result in tough decision making.

The best way to go – intentional gift-giving.

As families increasingly value simplicity, meaningful gifts tend to stand out, last longer and create memorable learning opportunities. Instead of adding more “stuff” to the pile, consider gifts that inspire financial confidence, responsibility, and provide practical skills well into the new year and beyond.

How are Financial Gifts Intentional?

We often think of financial gifts (most commonly, cash) as impersonal gifts that are quick and require little thought – but there are ways to give financially focused gifts with intention. Before we start thinking of some creative options, let’s focus on the key considerations that will help you select the perfect gift.

1. Does it Support Simplicity?

More families are moving away from clutter and toward gifts with meaning and purpose. Financially educational toys, games, and tools offer lasting value without adding unnecessary complexity to everyday life. They’re simple, practical, and easy to use – yet incredibly impactful.

2. Does it Encourage Thoughtful Habits?

Instead of gifts that are used for a week and forgotten, these items help shape behaviors around saving, budgeting, and being intentional with money. They’re gifts that grow with the child.

3. Does it Help Build Lifelong Financial Confidence?

Money skills form the foundation for independence. When kids and teens understand saving, spending, and planning early, they grow into adults who feel more confident making financial decisions.

4. Does it Strengthen Family Conversations About Money

Money is often a topic families avoid, but the holidays present a perfect moment to normalize healthy conversations. Whether through a board game or opening a savings account together, financially themed gifts make it easier to talk about goals, plans, and smart habits.

If your answer to any of the above questions is ‘yes’, let’s go ahead and look at a few thoughtful ideas designed to teach the value of money, spark smart financial habits, and support a simpler, more intentional approach to giving.

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Financially Educational Holiday Gift Ideas

1. Classic Board Games that Teach Money Management

Games like Monopoly and The Game of Life are great family favorites that introduce real financial strategy. Monopoly introduces financial disciplines like budgeting, decision-making, investing and strategy, where The Game of Life teaches real-world scenarios in relation to career choices, home-buying, family expenses and even retirement planning.

2. Change-Counting or Money Matching Games

These are prime tools for introducing money to younger kids. Change-counting and money matching games involve identifying coins, making change, or even running a pretend store to help learn numbers, count change, and even learn the value of money.

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3. Purposeful Piggy Banks

While simple piggy banks are simple, classic, and effective, more modern versions are available that include separate compartments such as “Save, Spend, Give”. These separate compartments not only help children to save money, but teach them other financial responsibility like budgeting and the value of giving. This gift is especially good for those children who already have a chore chart or weekly allowance to develop consistent savings habits.

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4. Savings Accounts

A savings account, like a Kid’s Club savings account from Shore United Bank, is a genuinely useful gift that can serve as a starting point for a better financial future and can stay with the recipient long after they receive it. This valuable gift teaches children and young teens the value of earning interest, tracking balances, and setting long-term goals. Even better – no extra clutter around the house.

While many think, ‘we want to give something they can open on the holidays’, great news – you can wrap the account’s welcome materials in a festive envelope, add a small starting deposit, and let them experience the excitement of depositing money and watching it grow.

5. Certificates of Deposit

One great gift for young adults that teaches patience, discipline, and delayed gratification – not to mention a great introduction to compound interest, is to open a CD. With a fixed rate and clear maturity date, they demonstrate the rewards of committing to long-term savings.

Many parents and grandparents set money aside for their children’s future, so why not put a chunk aside for them to learn on their own. It’s a win-win: setting money aside for your child’s future while it earns compound interest, and young adults learn how investing in the long game can be beneficial.

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6. Prepaid Gift Cards or Reloadable Debit Cards

Teens love the freedom of choice, and prepaid cards allow them to manage a set budget, monitor their spending, and pick out a gift they truly love – especially when it can be so hard to find the perfect gift for the teenagers in our lives. Gift cards and debit cards give them the flexibility to online shop, find a gift they truly enjoy, and teach responsible financial independence.

7. Books that Build Financial Knowledge

Money-themed literature can reinforce understanding in simple, relatable ways and are a great gift for all. For young kids, board books about coins and bills, or even books about making simple purchases could help create a basic understanding of money.

For the older kids, try looking for books about kids doing chores for an allowance. Many times, these books can give a great introduction to budgeting.

Better fitting options for teenagers and young adults would be to find books on budgeting, paying off debt, investing, or even economics. To generate more interest about these topics, find a way to make it relatable. After all, financial knowledge is a gift that can keep on giving.

8. Financial Learning Experiences

Experiences are becoming increasingly popular as families reduce physical clutter, and financial experiences are great ways to create fun around learning. Think about children’s museums with mini (interactive play) markets where kids can learn to shop on a budget and count change, or a mini entrepreneur kit like lemonade stand materials with a small “loan” to purchase ingredients. These interactive learning experiences are a fun way to teach kids financial responsibility.

While there are a lot of great ideas here, before you decide on how you plan to give a gift of financial responsibility, remember to be intentional so your gift empowers, inspires, and sets the stage for brighter financial futures.

Take into consideration that the best way to teach your children good financial habits, is to lead by example. If you want to create a magical season for your family but are concerned about how to stay within your budget, take a look at these smart holiday spending tips: