Financial literacy for kids

We’ve featured efforts by two banks—Postbank and Umpqua—to stimulate children to start their own businesses, but financial institutions aren’t the only ones interested in making children financially savvy. South-African Ka-Ching aspires to empower children with financial and entrepreneurial skills that will help them throughout their lives. The company offers courses that parents can use to teach their children to plan a budget, to control spending, to identify a business opportunity (we assume Springwise is on their reading list), to present a business plan, etc. Ka-Ching sells its courses online and through affiliate partners for USD 147. Customers include schools and individuals in South Africa and abroad. Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based It’s A Habit, a socially conscious startup, spent the last five years developing an educational program to help teach young kids financial literacy. Taking a more playful approach, It’s A Habit employs Sammy the Rabbit in books, CDs and training guides that aim ‘to make the American dream accessible to kids no matter who they are, where they come from, or what language they and their parents speak at home.’ Faced with a profusion of stimuli to spend-spend-spend, it can’t hurt to show children the other side of the coin. We have no doubt that, if properly marketed, similar initiatives would work well in most countries. Two to look into if you’re in education or publishing. Websites: www.ka-chingworld.com — www.itsahabit.com Spotted by: Willem Bonneux