Free needs and wants worksheet for kids
A free printable needs and wants worksheet for kindergarten to 2nd grade, with 12 pictures to sort, a drawing page and an answer key.
Ages 4 to 8 · 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.
Needs and wants is one of the first money ideas a child can really understand, and it's one of the most useful. This free worksheet helps kids ages 4 to 8 tell the difference using pictures, so even kids who are still learning to read can do it on their own.
What's on the needs and wants worksheet?
Page 1 has 12 pictures, like water, a warm coat, a teddy bear and ice cream. Your child circles Need or Want under each one. Two short questions at the bottom get them thinking, including one that doesn't have an easy answer: shoes are a need, but are shoes that light up a need or a want?
Page 2 asks your child to draw one need and one want. It also has a short note for grown-ups and the answer key.
How to use it at home or in class
- Read the two definitions out loud first. A need is something you must have to live and stay healthy, and a want is something nice to have that you can live without. Kids sort faster once they have the words.
- Let your child sort on their own, then talk about the tricky ones. The talk is where the learning happens, so ask "Why did you pick that?" before you say whether it's right.
- Finish with the drawing page. Drawing their own need and want helps the idea stick, because it comes from your child's life and not from a picture we chose.
Questions to ask while your child works
- Could we live without this? What would happen if we did?
- Can something be a need and a want at the same time?
- What's one want you'd like to save for?
That last question is a natural bridge to saving. In Calm Money Kids, a want your child cares about becomes a goal for the Dream jar, and the Dream jar savings tracker helps them reach it.
Common questions about teaching needs and wants
What age should kids learn needs and wants?
Most kids can start at 4 or 5 with pictures like these. By 7 or 8, they can sort real choices, like the shoes they need and the brand they want.
Is food a need or a want?
Healthy food is a need. Candy and ice cream are wants, because we can live without them. That's why the worksheet says "healthy food" and not just "food."
How do I keep teaching needs and wants after the worksheet?
Use real moments, like the grocery store or a birthday list. Calm Money Kids gives your child a Spend jar, so they get to make real choices between wants with their own money.