The Story of MoneyGrade 3 Social Studies for Kids

From trading and shells to coins, paper money and cards.

The Story of Money takes third graders from trading goods to shells, coins, paper money, cards and phones. Kids learn how money changed over time and why trade helps everyone.

  • Grade 3 · Ages 8–9
  • 1 lesson
  • 1 game
  • 4 practice questions
  • About 10 min
Start Learning Free Open the Course
  • Learn it
  • The Why? question
  • Money Timeline
  • Money Quiz

Social Studies course · Grade 3

The Story of Money · Learning goals

What Your Child Will Learn

Long ago, people traded goods instead of using money. Learn how money changed from shells and coins to paper money, cards and phones, and why trade helps everyone.

  • Money Timeline

Why it matters

Why This Matters for Kids

  • Why money exists

    Learning about barter shows kids why money makes trade easier.

  • Economic history

    The story of money connects history with economics in an engaging way.

  • Modern money

    Kids understand cards and digital payments as a form of money, too.

Inside The Story of Money

How the Course Works

A short read-aloud lesson first, then hands-on games and a quiz to lock it in.

  1. Step 1 · Lesson

    Learn it

    A short read-aloud lesson in 5 steps.

  2. Step 2 · Think

    The Why? question

    Why did people start using money instead of trading goods?

  3. Step 3 · Timeline game

    Money Timeline

    Put the story of money and trade in order.

  4. Step 4 · Quiz

    Money Quiz

    4 questions to check what stuck.

Lesson preview

A Peek Inside the Lesson

This is the real lesson text your child hears, read aloud by a friendly voice.

Long ago, people traded goods: a basket of fish for a bag of grain. This is called barter.

Barter is hard if nobody wants what you have! So people began using money.

Some places used shells or beads. Later, people made coins from metal. China and Lydia made some of the first coins.

China also made some of the first paper money, over 1,000 years ago!

Today many people pay with cards and phones. Money keeps changing!

For parents

Try It at Home

Learning sticks best when kids use it in real life. Here are simple ideas from this course.

Parent Tip

Play a barter game: trade toys or snacks without money. Talk about why it can be hard to agree on a fair trade.

Talk About It

Why did people start using money instead of trading goods?

  • It's easier to carry
  • Everyone accepts it
  • You can save it for later

Practice

Grade 3 Social Studies Practice Questions

Real questions from The Story of Money. Try them with your child, then tap to see the answer.

  1. Question 1

    Trading goods without money is called…

    • A.Saving
    • B.Voting
    • C.Barter
    Show answer

    Barter

  2. Question 2

    Which came first?

    • A.Credit cards
    • B.Trading goods
    • C.Paying by phone
    Show answer

    Trading goods

  3. Question 3

    Some of the first paper money came from…

    • A.China
    • B.Antarctica
    • C.The Moon
    Show answer

    China

The full course has 4 questions with instant feedback, stars and rewards. Create a free account to play them all.

The Story of Money · Questions from parents

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this course for?

The Story of Money is a grade 3 social studies course for kids ages 8–9. That is Year 4 social studies in the UK and Year 3 in Australia. It also works well for review in the next grade, or as a challenge for a confident younger learner.

What will my child learn?

Long ago, people traded goods instead of using money. Learn how money changed from shells and coins to paper money, cards and phones, and why trade helps everyone. Along the way they practice: Money Timeline.

How long does the course take?

About 10 minutes in total, split into 3 short levels. Most kids finish it over two or three sessions. Progress is saved, so they can stop any time and pick up where they left off.

Is this course free?

The Story of Money is part of SkillBloom Premium, which unlocks every course in every subject. Each subject also has free courses, so your child can try SkillBloom before you decide.

Does my child need to read well to use it?

No. Every lesson has a friendly read-aloud voice, questions are read aloud too, and the pictures help kids follow along. Confident readers can turn the voice off.

Can we use it for homeschool?

Yes. SkillBloom is built for homeschooling families. Kids work through lessons, games and quizzes on their own, and the parent dashboard shows what they finished and which skills need more practice. It works on phones, tablets and laptops.

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