Game: Family
CASHFLOW for Kids™
For More Information or to Order: www.capitaldecisions.us

As homeschool parents we spend a lot of time and energy teaching the three R's and a myriad of other subjects - all with the desire that our kids will leave our homes with a well-rounded, excellent education.  While this is an admirable goal, an area that is lacking in many curriculums is Financial Literacy.  The creator of the CASHFLOW for Kids™ game has given us a tool for raising our children's financial I.Q.  In addition to the game itself, CASHFLOW for Kids™ includes a 185-page book and cassette by Robert T. Kiyosaki (author of the popular book, Rich Dad® Poor Dad) to help educate parents, who can then pass the information he offers on to their children as they play the game.  The book and tape, How to Raise Your Child's Financial I.Q., do not have to be read/listened to before you play the game, but the do offer valuable insight and are great learning tools for adults too.

On the sturdy game board, players move their pieces (cute, colored "rats") around a circular path depicting the "Rat Race" of life.  Players are each given a game card, which serves as an Income Statement -- to keep track of the expenses, salary income and passive income, and a Balance Sheet - to track assets and liabilities.  As play progresses there are plenty of opportunities to discuss various methods of spending versus investing, bills that result from certain expenditures and, most importantly, the concept that you can choose to work for your money or have your money work for you.  Game play is relatively simple and only took our family of four a little over an hour to play.  The rules suggest that one person be the Banker who handles all the money, salary, expense, and other icons.  We found that it is easier to split that responsibility between two players, to facilitate smoother game play.  The instruction booklet provides game rules explanations for the purpose of the various cards and playing spaces, and additional rules for making the game more challenging.  (By adding some variations to the game rules, kids learn more advanced concepts regarding personal cash flow.)  To keep the game enjoyable and non-intimidating, there is a certain amount of luck involved and the basic game is very simple to play.  However, the simplicity of the game doesn't keep kids from quickly drawing conclusions about what types of assets are better to purchase and deciding that they like the idea of earning money without having to depend on someone else for a paycheck (through investing wisely).  To further aid parents, the instruction booklet also has an extensive Frequently Asked Questions section and definitions of words used in the game. 

More than just a game, CAHSFLOW for Kids™ is an elementary course in Financial Literacy designed to educate the whole family!

Making the Grade: A
Cost: $39.95
Value for Your Homeschool Dollar: 9
Review provided by Cindy Prechtel, Editor