Free kids savings challenge printable
A free printable savings challenge for kids, with a $20 challenge for ages 4 to 7 and a $50 challenge for ages 8 to 12, to color in as they save.
Ages 4 to 12 · 2 pages · US Letter · Free, no sign-up
Get all six worksheets in one file
We'll send you all six in one file, plus a few short notes on using them with your kids.
Most savings challenges are made for grown-ups, with big numbers and long timelines. This one is made for kids. The amounts are small enough to reach, and coloring in a box every time they save gives kids something to look forward to while they wait.
What's in the kids savings challenge?
- The $20 challenge, for ages 4 to 7. There are 20 coins marked $1, and your child colors one coin every time a dollar goes into their Dream jar.
- The $50 challenge, for ages 8 to 12. There are 24 shapes that add up to $50: squares are $1, circles are $2 and diamonds are $5. Your child colors shapes that add up to what they saved, which adds a little math.
Both pages have a line to write what your child is saving for, and the $50 page has an answer key for its question.
How to use the savings challenge
- Start with a real goal. The challenge works best when your child is saving for something they truly want.
- Pick the right size. At age 7, the Dream jar gets $2 a week from the $7 allowance Calm Money Kids suggests, so $20 takes about 10 weeks. That's long enough to feel the waiting and short enough to reach.
- Hang it where your child can see it. A challenge on the fridge gets colored in. A challenge in a drawer gets forgotten.
What the savings challenge teaches
Waiting for something is a skill, and kids get better at it with practice. Every colored coin shows your child that small amounts add up, which is the same idea behind saving as a grown-up. You can track the same goal with the Dream jar savings tracker if your child wants a goal of a different size.
Common questions about savings challenges for kids
Can birthday money count toward the challenge?
That's up to your family. Some families put part of every gift into the Dream jar, and if you decide together that it counts, your child colors it in like any other dollar.
What should my child get when they finish?
The thing they saved for is the reward. Make a big deal of the moment they buy it, because that feeling is what makes them want to save again.
What age is too young for a savings challenge?
Most 4 year olds can do the $20 challenge with your help. Keep the goal close and the wait short, and count the coins together.