Before there was money: free money worksheets (ages 4+)

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Money
Before there was money

4+

Before there was money: free money worksheets (ages 4+)

Long ago there was no money. People made things and swapped.

3 printable setsAnswer key includedThe story of moneyFree, no sign-up

Open Set A Open the notes PDF with key All 3 sets

How the swap went.

How it works
Worked examples
The worksheet
Words to know
Try it
For grown-ups

How it works

Long ago there were no coins and no shops.

People grew, caught and made what they needed.

When they wanted something else, they swapped.

Worked examples

Grew, caught, made

The girl grew golden grain in her field.
The man caught a fish in the river.
The woman made a pot out of clay.

The swap

The girl carries her grain down to the river.
She asks, may I have a fish? I will give you some grain.
The man holds out a fish, and they swap.

No coins

Nobody used a single coin.
They gave something and got something back.
Swapping helped people get what they needed.

A taste of the worksheets

These are some of the questions on the sets. The printable sheets have more and an answer key.

True or false? Did the girl and the man use a single coin?
What did the man give the girl? 🌾 Grain / 🏺 A pot / 🐟 A fish
True or false? Does swapping help people get what they need?
Where did the girl grow her grain? 🌾 In her field / 🏞️ In the river / 🏺 In a pot
True or false? 🌾 Did nobody make grain from a field?

More money for ages 4+

Trading with a neighbor
A B C

Sheet Notes Sets

Words to know

swap: To give something and get something back.
grain: The seeds of a plant, grown in a field.
clay: Soft earth that can be shaped into a pot.
village: A small place where people live together.

Watch out for

Do not say people used coins long ago. There were no coins yet.
Nobody made the sun, the river, the moon or the rain. They were always there.
Pots, bread, baskets and houses were made by people.

Try it

Did the village have any coins?

no. There were no coins yet.

What did the girl give the man?

grain. She gave grain and got a fish.

What did people do before there was money?

they made things and swapped. That is what Pip learned.

Name one thing that people made.

a pot, bread or a basket. People made pots, bread and baskets.

For grown-ups

With a grown-up, talk about what people did before there was money. Pip says they made things and swapped!

Talk together about what people did before there was money, and let your child act out the swap with two soft toys.

Next lessonTrading with a neighbor

Free printable sheets

Open a set in your browser to look at it and print it, or download the PDF. No account and no email.

The sheets use pretend money and made-up prices to practice ideas. Nothing on them is real money or financial advice.

Set AThe main sheet, written for this lessonOpen PDF PDF with key
Set BMore practice on the same lessonOpen PDF PDF with key
Set CMore practice on the same lessonOpen PDF PDF with key

This lesson's notes: open them or download the PDF.

The whole money book (139 lessons) is free too: download the PDF or see what is inside.

Learn it with the tutor

Tutorpip tells each money story aloud with pictures, and a few lessons are free to try. These printable sheets are free either way.

See the free lessons

4+

A lemonade stall

A B CSheet Notes

4+

Jobs people do

A B CSheet Notes

4+

Waiting for what you want

A B CSheet Notes

4+

Saving in a jar

A B CSheet Notes

4+

A promise to pay back

A B CSheet Notes

All 18 lessons for ages 4+

Learning, time and money sense with Pip and Sensei, Pre-K to Grade 6.

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