Founding Family Pricing: $19 - Price increases to $22 when Guide 2 releases. Lock in your rate now.
Little Spenders
First Money Lessons for Ages 3–6
The complete parent's guide to building a
healthy money foundation for kids.
Prepare your kids for financial literacy and stability through play, everyday moments, and simple effective lessons.
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No financial expertise required.
Digital file. Instant download.
Price rises when Guide 2 releases.
225+
Pages of
Content
6
core teaching
chapters
30+
printable
resources
The Problem
Money habits are shaped by age 7.
Most parents wait until 16.
Research from Cambridge University confirms it: the financial behaviours your child will carry into adulthood are largely shaped in the first seven years of life — in how she watches you handle money, in the words you use when bills arrive, in the way she sees you make choices at the grocery store.
You don't have to be a financial expert. You don't need worksheets or lectures or to set aside special "money lesson" time.
But if you wait until she's a teenager to start these conversations, you've already missed the critical window.
"Your 3-year old is learning right now. The question isn't whether she'll develop money habits — it's whether those habits will be helpful or not."
Most parents instinctively know this matters. But without a clear structure, here is what tends to happen:
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They wait — for a "better time," a bigger income, or when kids are "old enough to understand" — and years slip by
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They try something, but without understanding how a 3-year-old's brain works, the lessons don't stick and the parent quietly gives up
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They inadvertently pass on money anxiety, scarcity thinking, or avoidance — not through lectures, but through the stress and silence they model every day
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Their child reaches 7 with habits already formed — and no foundation to build on
You're reading this because you don't want that.
This guide gives you the structure, the activities, and the exact words — so you can start this week, in 15 minutes at a time, without needing any financial background.
What This Is
A system for parents. Not a curriculum for kids.
Little Spenders is a play-based parent's guide — designed to integrate into your actual life, not exist separately from it. It empowers you to teach financial foundations naturally, during car rides, grocery trips, and bedtime, without any formal lesson preparation.
THIS IS
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A play-based introduction to money concepts
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Parent empowerment — no expertise needed
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Activity-based and designed for real daily life
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Age-split guidance for 3–4 and 5–6 year olds
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Practical tools: scripts, printables, a weekly rhythm
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A parent mindset module to work on your own money story first
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A troubleshooting guide for common challenges
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The foundation for a lifetime of financial confidence
THIS IS Not
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A math curriculum or school supplement
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A method for constantly saying "no" to your child
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A replacement for your family's values
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Something that requires hours of prep
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Lectures, worksheets, or formal lessons
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A quick fix or single-conversation approach
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One-size-fits-all (a 3-year-old ≠ a 6-year-old)
What's Inside
225+ pages built around how young children learn.
Every chapter follows the same parent-first structure: understand the developmental context, get the parent perspective, then choose from multiple play-based activities.
You don't need to do everything — you pick what fits your child and your week.
0
Foundation
Before You Begin - Your Money Mindset
A guided reflection on your own money story and limiting beliefs. Because your child will learn more from what you model than from what you say. Includes a parent self-assessment and limiting belief identification exercise.
1
Core Chapter
Money Recognition & Identification
What coins and bills are, how to name them, and how to make money tangible for young children. Includes the Coin Sort Game, Money Rubbing Art, and sorting activities with printable mats — adapted for 3–4 vs. 5–6 year olds.
2
Core Chapter
Where Money Comes From
How to explain work, earning, and the connection between effort and income at a concrete level a 3-year-old can grasp. Scripts for "What does Mum/Dad do?" conversations and activities for community helper recognition.
3
Foundation
Spending Basics — Needs vs. Wants
The foundational concept for all future financial decision-making. Includes the "Is that a need or a want?" conversation framework, sorting activities, the Would You Rather? scenario bank (12 scenarios for 3–4 and 5–6 year olds), and a store trip guide.
4
Foundation
Money Exchange & Spending Outcomes
What happens when you spend — the "Money Is Gone" demo, handling store disappointment calmly, and teaching cause-and-effect through real-world consequences. Includes emotion recognition cards for processing spending outcomes.
5
Foundation
Introduction to Saving
The three-jar Spend/Save/Share system explained and set up for this age group. Includes printable jar labels, a 10-step and 15-step savings tracker, and guidance on setting your child's first real savings goal.
6
Foundation
Sharing & Giving
Why giving matters, how to introduce it without pressure, and how generosity becomes a habit rather than an obligation. Includes a giving tracker, family giving rituals, and age-appropriate community giving activities.
7
Foundation
Troubleshooting & FAQs
A dedicated chapter for when things don't go as planned — meltdowns, sibling conflicts over money, "I want it NOW" moments, and common parent mistakes. Real scenarios with calm, practical responses.
8
Foundation
Quick Reference & Resources
Age-appropriate milestones ("What On Track Looks Like"), a complete 8-week sample plan, a Quick Activity Index grouped by goal, and a guide to what's coming in Guide 2: Young Earners.
Included
Printables Appendix
Sorting mats, picture cards, savings trackers, conversation cards, journals, and more — all in one place.
Included
8-Week Sample Plan
A ready-made schedule so you don't have to worry what to do next.
Included
Money Conversation Cards
Keep handy — fridge, purse, or phone — and drop into real moments naturally.
What You'll Accomplish
By the end of this guide, you will have:
Identified your own money story and any limiting beliefs you're at risk of passing on
Had the "where does money come from?" conversation in a way your child can grasp and remember
Set up the three-jar Spend/Save/Share system and your child's first savings goal
Handled store disappointment and "I want it NOW" moments with confidence
Introduced coins and bills so your child can name and recognize them confidently
Taught the needs vs. wants framework through play — not lectures
Established a simple weekly rhythm for money learning that fits your real life
Built the foundation your child needs before habits become harder to change
Who It's For
Written for parents who want to start — and don't know how.
This Guide Is For You If:
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You have a child aged 3–6
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You know this matters but aren't sure where to start
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You have 15 minutes at a time — not hours
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You're worried about passing on your own money anxiety
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You want a structured system, not scattered tips
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You're not a financial expert and don't want to pretend to be
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You want money to feel normal and positive in your home
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You're thinking about the long game — not only this week
This Guide Is Not For You If:
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You're looking for a math curriculum
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You expect one activity to create lasting habits
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You want to teach financial concepts through pressure or restriction
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Your child is 7+ (Guide 2: Young Earners will be the better fit)
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You're not yet ready to briefly reflect on your own money story
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What Makes This Different
There are a lot of parenting books. Here's why this one is different.
1
Parent First, Not Child First
Chapter 0 guides you through your own money mindset before you teach a single activity. Most books skip this entirely. It's the most important chapter in the guide — because if you're anxious about money, your child will absorb that, no matter how good the activities are.
2
Built Around How 3–6 Year Old Brains Actually Work
Concrete thinking only. Magical beliefs. Short attention spans. Cause-and-effect learning. Everything in this guide is calibrated to developmental psychology — designed for how young children learn, not watered-down adult content. Every activity has age-split adaptations for 3–4 vs. 5–6 year olds because they're genuinely different learners.
3
A System, Not a Book of Tips
This guide goes 225+ pages deep on ages 3–6 alone. You get a dedicated troubleshooting chapter, a full printables appendix, an 8-week plan, conversation cards, and age-specific milestones. This is a curriculum system, not a list of suggestions.
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Designed for Real Life
Activities take 10–15 minutes. No elaborate prep. The guide tells you to pick what works and skip what doesn't. It builds in repetition by design, because repetition without pressure is how 3–6 year olds learn. If your child loses interest halfway through, you stop. That's built in too.
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Part of a Cradle-to-Independence System
This is Guide 1 of 4 in the DIY Money Parenting Series, which continues through age 16. By purchasing now, you're starting a progressive financial education that builds on itself — each guide picking up where the last left off. The foundation you build at 3–6 is the one your child will build on at 7, 10, and 14.
The Full Series
Financial education from ages 3 to 75+
Little Spenders is the starting point. The DIY Financial Literacy Ecosystem is designed so the education never stops — growing with your child, then with you.
Guide
Title
Ages
Series 1 - Guide 1
Series 1 - Guide 2
Series 1 - Guide 3
Series 1 - Guide 4
Little Spenders - First Money Lessons
Young Earners - Allowance & Money Management
Smart Savers - Budgeting & Goal Setting
Money Thinkers — Financial Independence Prep
3 - 6
7 - 10
11 - 13
14 - 16
The Full Series
Start before the window closes.
Research from Cambridge University confirms that the money habits your child will carry into adulthood are largely shaped in the first seven years of life. If your child is between 3 and 6, your window is open right now — and it won't be forever.
Founding Family Launch Price
$19
Digital PDF. Instant download. Works on any device.
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Complete 225+ page guide (PDF)
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Full printables appendix — 30+ resources
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8-Week sample plan
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Money Conversation Cards
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Age-split activities for 3–4 and 5–6 year olds
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Dedicated troubleshooting chapter
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Founding reader lock-in — lowest price this guide will ever be
Get Instant Access - $19
Immediate PDF download. No upsells. Read on any device or print at home.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
My child is 3. Is it really not too early?
It's exactly the right time. Research from Cambridge University confirms that money habits are largely shaped in the first seven years of life — meaning the 3–6 window is when foundation work has the highest impact. A 3-year-old won't understand "saving for retirement," but she can learn what a coin is, that money comes from work, and that spending means it's gone. That's exactly where this guide starts.
I'm not good with money myself. Can I still use this?
Yes — and Chapter 0 is specifically for you. This guide doesn't require you to be a financial expert. It requires you to be willing to have simple, honest conversations and do short playful activities. Chapter 0 helps you work through your own money story first, so you can teach from a place of calm rather than anxiety.
How much time does this take?
Activities are designed for 10–15 minutes each. The guide explicitly tells you to pick 2–3 activities per week — not everything. It's built for busy parents, not educators with planning blocks. The most powerful learning happens during real life moments anyway: at the grocery store, paying the babysitter, or sorting change together.
Do I need to print the printables?
No. Every printable has a DIY alternative. The guide is fully usable without printing a single page. That said, the sorting mats and savings trackers are popular with kids who love seeing visual progress, and they're worth laminating for reuse once you've tried them.
What's the difference between this and a book like Beth Kobliner's?
Kobliner's book is an excellent overview covering ages 3–23 in one volume — it's broad by design. Little Spenders goes 225+ pages deep on ages 3–6 alone, with dedicated troubleshooting, printables, age-split adaptations (3–4 vs. 5–6), a sample weekly plan, and a parent mindset module. It's a system, not a reference book. The two aren't mutually exclusive — but they serve different purposes.
What happens when my child turns 7?
Guide 2: Young Earners (Ages 7–10) is currently in development and picks up exactly where this guide leaves off — introducing allowance, early banking, earning, and more structured saving goals. Founding family buyers of Guide 1 will receive early notification and special pricing when Guide 2 releases.
What format is this?
Digital PDF, delivered immediately after purchase. Works on any device — tablet, phone, laptop, or printed at home. If you'd prefer a physical copy, the print edition is available on Amazon at $25.
The window is open right now.
Research from Cambridge University confirms that the money habits your child will carry into adulthood are largely shaped in the first seven years of life. If your child is between 3 and 6, you are in the most important window of their financial development. You don't need to be an expert. You need 15 minutes, a few coins, and a guide that shows you exactly what to do. This is that guide.
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