Keeping Your Children Active and Occupied

APRIL 23, 2020 | PEOPLES STATE BANK

In a time where “staying-in” is required, finding new ways to cope with the current situation may be exactly what you and your children are looking for. With several nuances in our new day-to-day lives, keeping your children engaged throughout the day may be a challenge you weren’t quite ready to face.

It’s essential for your child to have breaks from schoolwork and other daily tasks. Considering that April is Financial Literacy Month in Wisconsin and April 24 is National Teach Children to Save Day; this time in isolation would be a great opportunity to have your children engaged in fun activities that expand their knowledge of the financial world. Here are some fun activities you can do with your children during these unprecedented times:

Has your child ever played Break the Bank before? BizKids offers this amusing and educational game so children see how to build their savings and manage debt. In the game, your child works as a community banker and their goal is to help customers save money! However, there are angry boars who invade their bank and try to add debt by pushing bad loans to bank customers. If your child is a wise community banker, they can keep a strong hold on their customer’s finances and win back your bank.

The United States Mint—which is the government’s manufacturer of coins—has a great website for children. They can play games and other activities related to counting with coins, state trivia, and more, along with learning about coins, collecting coins, and how coins are made.

Do you miss playing board games that were popular when you were a child? Games such as Monopoly, Game of Life, Pay Day, or even Act Your Wage; not only will these games give you a throwback to your childhood, but you’ll be able to walk your children through the world of money while playing these semi-realistic games. It’s a great way to spend time with your kids and guide them through the financial process constructed within the games.

Online games and board games can be fun for a while, and even teach some great life lessons; however, your children will also need time for other activities. With several full days of activities ahead of you, it may be time to get creative. It may be hard not being able to run downtown to catch a movie or knock down a few pins at the corner bowling alley; however, some of these communal activities can be brought right inside your home. Get creative as you sit down for a movie with your kids. Pop some popcorn, lay out a bowl of candy, and recline from the comforts of your home.

Do you want to go bowling? Hold onto all those completed toilet paper rolls to set up as pins. As for a bowling ball, you can use any ball you may have laying around the house or for extra fun, use a full roll of toilet paper.

Most important, keep your children connected. It’s difficult to keep your children inside away from their friends; therefore, it’s important to keep those relationships intact during COVID-19. Thankfully, there is an app out there just for kids. Messenger Kids is a free video call and messaging app that allows children to keep in touch with their friends and family. There’s no need to worry about who they are messaging because you control the contact list.

Once your children have learned a bit more about saving, perhaps that’s a good time to share with them the real power of saving for the future. Peoples State Bank offers two savings account options, which will give your child an opportunity to see how they can grow their savings over time. Call 888.929.9902 to talk to a personal banker to learn more or open a savings account.

Peoples State Bank

Peoples State Bank is a community bank headquartered in Wausau, Wisconsin, serving north, central, and southeast Wisconsin from ten full-service banking locations in Marathon, Oneida, Vilas, Waukesha, and Milwaukee Counties, as well as a commercial loan production office in Stevens Point, WI.

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