Needs and wants
Things you must have, versus things that would be nice.
Three ways to explain it
Hatchlings · Ages 5–6
Needs are things you can’t do without, like food. Wants are things that would be lovely, like toys.
Fledglings · Ages 7–8
Needs keep you safe and well — food, a home, warm clothes. Wants are everything else. Both matter, but needs go first.
High Flyers · Ages 9–10
A way of sorting spending by how essential it is. The tricky part is that the line moves depending on your circumstances, and being honest about which is which is harder than it sounds.
Where to go next
There’s a printable sorting activity for this one, with 24 cards to cut out and argue over. The children’s version lives in Spending It Well.