Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Spend or Save Board Game: Free Printable Game for Year 6
- ForYear 6
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Spend or Save Board Game is a free printable board game for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11). Two to four players race to the finish and meet special squares that ask them to think about money choices. After each one, players say whether the choice was wise or not, so the talk matters as much as the winning.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, use page 1 for play and keep page 2 for the grown-up. Page 2 has notes, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children play a board game in a group of two to four. Everyone takes turns to move along the board towards the finish. Along the way they land on special squares that link to saving and spending. After each special square, the player says why the choice was wise or not. Some squares send players backward, so a clever choice can matter as much as a quick move.
Why talk about saving and spending at ten and eleven?
By Year 6, many children have some money of their own, from pocket money, birthday gifts or small jobs. They are starting to make choices without an adult. PSHE education gives them a safe place to practise those choices and to talk about them before the stakes are real.
A game suits this topic well. Children see a choice, pick a response and watch what happens next, all within a few minutes. There is no pressure and nothing real is lost. Saying out loud why a choice was wise or not helps children put their own reasoning into words, which is a skill they will use for years.
Money facts for children
- The pound is the money used in the United Kingdom.
- There are 100 pence in one pound.
- Coins in the UK include 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2.
- A bank can keep your savings safe for you.
- Some savings accounts pay interest, which is a small extra amount added to the money you keep there.
Skills and curriculum link
- Saving
- Spending choices
- Taking turns
- Giving reasons
- Listening to others
Ideas that help with money choices
- Needs and wantsA need is something you must have, like food or a coat in winter. A want is something nice to have. Telling them apart makes spending choices easier.
- Saving goalsSaving is easier when you know what it is for. A clear goal helps a person keep going when they are tempted to spend.
- WaitingSometimes it pays to wait. A person may save for something bigger, or find a better price later.
- ComparingLooking at more than one choice before buying helps people spend wisely. Ask what else the money could do.
Key words
- SaveKeep money to use later instead of spending it now.
- SpendUse money to buy something.
- BudgetA plan for how much money to spend and how much to keep.
- ChoicePicking one thing from two or more options.
- GoalSomething you are working towards, such as saving for a book.
- EarnGet money by doing work or a job.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the children. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- Read the rules out loud together before you start, so everyone plays the same game. Work out who goes first.
- Play in groups of two to four. After each special square, the player says why that choice was wise or not.
- Check against the notes on page 2. Take turns being the person who reads or checks.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar game builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Play without the backward squares at first. This keeps the game moving and lets children focus on the choices. Read each special square aloud together and talk it through before the player answers. Add the backward squares in once everyone feels confident.
To stretch confident children
Add your own money rule square, such as 'Say one way to earn money'. Write it on a small piece of paper and place it on the board. Children can design several squares and swap them with another group to play a new version.
Make it a game
Play again, and this time each player says one way they could save in real life. It can be small, like keeping coins in a jar. Try not to repeat what another player has said, so the ideas keep coming.
Talk about it
- Which special square made you think the most? Why?
- When is spending money a sensible choice?
- What would you like to save for? How long might it take?
- Is a want ever a good thing to spend on? When?
- How did it feel when you landed on a backward square? What could you do differently next time?
- Why might two players give different reasons for the same choice?
Take it off the page
Saving jar
Choose a jar and decorate it. Write a goal on the front and add coins when you can. Talk about how long it might take to reach the goal.
Shop and choose
Set up a pretend shop with a few household items and price labels. Give each player a set amount of pretend money and ask them to choose what to buy.
Needs and wants sort
Cut paper into cards. Draw or write things people buy on each one, then sort them into needs and wants. Talk about the ones that could go in either pile.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first game and let them lead. Ask them to explain their reasons after each special square. Keep rounds short, and try a second game on another day. There are no right or wrong feelings about money, only choices to talk through.
Teachers
Use it as a PSHE starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Groups of two to four suit a class well. The support and stretch ideas on page 2 help with mixed ability groups, and the talk prompts work as a class discussion.
Home educators
Print it as part of a wider PSHE plan. It pairs well with real life talk about shopping, saving and pocket money. Because it is free to print, you can use it again with brothers and sisters, or play it again in a few weeks as a refresher.
Where this fits in learning about money
Before this, children usually meet the idea that money is used to buy things and that people make choices about what to buy. They may have talked about needs and wants, or played shop. Those first ideas give Year 6 children something to build on.
After this, children can move on to thinking about budgets, saving for a bigger goal and how they might manage money as they get older. The habit of giving reasons for a choice carries forward into all of that. It also helps when they start secondary school.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Spend or Save Board Game for?
It is written for Year 6 (ages 10 to 11), in Key Stage 2. Younger children may join in with help, and older children can use the stretch idea to make the game harder.
- What will children practise?
Children think about saving and spending choices, supporting PSHE education work on money and making good decisions. They also practise taking turns and explaining why a choice was wise or not.
- How many people can play?
Two to four players. Everyone takes turns, and after each special square the player says why that choice was wise or not. A small group keeps the game moving and gives everyone time to talk.
- What if it feels too hard?
Play without the backward squares at first. This keeps the game simpler while children get used to the special squares. Add the backward squares in once everyone feels confident with the rules.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters, other groups or a repeat game a few weeks later.
- How long does it take?
The sheet does not set a fixed time. Short bursts of ten to fifteen minutes work well, so play for as long as it suits you. You can come back and play again another day.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can colour the board in if they like, which also makes the game feel more their own.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.