To further enhance young children’s financial literacy and help them develop a sound understanding of money and basic saving and spending habits, on the afternoon of November 25, the School of Economics and Management (SEM) Volunteer Service and Social Practice Center, together with the “Qian Tu Wu You” (Bright Money Future) practice team, visited Yantai Qianyou Kindergarten to carry out a themed activity entitled “Kids Learn Money Skills · Become Smart Little Stewards.”
Centered on fun, interactive Q&A, the activity was designed to boost children’s engagement through multiple learning modules and to deliver financial concepts in an age-appropriate and enjoyable way. At the beginning, volunteers explained “Where does money come from?” to help children understand the basic sources of income. In the “Dreams of Little Money” segment, many children said they would use money to buy books to enrich their knowledge, and nearly half expressed a willingness to donate to people in need—demonstrating strong empathy and a growing sense of social responsibility. Volunteers then introduced practical “money-management tips,” sharing simple and foundational approaches to saving and spending wisely.
Following the teaching session, the activity moved into hands-on practice. In the “My Spending Plan” simulation, three children volunteered to play family roles and acted out scenarios such as parents giving pocket money and children planning their spending, helping them experience the effort behind earning money and better appreciate the value of financial planning. The event concluded with a creative drawing and sharing session, where children worked in groups to complete their artwork under volunteers’ guidance and proudly presented their ideas. One child shared, “Thank you, big brothers and sisters. I now understand why managing money is important. I will take good care of my pocket money in the future.”
The activity helped address a gap in early-childhood financial literacy education by strengthening children’s awareness of money’s value and the importance of responsible consumption, laying a solid foundation for healthy financial habits and a positive outlook on wealth. Moving forward, SEM will continue to expand its volunteer services in children’s financial education, enrich program content and activity formats, and provide sustained support for children’s lifelong financial capability development.
