Monetary Awareness in Children

This study investigated children's interest in and understanding of money. Children's interest was evaluated in a recall memory task and by simple choice of a favorite item. Understanding of money was determined by giving children a choice of 100 pennies or one dollar bill and by evaluating the reasons that they gave for making their choices. One hundred thirty-four children ranging from 3 through 11 years old participated in the study. Between the ages of 5 and 7, children showed a marked increase in interest in money and rational understanding of money. These results concur with recent findings concerning children and altruism with money.