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Wants Vs Needs
Dive into the Wants vs. Needs 14-Lesson Series—a fun, interactive way to teach kids aged 7 to 12 essential financial skills! This series is designed for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers to empower the next generation with tools to manage money, build confidence, and make smart financial decisions.
Each lesson covers a key topic, including:
Understanding Wants vs. Needs
Saving and budgeting basics
Creating emergency funds
Exploring gratitude and giving
Making thoughtful financial choices
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Whether you’re looking for simple activities, engaging stories, or practical tools, this series has everything you need to prepare kids for a financially savvy future.
Start the journey today and give your kids the skills they’ll use for a lifetime!
Unlock Financial Literacy for Kids:
Wants Vs Needs
Introduction: 14-Lesson Plan Overview
Get ready to empower kids with the essential skills they need to navigate the world of money! This video provides an overview of the 14-lesson Wants vs. Needs series, designed to teach children aged 7 to 12 how to identify, prioritize, and balance their wants and needs.
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What You'll Discover in This Introduction:
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A sneak peek at the 14 engaging lessons that build critical financial literacy skills.
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How each lesson incorporates saving, budgeting, and decision-making to form lifelong habits.
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The fun, interactive approach that uses real-world scenarios and activities to make learning meaningful.
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Why It Matters:
This series equips kids with confidence and tools to make smarter financial decisions—skills that will benefit them now and for years to come.
Watch the Lesson Overview
Read the Lesson Overview
Part 1: Identifying a want and a need (Lesson 1)
In this lesson, kids will learn to distinguish between wants and needs, a crucial skill for smart financial decision-making. This engaging and interactive introduction sets the stage for understanding priorities and building a strong foundation for money management.
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What’s Covered in This Lesson:
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The difference between a want and a need.
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Why understanding this difference helps with saving and spending wisely.
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Fun, relatable examples and activities to help kids grasp the concept.
Why It Matters:
Teaching kids to prioritize their needs over their wants empowers them to make smarter financial choices now and in the future.
Watch Lesson 1
Teacher Lesson 1 Free Download
Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 1 Download
Want to make this easier?
Use these written lesson plans for free.
You can purchase the 14 presentations with the engaging stories and corresponding activities, and the downloadable content (12 Budget Sheets and Reflection Questions, Completed Budget Example, Printable Fake Currency, Links to 14 Interactive Presentations, Needs vs Wants Template, Star Rewards System Documentation, Student Star Tracker Template)
for just $20! ​​
Click here to get downloadable content: ​
Part 2: Prioritizing a purchase (Lesson 2)
Help kids take the next step in mastering financial literacy! In this lesson, we dive into the art of prioritizing purchases. By learning to evaluate whether a purchase is valuable and will be used, children will gain the skills they need to make thoughtful decisions with their money.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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How to determine if a purchase is necessary or beneficial.
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The concept of value and utility in decision-making.
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Engaging activities to practice prioritizing and planning purchases.
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Why It Matters:
Prioritizing purchases teaches kids the importance of thoughtful spending. This lesson helps them develop a mindset that balances wants and needs, setting them up for financial success and avoiding impulse decisions that don't serve their goals.
Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 2 Download
Teacher Lesson 2
Free Download
Watch the Lesson 2
Part 3A: Lessons 3 to 14 explained
Get ready to empower kids with the essential skills they need to navigate the world of money! This video provides an overview of lessons 3 to 14 of the Wants vs. Needs series.
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What You'll Discover in This Introduction:
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A sneak peek at how the next 12 engaging lessons are laid out.
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How each lesson incorporates dividing the play money in each category.
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The fun, interactive approach that uses real-world scenarios and activities to make learning meaningful.
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Why It Matters:
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This series equips kids with confidence and tools to make smarter financial decisions—skills that will benefit them now and for years to come.
Watch the Lesson 3A
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Part 3: Long term vs instant gratification (Lesson 3)
In this lesson, kids learn the value of patience and planning by comparing long-term benefits to short-term satisfaction. They will begin their journey of saving for future goals with a fun and interactive approach.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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The importance of waiting to achieve bigger rewards.
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How to set up their first Savings Jar.
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Engaging activities that demonstrate the trade-off between instant and delayed gratification.
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Why It Matters:
Understanding the benefits of delayed gratification equips kids with discipline and foresight, essential skills for financial and personal success.
Watch the Lesson 3
Teacher Lesson 3
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Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 3 Download
Part 4: Saving Jars (Lesson 4)
Introduce kids to the concept of dividing money into categories with the Saving Jars system. This lesson helps children learn how to allocate their money thoughtfully between needs and wants.
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What You'll Discover in This Introduction:
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How to create and use two jars: one for needs and one for wants.
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Practical ways to budget and manage money effectively.
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Fun activities to reinforce saving habits.
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Why It Matters:
Teaching kids to organize their money into categories builds foundational budgeting skills and creates a healthy relationship with spending and saving.
Watch the Lesson 4
Teacher Lesson 4
Free Download
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Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 4 Download
Part 5: Entertainment vs Educational Games (Lesson 5)
This lesson encourages kids to think critically about spending on items that either educate or entertain. They will learn to make choices that benefit their growth and development.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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Why saving for education is an important investment in themselves.
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How to add a third jar for educational purposes.
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Interactive stories and decision-making games to practice.
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Why It Matters:
Helping kids prioritize education over fleeting entertainment teaches them to value learning and make informed spending decisions.
Watch the Lesson 5
Teacher Lesson 5
Free Download
Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 5 Download
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Part 6: Donation Jar (Lesson 6)
This lesson introduces kids to the joy and importance of giving. They will learn to recognize the needs of others and save money to help those in need.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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How to create and use a Donation Jar.
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The impact of giving and showing gratitude.
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Activities that teach empathy and generosity.
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Why It Matters:
Instilling a habit of giving helps kids develop empathy, gratitude, and a sense of responsibility toward their community.
Watch the Lesson 6
Teacher Lesson 6
Free Download
Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 6 Download
Part 8: Investment Jar (Lesson 8)
In this lesson, kids discover how to grow their savings through investments. They will learn the basics of investing and its role in achieving financial goals.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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The concept of investing and how it works.
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How to add an Investing Jar to their system.
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Simple, kid-friendly examples to show the power of saving for the future.
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Why It Matters:
Teaching kids about investing early on helps them understand how to create passive income and achieve long-term financial goals.
Watch the Lesson 8
Teacher Lesson 8
Free Download
Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 8 Download
Part 7: Emergency Jar (Lesson 7)
Prepare kids for life's unexpected moments by teaching them to save for emergencies. This lesson introduces the concept of being financially prepared for unforeseen expenses.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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How to create an Emergency Jar and why it's essential.
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Fun, relatable scenarios that demonstrate the need for emergency savings.
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Practical activities to build their emergency fund.
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Why It Matters:
Learning to save for emergencies helps kids build resilience and a proactive approach to managing their finances.
Watch the Lesson 7
Teacher Lesson 7
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Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 7 Download
Part 9: Mastering your jars (Lesson 9)
This lesson ties together all previous lessons by teaching kids how to allocate their savings across six jars: Needs, Wants, Education, Donation, Emergency, and Investment. It focuses on balancing savings thoughtfully to cover short-term priorities and long-term goals.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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How to distribute money wisely among the six categories.
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The importance of balancing savings for immediate needs, emergencies, and future investments.
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Strategies to resist unnecessary spending and peer influences, including social media.​
Why It Matters:
This lesson solidifies critical financial habits by encouraging kids to think ahead and plan for diverse financial needs. Understanding how to balance priorities builds confidence in managing money and equips them for future success.
Watch the Lesson 9
Teacher Lesson 9
Free Download
Parents and Homeschool: Free lesson 9 Download
Part 10: Lost bottle of water (Lesson 10)
This lesson introduces kids to real-world scenarios that highlight the importance of being financially prepared for unexpected emergencies. Using the concept of an emergency fund, kids will learn how to manage immediate needs while maintaining their savings system.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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Students face an emergency where they need $4 to replace a lost water bottle.
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If they have enough in their Emergency Jar, they earn a star for being prepared.
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If they lack sufficient savings, they dip into their Wants Jar but forfeit the star.
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Why It Matters:
This lesson helps kids understand how proper planning and savings allocation can prepare them for life's uncertainties. By teaching them to prioritize needs and emergencies, it builds resilience and financial awareness for real-world situations.
Watch the Lesson 10
Lesson 10
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Part 11: School fundraiser (Lesson 11)
This lesson focuses on the value of generosity and community impact through a school fundraiser scenario. Students learn the importance of preparing for giving by saving in their Donation Jar.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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The significance of saving for charity or community contributions.
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How to balance personal needs with giving to others.
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The joy and responsibility of making a difference through thoughtful savings.
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Why It Matters:
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​This lesson emphasizes the role of generosity in financial literacy, teaching students that responsible saving enables them to support causes they care about while maintaining balance in their own financial priorities.
Watch the Lesson 11
Lesson 11
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Part 12: Educational field trip (Lesson 12)
This lesson focuses on the value of investing in education by saving for experiences like an educational field trip. Students learn the importance of using their Educational Jar to support learning opportunities that enhance personal growth.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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How to allocate money for educational experiences.
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The significance of prioritizing education as an investment in the future.
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Strategies for balancing personal enjoyment with learning goals.
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Why It Matters:
This lesson teaches students to value education as a key component of financial planning. By demonstrating the benefits of saving for educational opportunities, it instills a mindset of lifelong learning and thoughtful investment in personal growth.
Watch the Lesson 12
Lesson 12
Free Download
Part 13: Investment Opportunity
(Lesson 13)
This lesson introduces students to the concept of investing as a tool for financial growth. They will learn how to use their Investing Jar to seize opportunities that offer long-term benefits, such as gaining skills or earning returns.
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What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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The value of investing in opportunities that help grow wealth.
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How to prepare for investments through consistent saving.
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Real-life examples of how investments can help achieve bigger goals.
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Why It Matters:
This lesson teaches students the importance of planning and preparing for investment opportunities. By learning to grow their savings, they develop an understanding of how to achieve long-term financial goals.
Watch the Lesson 13
Lesson 13
Free Download
Part 14: Family Emergency (Lesson 14)
This final lesson brings together all the concepts from previous lessons, focusing on handling unexpected family emergencies and fulfilling monthly needs. Students will reflect on their financial journey and celebrate their progress while reinforcing key financial skills.
What You'll Discover in This Lesson:
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How to handle unexpected family emergencies using the Emergency Jar.
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The importance of prioritizing and managing monthly expenses.
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A reflection on achieving financial goals and planning for the future.
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Why It Matters:
This lesson not only solidifies the importance of saving and budgeting but also celebrates the students' achievements, making financial literacy a positive and memorable experience. It empowers students to take control of their financial decisions and build habits that will serve them for life.
Watch the Lesson 14
Lesson 14
Free Download
Want to make this easier?
Use these written lesson plans for free. You can purchase the 14 presentations with the engaging stories and corresponding activities, and the downloadable content (12 Budget Sheets and Reflection Questions, Completed Budget Example, Printable Fake Currency, Links to 14 Interactive Presentations, Needs vs Wants Template, Star Rewards System Documentation, Student Star Tracker Template)
for just $20! ​​
Click here to get downloadable content: ​