10 workshops for children: 25 games + theatre

Our goal is to help every child believe in themselves and develop their potential, while at the same time learning important things about money and the world around them. See how we achieve this through our workshops in our video.

The project “About Money and Other Important Things” is implemented by the Financial Literacy Initiative Foundation with the support of NN Bulgaria. Within the project, a one-of-a-kind guide has been developed, containing 25 active games and lesson-performances across 10 thematic areas.

Teachers who wish to use the guide have the opportunity to complete training under a program approved by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES). Upon completion of the training, participants earn 1 qualification credit.
For contacts: office@financialiteracy.eu.

In addition to laying the foundations for sustainable knowledge and skills in financial literacy, the workshops also address other key educational competencies—mathematical, language, and social skills, as well as so-called soft skills. All of this reaches children in their own way—through games, competitions, theatre, and plenty of smiles. We believe that this comprehensive approach is particularly effective and that the workshops will find wide application not only across various school subjects in primary education, but also in diverse forms of learning and activities.

OUR APPROACH

In short: “No to boring lessons! Yes to play, creativity, and fun!”

We firmly believe that children deserve more appropriate forms of learning—ones that allow them to explore the world in all its richness. They should be positively engaged in what they do, including emotionally, in order to achieve meaningful results. Financial literacy can and should be taught in an enjoyable way.

Through play, children become explorers, detectives, and creators; they crack secret codes, save the world, help a friend. They turn into actors, directors, and musicians—and in this way they learn the most important lessons about money, as well as about friendship and family, kindness, and caring for the world around us.

The two main methods we use are active games and the lesson-performance. Both have proven highly effective for learning, thanks to the high level of engagement and the transformation of children from passive “listeners” into active participants and creators.

THE THEMES

Thematically, the program covers: professions and entrepreneurship, financial planning, budgeting, saving, lending, investing, responsible consumption and shopping, basic knowledge of taxation, social security, insurance, life insurance, and pension provision. Alongside these financial topics, the program also addresses care for the environment, human relationships, support, and empathy for others—all presented in an age-appropriate and engaging way.

The topics are arranged in a clear logical sequence for introducing new knowledge. Successful personal finance management has two sides—like a coin. On one side is the ability to generate income through developing professional and personal competencies; on the other is the ability to manage that income rationally and wisely in line with individual goals. The workshops follow this path—from discovering individual talents, career orientation, and entrepreneurship to managing personal finances.

The activities—games and the lesson-theatre—are designed to align with and enrich the curriculum of the subject “Technology and Entrepreneurship” in primary education. At the same time, they reflect recommendations from leading global experts in children’s financial literacy regarding the most essential areas of financial knowledge and skills: work and creativity as sources of income, budgeting, saving, investing, responsible consumer behavior, philanthropy, and care for the environment. A strong emphasis is also placed on developing children’s emotional intelligence, with many elements incorporated into the games to support this.

THE GUIDE: 10 WORKSHOPS – 25 ACTIVE GAMES AND 1 THEATRICAL PLAY

The guide consists of ten workshops: nine form a logically connected series of active games on specific themes, and the tenth is a lesson-performance. The total number of games exceeds 25, each of which can be used either together with the others on the same theme or independently.

The games are developed as detailed scenarios. Guidance for the facilitator, as well as the key messages and learning content, are embedded in the activity plans and follow their logical progression, making implementation easier. All necessary instructions and materials are provided. The lesson-performance includes a detailed theatrical script with comprehensive guidelines and an informational component.

WHO IS THE GUIDE FOR?

The activities—game-based workshops and the theatrical play—are primarily suitable for children aged 6–11. They are designed to be easily adapted to the age and educational level of the group.

The guide is intended for educators and facilitators in schools, libraries, community centers (chitalishta), and other educational settings.

HOW CAN THE GUIDE BE USED?

The guide can be widely applied in primary schools, with activities used across multiple subjects due to the holistic approach and the focus on key competencies alongside financial literacy. In addition to Technology and Entrepreneurship, the workshops and lesson-performances can be used in mathematics, language development, “Man and Society,” visual arts, homeroom classes, and even physical education.

They are also suitable for various extracurricular learning formats, camps, and off-site (green or winter) schools. The methods used—active games and theatre through the lesson-performance approach—also enable broad application outside the school environment, such as in community centers, libraries, cultural centers, and similar settings.