Playing with coins!
Kids are often fascinated by money. They know it’s important, although fully understanding how it works is a bit complex for their young age. Physical money, especially coins, provides many opportunities to explore not just math, but science, dramatic play, role playing, social emotional topics, and more!
CLEAN YOUR COINS
Find your coin jar or piggy bank and dump them out. Put the coins in a big bowl with warm water and a little dish soap. With a washcloth or small scrub brush (a nail brush or old toothbrush is perfect), gently scrub the surface of each coin. Rinse them under running water and dry them on a clean towel.
OBSERVE YOUR COINS
Study your coins closely. What do you notice about them? What color/size/shape are they? What do they feel like when you rub them or squeeze them? How are the coins different or similar to each other? Look at the pictures and engravings on them. What do you see? Do you recognize any letters and numbers?
Kids can record their observations by writing and drawing, and adults can transcribe their observations and read them back later as a recall activity.
COUNT AND SORT YOUR COINS
Explore math concepts! Sort the coins into groups based on shared characteristics. Count each group. How high can you count? Stack coins to make a tower. How big can you make it before it falls down? What else could you build using coins? Make patterns with the coins, like a line of nickel-penny-nickel-penny etc. Challenge your child to continue the pattern you start, then ask them to create their own. Find a small jar or bowl and count coins as you put them in it. How many does it take to fill it up? What if you use only the biggest or smallest coins?
USE YOUR COINS FOR ART
Make pictures with the coins. I can make a smiley face, what can you make? Trace the coins to transfer your picture to paper. Add some color or glue some collage materials to the paper. Put coins under paper and try making a rubbing with the side of a crayon or a blunt pencil. This is tricky fine motor control!
A related art/sensory activity is combining coins and playdough. Coins make interesting impressions and patterns when pressed into playdough!
DRAMATIC PLAY WITH COINS
Set up a store with your kids. What are you going to sell? You could make a grocery store, a toy store, a clothing boutique, a restaurant, a hair salon, a hardware store – ask your child. Collect items from around the house and lay them out in your store display.
How much are they going to cost? You can make price tags or a menu. Role play a trip to the store, taking turns being the shopper and the seller, asking how much things cost, counting and exchanging money, bagging or packing items, etc. Don’t be afraid to get silly with it!
If your kid is into princesses/knights/other fairy tale games, a box of coins can be a great treasure. Find a shoebox or other container and turn it into a treasure chest. How will you decorate it? This kind of dramatic play is great for practicing conflict resolution.
What happens when you think $1,000,000 is WAY too expensive for two plastic apples? What if a dragon steals your treasure? What if I have ALL the silver coins and you want me to give you some? How will you negotiate these situations together?
Your child will have their own amazing ideas. Ask them how they want to play with coins and what coins are for! Is there something else they would like to do with the money?
