All April long we are celebrating Teach Children To Save Month by visiting local schools and talking with kids about saving money. We have written about tips for helping your small kids save money and teaching your older kids life skills they will need through adulthood.

Today we want to talk about ways to make saving fun.

Savings Thermometer – Draw a giant thermometer on paper, cardboard or poster board and write a savings goal at the top. Hang it somewhere visible and color the thermometer each week to reflect how much they have saved. Goals can be big or small. Just remember to reward your child with a small treat when they reach their goal.

Bank on the Fun – Move over little pig. Banks come in a variety of fun themes. If your little one loves Batman, give him a Batman bank and encourage him to help Batman save the day by saving money! There also is a wide array of electronic banks that sort and count bank contents that might appeal to older kids.

Round Up – When your child spends money, encourage him or her to round up to the nearest dollar and save the change. So if their bill comes to $4.47, have them save the extra .53 cents.

Collect the States – Help your child learn about geography and save money by saving the state quarters. There is a quarter for every state so encourage your child to tuck at least one of each into their bank. Post a map of the country next to their bank so they can mark the states they have and plan for the states they need.

Set Family Goals – Set savings goals for your children and agree to a family treat when everyone hits their goals. A movie night or ice cream for everyone could be enough motivation for everyone to work toward their goals.

Remember there is no need to count and roll all that change! Several of our locations have a machine that will count their change for free. We also have minor accounts that require no minimum balance. See a New Accounts Officer in any of our thirteen locations to open one today!