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Hi!  Thanks for visiting the Kids Zone of the Pennsylvania Treasury’s Web site.  I’m Pennsylvania State Treasurer Rob McCord, and my job is to keep our state’s money safe, help it grow, and pay the state’s bills – tens of billions of dollars each year!

My staff and I make important decisions about the state’s money, but I also want to make sure that all Pennsylvanians – like you and your parents – make smart decisions with their own money.  That’s why I am proud to offer Treasury programs that can help:

• Pennsylvania 529 College Savings Program helps your parents set aside money now to pay for
  your education after high school
• Keystone HELP lets grown-ups that own homes save money on keeping them warm in the winter
  and cool in the summer
• RetirePA encourages everyone to save money to live on when they are older and no longer working
• Unclaimed Property looks for owners of forgotten or lost property and gives it back

Some of you might be good at writing and others might be better at science, but it’s important that we all have a basic understanding of money so we can have a bright future. 

I offer a lot of links on this page that you can read on your own or with your parents to learn how to take care of your money now and in the future.  Some of the terms can be confusing, so we’ve included some resources to clear things up.  Plus, we’ve pulled together some exercises to test your money smarts!

I hope you enjoy this page and these resources.  My wish for you and other young Pennsylvanians is to have strong skills to handle your money – that way, you can focus on being the best student and citizen you can be!

Thanks for visiting and I hope you stop back often.

Warmly,
Rob McCord
Pennsylvania Treasurer

For Kids:
Treasurer McCord has pulled together some of interesting games and tools that can help you learn the value of money and basic financial concepts like saving, interest and investing in a fun and safe way. 

• FedVille – Welcome to FedVille, a friendly town built just for kids where there is something to learn around every corner.  (Source: Federal Reserve Bank)
• H.I.P. Pocket Change – A number of games from the U.S. Mint will help you learn about currency and managing money. (Source: U.S. Mint)
• It All Adds Up – Play these online games and simulations to learn about credit management, buying a car, paying for college, budgeting, saving, and investing. (Source: National Council on Economic Education)
• Investing for Your Future – Are you curious about investing?  Staff at Rutgers University put together a group of lessons to walk beginning investors through the process.  (Source: Rutgers Cooperative Extension)

For Parents:
Looking for a way to teach your children the value of money?  In addition to the activities in the kids section that you can do with your child, the links below offer tips on teaching the benefits of saving, the pitfalls of credit, and other important financial lessons.

• Ways to teach children about money – The National PTA offers 15 suggestions to illustrate these important concepts.
• The 15 money rules kids should learn – This column from the Wall Street Journal puts forth several critical rules every parent should teach their child.
• Top things to know about kids and money – CNNMoney.com points out several things parents should know when talking to their kids about money.
• Teaching teens money skills – FoxBusiness.com offers advice on what works and what doesn’t.
• 8 crucial money lessons for teens – Financial experts offer suggestions on how and what parents should teach kids about personal finance before they leave home (or get credit cards). (Source: MSMoney.com)