1. The Job of the Day Game Pick a place you visit this summer – a grocery store, a gas station, a restaurant, a beach stand. Ask your child: “What jobs do you see? What do you think those people learned to do that job?” Let them guess, then look it up together. Over the summer, aim for 10 different “job discoveries.” JA programs like JA BizTown and JA Career Discovery Park start here – with simple questions that spark big thinking.

2. Lemonade Stand (or Any Micro-Business) The classic works because it teaches everything at once: pricing, costs, customer service, and what it feels like to earn. Help your child set up a simple stand or service (selling drawings, watering neighbors’ plants). Give them $5 to start and ask them to track what they spend vs. what they make. Bonus: have them decide what to do with the profit.

3. “What Would You Buy?” Budget Game Give your child a pretend $20 and a store circular or website. Ask them to plan a meal, a day trip, or a birthday party within budget. Younger kids can use actual coins. The goal isn’t perfect math – it’s the habit of asking: “Do I have enough? Is this worth it?”

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