Ages 4+ · Money · The story of money
Before there was money
🌾grain🐟fish🏺pot🔄swap
Before there was money.The big ideaLong ago there was no money. People made things and swapped.
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.
Example 1: 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.
Example 2: 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.
🌾grain🔄swap🐟fish
The swap.Example 3: No coins
- Nobody used a single coin.
- They gave something and got something back.
- Swapping helped people get what they needed.
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
- 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?
- What did the girl give the man?
- What did people do before there was money?
- Name one thing that people made.
Answers: 1. no · 2. grain · 3. they made things and swapped · 4. a pot, bread or a basket
Try at homeWith a grown-up, talk about what people did before there was money. Pip says they made things and swapped!
For grown-upsTalk together about what people did before there was money, and let your child act out the swap with two soft toys.