When our daughter was beginning to learn multiple digit numbers, it seemed ridiculous for me to give her a worksheet when she had a life lesson sitting in front of her in the form of our family checkbook. This experience began with our monthly checkbook statement.

Our daughter was learning how to read several digit numbers. So, one day when I went to balance the checkbook I invited her to assist me with doing some adult work. She was excited to participate in such an important activity. While this definitely took longer than if I had just done it myself, it was an excellent opportunity for her to see why she needed to learn how to read numbers.

I had her read the date and the amount of the check or debit card purchase. As she went through the list, I checked them off on the checkbook register. We had fun as she worked her way through the numbers and she got a kick out of freaking me out when she would say the number wrong. It usually would go something like, “One thousand five hundred ninety-nine”. My response always included wide eyes as I would say, “What?” Then we would look at it again and thankfully it would just be $150.99. Whew!

While she definitely got a periodic kick out of the shock factor when she read the number wrong, she quickly learned how reading and writing a number correctly was critical to being fiscally responsible.

As we worked we talked about what certain purchases were for, and whether they were important or if it was a waste of money. This was a great way for her to analyze the needs versus wants of our family and to see the effects of those needs and wants.

Once we balanced the checkbook she beamed with pride as she realized that she had assisted our family to function that month. It was a great opportunity for her to learn her numbers, how money was spent and analyze the effects of those decisions.

Checkbooks are a great resource. You can incorporate multiple digit math, how to reconcile a bank statement, graphs of how money is spent, what a budget is and how to write one. In addition, they get a better understanding that money does not grow on that proverbial tree!

By using a checkbook to teach math you are also teaching a life skill!