Money & Buying Things
KindergartenMoney is what we use to get the things we want and need. Let's find out what money is, and how buying really works.
At a glanceWhat is money?
Money is something everyone agrees is worth having, so we can use it to get things we want. It comes as coins (like pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters) and bills (paper money, like $1 and $5). When you give the shop money, the shop gives you the toy, food, or thing you picked — that's called buying.
People get money by earning it — doing a job, or doing chores for a grown-up — or sometimes by receiving it as a gift.
You need enough money to buy something
Every toy or treat has a price — a tag that tells you how much money it costs. If you don't have enough money, you have two choices: save up more (Chapter 3 is all about this!) or pick something cheaper. Nobody can just take things from a shop without paying — that wouldn't be fair to the shopkeeper, who worked hard to get those things ready to sell.
Try it: count coins to buy a toy
Q1Can I use leaves or rocks as money?
Only if everyone agrees to accept them! Money works because shopkeepers trust that a coin or bill will still be worth something tomorrow, and that everyone else will accept it too. That's why countries make special coins and bills that are hard to copy and easy to trust.
Q2What happens if I don't have enough money?
You can't buy that thing yet — but that's okay! You can save up more coins (see the next chapter), ask for it as a birthday gift, or choose something that costs less.
Q3Why can't shops just give things away for free?
The people who made the toy, and the shopkeeper who is selling it, worked hard and spent their own money to have it ready for you. Paying for it is a fair way of saying "thank you" for that work.
How the ideas connect
Every key idea in this chapter, branching from the core concept — use it to see the whole picture at a glance.
The key facts, visualised
Worked problems, step by step
Follow each solution line by line, then try to reproduce it on paper before moving on.
Example 1A toy costs $3. You give the shopkeeper $5. How much change?
- You paid $5 but the toy is only $3.
- Change = money given - price = $5 - $3.
- That leaves $2.
Example 2An apple is $1 and a banana is $1. Can you buy both with $2?
- Add the two prices: $1 + $1 = $2.
- You have exactly $2.
- So you can pay for both with nothing left over.
Now you try
Work each one out first, then tap to reveal the worked answer.