Run a small town of shops, one day at a time
Coinville Shopkeeper is a free business game for kids about 9 to 14, and for grown-ups who want to play along. You start with a lemonade stand and some play money. Every morning you set a price tag, decide how much to make, and open the shops. Every evening you see what you sold, what it cost and what you kept. With your profit you can open a bakery, a bike repair shop, a bookstore or a food truck, hire helpers, save, borrow, and help the town grow. There is no clock and no hurry: the game waits for you.
Pick a town. First Shop is a gentle 4-week start, Main Street is 8 weeks with everything switched on, and Four Seasons is 12 weeks with a rival bakery, winter and more surprises. Stars are based on your net worth at the end, and your progress is saved in your browser.
What the game teaches
| Money idea | Where kids meet it in the game |
|---|---|
| Revenue is not profit | The evening report shows sales, supplies and wages side by side, and only the last number is yours to keep. |
| Fixed and variable costs | Supplies change with how much you sell. Rent and helpers' wages are due even on a slow or rainy day. |
| Price and demand | Nudge the price tag and watch the demand meter: a higher price brings fewer customers, a lower price brings more but earns less on each one. |
| Cash flow and sales tax | Buying a shop lowers your cash but is not a loss. The sales tax you collect is not yours: it is paid to the town on Sunday and builds parks, bus stops and libraries. |
| Loans and savings | A loan costs interest and savings earn interest. Paying a loan back early costs less. |
| Reinvesting and an emergency fund | A new shop can pay for itself, but an oven that breaks or a rainy week can hurt a shop with no savings. |
| Fair pay | The town has a minimum wage. Paying helpers more costs more, but they work faster and stay longer. |
Interest, wages and the 5 percent sales tax in this game are pretend numbers, and time is sped up so a "week" takes a few minutes. Real loans and savings accounts use yearly rates, and sales tax and minimum wage differ by state. Say so out loud when you play, then try the real numbers together in the business loan calculator, the compound interest calculator, minimum wage by state and the sales tax calculator.
Tips for playing together
- Play the first week side by side. Let your child choose the prices and ask what they notice about the demand meter.
- Ask the talk question after each Sunday report. The For grown-ups box lists one question for each lesson, such as "Why can you have lots of cash and still not be making a profit?"
- Make mistakes cheap. Cent never scolds. A bad week is a chance to ask, "What would you change?"
- Connect it to real life. Talk about what a local shop pays for rent and supplies, or compare prices for the same thing at two stores.
- Choose your view. Settings offer high contrast, bigger text, a fast or instant day, sounds, and a Simple view with no animation. Everything works from the keyboard too.
For younger kids, the lemonade stand game is a shorter first step, and the investing game is a good next one. Coinville Shopkeeper is general education, not business, tax or legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is Coinville Shopkeeper free and safe for kids, and does it collect data?
It is free, with no sign-up, no ads and no third-party trackers. Nobody types a name or any personal information, because helper names come from a short list. Your game is saved only in your browser on this device, and Settings has a button that deletes it. We keep only anonymous counts, such as how many towns are finished and how many stars are earned, with no cookies and nothing that identifies your child.
What age is it for, and can we play without the animation?
It is made for ages 9 to 14, and younger kids can play with a grown-up. The picture of the town is just decoration: every button, number and report is real text. Turn on Simple view in Settings to skip the animation completely, or choose Instant to skip the day, and the game works the same. It runs on phones, tablets and computers.
Is the interest and tax in the game realistic, and is this business advice?
No. Loans cost 2 percent a week and savings pay 0.5 percent a week so that kids can see the effect in minutes. Real rates are quoted per year and are very different. The 5 percent sales tax and the $50 a day minimum wage are Coinville's, not real laws. The game is a pretend way to practice ideas, not advice about running a real business, taxes or the law.