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Green sometimes gets a bad wrap. It is often associated with nausea, envy, and jealousy. On St. Patrick’s Day, if you are not wearing green, you will get pinched! But green also has its positive side. Take cash, for instance. Having a lot of green is definitely a good thing.

Money is a huge part of our society, and there is so much to learn. Children need to be taught to spend wisely, distinguish between wants and needs, and use coupons, ads, and sales. They also need to learn how to save, and budget. Early life experience will prepare them for making financial decisions as adults.

With so much to teach, where do we begin? And how can we help our children to enjoy the process? Learning about money can, and should be, fun. Teaching concepts through games helps children to learn practical skills in a challenging and entertaining environment. The Washington Department of Financial Institutions has compiled a list of financial education websites with games for children of all ages. TheMint.org also has compiled information for children about earning, saving, spending, and giving.

Along with games, children need to see money in action. Allowing children to take an active role in figuring and maintaining a household budget will help them to understand the value of money, saving, and using a budget. If they earn money, encourage them to keep their own budget. A child’s budget form is available at womens-finance.com.

Knowledge of money is a necessity. So give green, green knowledge that is. Help the learning process to be fun and exciting through games and challenges and by giving opportunities to see how money works in real life.