February 16, 2023 //  by Laura Spry

Teaching school students the basics of economics and the stock market can be a challenge. It’s important that this is done in a fun and engaging way to keep their interest. Thankfully, pop culture is full of references to financial markets and investments. The show “Shark Tank” on ABC is a really good place to start with your child; exploring the basic terminologies used and simply asking for their opinions and discussing what they already know is a great starting point! Check out our comprehensive list of 15 stock market activities for further exploration in this area! 

This real-time stock market simulator enables students to practice trading U.S. stocks or cryptos! Mini-courses are also available to help you invest wisely and use a combination of videos, articles, and images to explore trading in an engaging way.

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This is a fun activity for kids to learn about the economy and develop money skills. You will need a basic cart to display items such as healthy snacks, pencils, and stickers. Students are encouraged to “deposit their money” in the bank on Thursday, meaning they can spend it once the transaction has cleared on Friday.

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This game enables players to create their very own custom stock game. Registering on the website gives you $100,000 worth of virtual cash which students can invest whenever works best for them. This provides fantastic practice for students learning about all aspects of financial markets.

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Perfect for younger high school learners who are just learning financial awareness. Players race around the board to visit ATMs and shops, and the fastest player to fill their shopping trolley wins!

Explain that the stock market is a little like a bull and a bear. The bull market occurs when prices rise and the bear market occurs when prices decrease. Hand out whiteboards and have your students write down ‘bull’ or ‘bear’ when you read out different financial scenarios.

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These super simple sheets encourage kids to make smart financial decisions by listing what they would like to buy, those prices, and how much they’d like to save. There is also a money-saving challenge that kids can complete so they can see their savings grow and choose whether to spend or invest.

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This fun lap book focuses on teaching kids the importance of money management. For this activity, you will need a colored file folder, glue gun, stapler, metal brad fasteners, and tacky glue. Keeping a record in their lap book gives them a fundamental understanding of the importance of saving.

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These activities will develop kids’ basic understanding of the stock market and teach them how to invest wisely. Once you have covered this, give your students a challenge. They must purchase three different stocks using $100,000 to invest. However, the rule is, they must spend at least $99,000!

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Making their own stock to sell is a great way for kids to learn about business and personal finance. Younger kids may enjoy making sweet cones to sell at recess. Older ones may choose to make slime or body butter.

This game is heaps of fun and would make an excellent classroom game to help develop investment knowledge. Wash the car to earn money but don’t forget to hand your homework in or you lose a turn!

This sweet game teaches some important lessons about managing finances. Each student gets 20 jelly beans which must be used to cover living expenses, housing, transport, food, and savings. 

This game teaches kids the basic concepts of spending, saving, and giving in a fun and engaging way! The pack includes charts and reward stickers as well as spend and save envelopes and heaps of activities to keep little ones learning and having fun.

Watch an episode of Shark Tank on YouTube with your class. Afterward,  discuss how they would invest wisely in that scenario, what business plan they would have created, and how to calculate production costs and profit.

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Students create business ideas and work in groups to create their own anchor charts. Encourage learners to think about what makes a good investment and why, and what percentages they would donate to charity or spend on labor. 

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Add some fun to your lesson plan! This can be adapted to suit most age groups and abilities. It’s a game of strategy and memory that is a great addition to any math or economics lesson!