Judges' Choice: Millionairs | Making learning about finances and budgeting fun through a board game.

What is the problem you found?

Finances and budgeting often seems boring and not an exciting and engaging activity for young minds to learn about. 

What is your opportunity?

How might we make learning about finances interesting and engaging for young minds?

Who is your audience?

Young people, specifically Gr 5-8, who don't know where to start managing money, spending responsibly and making wise business choices.

What Is Your Solution?

We have created a real-life board game where students will play for an entire term to make wise decisions and act responsibly with their money.

In the beginning, money is received, and specific choices such as "invest in a business" or "get a job at a business" will have to be made. Within these choices, jobs can be switched out, and negotiations are made between players for ownership of properties or switching jobs.

If a player lands on a job card, they can decide whether or they would like to pick another job card and potentially risk getting a lower or higher salary. When landing on "payday" cards, the player can collect their salary presented on their job card. This will result in the player paying all their daily living expenses.

Each player that buys property can choose to use the land for a house or a business. A business generates more income, but several cards go against businesses, so obviously, this involves more risk. When another player lands on a property belonging to someone else, they will have to pay 10% rent to the owner. If a player does not own property, they will have to pay for a hotel room each day they go without owning property or renting.

Through the course of the game, there are multiple "CHOOSE" squares. When a player lands on these, they can roll again and choose between two decisions. An example of a "CHOOSE" square is a player has to choose between owning a $2000 business that involves more risk or an additional stable job with a $50 salary (player can have two jobs upon landing on this square).

Further in the game, all these choices could either benefit or disadvantage the player. There are several chance and action cards to be read out at the start of each day that could impact your business, investments, or property positively or negatively.

The teachers can either aim for a winner each term or set class goals. At the start of each day, a teacher will read out a "teacher card", which could say something like "the left side of the board's properties decreases 15% in value" and more.

Our goal is to set kids who find learning about managing money unengaging to get involved, learn more about spending responsibility, and set them up for financial prosperity.