Cashless payments

Teaching kids about money is no longer simply about coins and banknotes – increasingly, the way we pay for things is completely digital. So, what’s the best way of explaining that to little ones?

To help bring this topic to life for kids and parents alike, MoneySense teamed up with Tech She Can, a charity whose mission is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate in developing technology. Together, we created this animation which explores how cashless payments work.

In the animation, Tech She Can’s Katie and Tex meet Hannah from NatWest to learn how technology allows us to buy things without the need for cash – something that could be quite confusing for children who don’t see you handing over cash as you shop. The animation will help them understand how contactless cards and smart devices such as phones or smartwatches can be used to make payments quickly and easily.

Want to explore this topic further? We’ve also got an activity sheet for 5-8 year-olds to see how many digital payment methods they can identify (and this handy info sheet to help them with any they don’t know), plus a guide for parents on how to explain the different ways we pay for things.

Tech She Can is a charity that creates free learning resources to inspire and educate children about the world of technology and the variety of career opportunities it offers. The learning resources, known as Tech We Can, include animated lessons for children aged 5 and above, and on-demand videos and lesson packs for children aged 8-14. The content is free, easy to access and organised by subject area.