How to play Cent's Money Jars
Cent's Money Jars is a free game for kids about 5 to 10 to play with a grown-up nearby. Every week the child gets pretend weekly money and has to put every coin into one of three glass jars: Spend, Save or Give. Then the week plays out: a little corner shop, a birthday card, a chance to help the pretend town of Coinville, and a "want it now" moment. There are two modes. Little (ages 5 to 7) lasts 6 weeks and uses $1 coins. Big (ages 8 to 10) lasts 10 weeks and adds 25-cent coins.
- Pick a goal. Choose a ball, kite or paint set (Little) or a skateboard, telescope or bike (Big). The goal picture is taped to the Save jar, with a dashed line showing how full the jar must be.
- Pick a cause. The Give jar helps a made-up place in Coinville: trees for the park, beds for shelter pets, books for the library or food for the pantry.
- Payday. Use the plus and minus buttons to share the coins. You can also drag a coin onto a jar. "Same as last week" repeats the last split. Every coin must go into a jar before you press Done.
- Corner shop. Spend money buys small treats. Nobody is scolded for spending.
- Events. A birthday card brings extra money to share. In some weeks a "Mega Glow Slime, only this week!" card appears, and in Big it comes back on sale later. Waiting is always an option.
- Week end. The pretend grown-up adds a bonus to Save, like interest, and a talk card gives you something to chat about together.
The three stars
Stars reward habits, not luck. The Goal star is for buying a goal before the game ends. The Saver star is for putting at least one coin into Save every payday and using Save only for the goal. The Giver star is for giving at least one week's money to the cause. A child who puts everything in Spend gets no stars, and a child who splits sensibly can earn all three.
What kids learn
- Money can be divided on purpose: some to enjoy now, some for later, some for others.
- Saving for a goal takes several weeks, and waiting is part of the plan.
- Money in Save can grow when a bonus is added, which gives a first look at interest.
- "Only this week!" pressure is worth a pause. Sometimes the same thing comes back for less.
- Giving feels good and can be part of a regular plan.
Tips for parents
- Let your child choose the split first, then ask why.
- Use the talk card each week as a short conversation starter.
- In the grown-up settings (hold the button for two seconds, then answer a quick question) you can choose the weekly amount, the bonus and which mode your child can play. The game gives no advice on how much allowance to give. Families decide that for themselves.
- If you like the idea, try real jars or envelopes at home.
Ready for more? Try the savings goal calculator or the compound interest calculator together, and see all of our money games for kids.
Pretend game. The money and the causes are made up, for learning only. The game never asks for real money, and it is not financial advice. For age-by-age ideas from a U.S. government source, see Money as You Grow from the CFPB.
Frequently asked questions
What age is the Money Jars game for?
It is made for kids about 5 to 10, played with a grown-up. Little mode (ages 5 to 7) is shorter and uses whole dollars. Big mode (ages 8 to 10) lasts 10 weeks and adds quarters, a "move money" button and a cause drive.
Is the bonus like a real savings account?
It is like interest, but sped up so children can see it in minutes. Real savings accounts pay much less, usually monthly or yearly, and rates change. The game does not show any real rate.
Does the game collect information about my child?
No names, photos or typed text are asked for, and there are no cookies. Best stars, grown-up settings and the game in progress are saved only in your browser. We keep an anonymous count of finished games (the mode, the star count and how long it took), with nothing that identifies your child.
Are the causes real charities?
No. The causes are made-up places in the pretend town of Coinville. The game has no donate buttons, no real charity names or logos, and never asks for real money.