Investment Ideas for Kids: Starting Them Early

Investment ideas for kids can be as simple as depositing money into stocks or bonds that pay interest. (Fizkes/ShutterStock)

By Joseph Hogue Produced by Planner at Heart and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks

As a parent, you may be looking for ways to help your child learn about managing money and building wealth. Investing is a great way to do this. With time and planning, your kids could be well on their way to financial security and independence.

First, ensure your child understands the meaning of investing in stocks or other securities.

Start Early

Investment ideas for kids can be as simple as depositing money into stocks or bonds that pay interest. This type of investment has the potential for higher returns than traditional savings accounts.

Investing is scary, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s not only a great way to teach young kids about money, but it could also be a brilliant financial move. Just make sure you’re explaining the basics at the level they can understand.

Stocks: When you invest in stocks, you buy a company’s shares. Stocks can be expensive and risky, making them an ideal investment for older children who have had more time to learn about money and investing.

Mutual Funds: One of the best ways to invest is through mutual funds. Mutual funds are made up of stocks from different companies, so you don’t have to worry about looking for individual stocks or choosing the right ones for your child.

A Savings Account: A savings account for a child isn’t just a place to store their money. It’s also a way for them to learn about the value of saving and taking care of money.

Childhood is a time when kids are more than willing to learn. They are open to trying new things and exploring the world around them. Investing in your kids—by teaching them to invest early on—will save you money in the long run.

The earlier you start investing in your children, the better their chance of doing well in school and getting into a good college or university.

Setting up an account for them with money for their future will teach them about savings, compound interest, and long-term planning skills. They'll be better prepared to buy their first home or car when they get older.

Teaching children about saving money now will help them become more financially responsible adults when they grow up.

Can Kids Start Investing Early On?

Kids can start investing in the stock market at a young age. They can buy stocks individually or through their parents’ brokerage accounts. The most popular stocks for children are Disney, Microsoft, and Amazon.

For kids too young to open a brokerage account, their parents can open one with the help of a financial adviser. It is important to teach kids about money when they are young to know how to manage it when they grow up.

Investing at an Early Age

Children aged 4-8 are a major target of many financial literacy campaigns. These children have been seen as being crucial for the future, and so it is essential that they have a firm understanding of money and how to make their investments. When these children grow up, the decisions they will be making will be more difficult and also more critical.

Financial Literacy in Children

Financial literacy is understanding how to manage money, debt, investments, and other forms of personal finance.

Children need to be financially literate just like adults. Teach them how to understand the value of money, how to make a budget, and what different types of investments are.

Kids are naturally curious about so many things and the world around them. They want to enjoy, learn, understand and explore how things work.

But many children grow up in households where their parents take care of the finances and don’t ever involve them. This leaves kids without any knowledge or understanding about managing their finances as they age, and a growing percentage of children don’t understand what it means to have debt or investments.

Parents, grandparents, and teachers need to use everyday situations to teach kids about the role of money in their lives. They learn the value of making wiser decisions in their day-to-day life that will help them become financially more competent adults.

On Teaching Kids How to Save

Saving money is a lifelong lesson that kids of all ages should start learning early on. One way to teach them is to get them involved in creating their investment ideas.

One of the most basic financial lessons for children is that people don’t always have access to unlimited money, so saving money early can help them develop a habit of saving early and often.

Another important lesson is how much interest can increase over time on saved money. Knowing the value of compound interest will help children better invest some of their savings now to earn more later and when they take on a job or career.

Best Way to Teach Kids About Investing

Kids need to be able to save money and invest that money into something that will grow over time. The first step is to show them the basics of investing. This includes understanding what stocks are, how they work, and how they can make money.

Explain that buying stocks means betting the company will do well financially and share profits with investors over time. Explain that bonds are another kind of investment that pays interest to investors periodically until they reach maturity, at which point the investor receives the principal amount invested.

The second step is ensuring kids understand the value of saving their money so they can start investing sooner than later.

Lastly, giving kids opportunities for hands-on learning is essential to experience all the benefits of financial literacy throughout their lives.

The Epoch Times Copyright © 2022 The views and opinions expressed are only those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.