We started off two years ago with “Honey Money” – little bumble bee coins Layla could earn for doing chores, being kind, going above and beyond, listening the first time. I have some made and ready-to-post but never did because I wasn’t sure how well they would work and I wasn’t quite sure if using them was better / worse than using “real money.”
Well, two years of testing later and I will report that the Honey Money system definitely has it’s place in our home for toddler and pre-school. The concept is more relatable at that age and it’s fun to go to the “Hive” to pick out a prize – and it’s fun to fill up your “Honey Pot” like Pooh Bear…
We’ve been working on money concepts with Layla (and Lillian by proximity) for the past couple months. She totally gets it (she just turned 6.) Each sticker on the chart is worth 10 cents…she was counting by tens today to get to dollars. And you could see her eyes light up when she counted her bills. I think this will be a great real-world upgrade for her and am excited with her enthusiasm. Lillian (3 in May) is not as excited to adopt our new currency exchange program. So, Honey Money it is. Two years of testing and finally I have my answer 😉
If you’re looking for a way to reinforce positivity or just need a little behavior modification, Honey Money has been a great tool in making it fun and keeping things positive. I will try to have a set posted in the shop by the end of the week. Good for ages 2-5 – great tangibles.
If you have an older child it is so interesting to watch them understand the “value” of money. And want to spend it all in one place. But I guess that’s a lesson for the not-so-distant future.