Money Bags Coin Value Game at a Glance
Game Type Educational Maths - Counting, Money Recognition Roll and Move | Play Time 20 mins | Skill/Complexity (1 - 5) Non-Complex Learning Maths |
Age 7+ | Publisher(s) Learning Resources | Published 2002 |
Categories Children's / Family Kids Educational | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
Our Rating 8/10 | Cost $15.00 + |
About – Description
“Money Bags” is an educational yet simple board game for children that was developed and published by Learning Resources in 2002. Created to teach critical thinking and coin counting skills, each roll of the dice determines the journey of the game pieces along a twisty and colorful path and is perfect for slightly older children of junior school age.
Note that this game does contain a number of small parts so is not suitable for children under 36 months.
Best Suited For Children Ages 7 – 10
Money Bags Coin Value Game is designed for 2 to 4 players so it’s great for friends and family to play together. It’s a relatively simple concept revolving around fairly basic counting and currency which makes it perfect for teaching kids some handy life skills for the future.
Skill – Complexity
An easy game to learn and teach, Money Bags is educational but certainly not boring! Although its complexity level is low, it does require a certain amount of counting and arithmetic as well as some light strategy.
Set Up – Playing Rules & Instructions
Setting up
Inside the box you’ll find:
- Game board with spinner
- 100 plastic coins
- Play bills
- Markers
- Dice
Lay the board down on a flat surface, then put all of the plastic coins on the “Money Bags” pot at the top. Every player must sit around the board and choose a game marker before placing it on “Start.”
Next, put all money of the same denomination together in separate piles to create a bank. To start, each player must roll the dice and whoever gets the highest number goes first.
Object of the game
The object of the game is to earn pocket money by landing on a square labelled with a task. Once a player has passed the finish line, all players count their money. The person with the most money wins!
Playing Instructions
Players must take it in turns to roll the dice and move their game piece the indicated number of spaces. If you land on a space showing a money value, that is the amount that is earned for that move. Spin the arrow at the bottom of the board to decide what type of coins you can use to collect your earnings.
Collect your earnings from the bank and put it in front of you according to the arrow. For example, if the arrow lands on a space that says “no quarters”, this means you can use any coins apart from quarters to receive your earnings. If you spin “Money Bags” on your turn you can collect the amount you earned from the bank using any coin denomination you like. Put the money into the “Money Bags” pot at the top of the board.
If you land on the “$” space and take all the money from the “Money Bags” pot you must then add 41 cents from the bank to build the pot back up again. Or, if you land on the blue “Bank Exchange” space you can exchange your coins of lesser value for coins of greater value from the bank. Collect 10 cents interest from the bank if you are able to make the exchange, however if you can’t then play passes to the next player. The game ends when one player reaches the finish.
Versions – Editions
There are two versions of this game; the US version (using dollars and cents) and the UK version which uses pounds and pence.
Likes & Dislikes
Money Bags Coin Value Game is quick to play but very entertaining and educational too. It’s ideal for children who are just at that age to perhaps begin earning their own pocket money. It helps make learning fun whilst building confidence with the concept of spending and saving money. Although it’s an attractive, sturdy, good quality game, the coins are plastic and don’t very closely resemble real coins.
Final Thoughts
This is a game that will teach your children some lifelong lessons in coin value recognition and early financial awareness whilst having lots of fun at the same time. It’s ideal for families looking for something a little different that isn’t just about playing but about learning something new and encouraging the discussion of money-related issues.
With its simple mechanics and colorful pieces, this very appealing game is one not to be missed.
Awards and Honors
Money Bags Coin Value Game was the winner of the Practical Pre-School Award in 2012.