Make Dinnertime Fun Again: "This or That" Money Game for Kids

Stephanie Brooke Lennon
4 days ago
3 min read

I have to share this because the reaction in my house has been wild. TL:DR - you HAVE to try this game.

We played this game four times last week. My kids keep reaching for the jar, even when we’re trying to talk about school or schedules. Maybe because we're trying to talk about school or schedules, lol.

They are actually asking to talk about money.

If you’ve ever tried to give a "Financial Literacy Lecture" at the dinner table, you know how rare that is. Usually, eyes glaze over. It feels like homework.

Last week, we didn't lecture. We played this new money game for kids.

The Experiment

I printed out a set of 96 Money This or That cards I’ve been working on. I cut them up, then folded and dropped them into a glass jar on the dinner table. No preamble. No "tonight we are learning about budgets."

"What's that?" my 12-year-old asked.

"Do you know the game, "This or That?" I asked her?

"I LOVE This or That!" she exclaimed, then reached for the first card.

Would you rather live in a huge mansion (but no WiFi allowed), or a tiny apartment with the fastest internet in the world?

"Would you rather live in a huge mansion (with terrible WiFi), or a tiny apartment with the fastest internet in the world?"

She immediately shouted, "Tiny apartment! Obviously!"

It wasn't just about the internet. She explained that she wants to be in the city, right in the middle of the action with people around her. To her, the secluded mansion didn't sound fancy—it sounded lonely.

My teenagers jumped in to argue for the mansion. My husband weighed in. We spent the next 20 minutes debating connectivity vs. luxury, experiences vs. stuff, and what actually makes life "good."

It wasn't a lecture. It was a conversation. And it was fun.

Dinner was over - and we kept talking.

Why It Works

Money isn't just about math; it's about values. But asking "what are your values?" is boring.

"Would you rather have a personal chef or a personal driver?" is exciting. You aren't just asking about luxury services; you are seeing if they value Time / Mobility (driver) or Health / Experience (chef).

You get to see how their brains are wired.

Are they Savers? ("I'd take the cash.")
Are they Spenders? ("I want the shoes now.")
Are they Entrepreneurs? ("I'd buy the lawnmower so I can make more money.")

Steal My Money Game for Kids (For Free)

I realized this prototype shouldn't stay in my kitchen alone. I cleaned up the design, added 96 different prompts covering everything from Earning and Saving to Ethics and Travel, and turned it into a printable PDF.

Printable Money This or That Game Cards for Kids in a Jar

It includes questions like:

Would you rather have a job you love that pays little, or a job you hate that pays $1 Million?
Would you rather pay for everything you eat, or pay for all your streaming and gaming?
Would you rather have a Magic Wallet ($5 refills daily) or a Suitcase with $10,000 once?

I invite you to download the whole set right now for free.

Get the "Money This or That" Game Cards

How to Play this Stealth Money Game for Kids

Download & Print: It takes about 2 minutes.
The Jar: Cut them up and pop them into a jar.
The Rule: Parents get to respond too.

This isn't a quiz. It’s a connection tool.

I tucked a second set in a Ziploc bag in my purse for restaurants. It is the perfect cure for the "pre-food phone scroll" while you wait for your order.

Download the cards, try them out tonight, and let me know which question sparks the biggest debate in your house.

To your success (and better dinner talks),

Stephanie MagniFI Your Life