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I live in a sunny area, it is pretty easy to get out most days thanks to the beautiful weather we have year-round. I know that this is not the case in many areas, I grew up in Chicago, where for a good part of the year we stood in circles trying to keep warm as the wind cut through our jackets and gloves nipped at our calves and noses.
Even a little cold weather should not stop you from taking your grandchildren on low – cost field trips that teach them about Financial Know-How. Many of these places are familiar to you if you have been around the block a couple times, but perhaps you never thought of making them field trips.
Your Local Bank or Credit Union
Our local credit union actually will give your grandchildren a free tour. You just have to call in advance, and be a little flexible on the time of day you go, as like most businesses they have busy times and not-so-busy times. Friday afternoons are probably a non-starter for this trip. But the advantages of visiting your local bank with your grandchildren are many: they can learn about the services they have available for them, they can open their own savings account, they can see what happens to their money when they make transactions, some even have special presents for visiting children, just like if you went to the dentist and got to pick from the prize box. It really is a fascinating business, and maybe you will get a little something out of it too.
The Mint
If you are lucky enough to live in Pennsylvania or Colorado take advantage of the Mint. These are amazing tours of not just the banking industry, but also of our American History and Heritage. If you do not live in these areas, or if it is an especially cold day out and you are stuck at home, try this link Mint Tours (http://www.usmint.gov/mint_tours/?action=VTShell), and show the grandbabies from home.
Your Local Financial District on a Busy Day
That’s right – most of the days, or half days, my Grandchildren have off school are working days for most folks. Take them down to your local financial district at lunch time and let them see the people hustling around. Just the knowledge of the sheer number of people who work in financial careers can surprise kids. There are places, like New York where you can take Wall Street Tours, and learn about the history of Wall Street, the Financial Crisis, or you can do a little research yourself at the following websites and provide your own information in your city and amaze the kids by how much you know:
History of The Stock Market
http://www.hermes-press.com/wshist1.htm
History of Wall Street (Library of Congress)
http://www.loc.gov/rr/business/wallstreet/wallstreet.html
Wall Street (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street
Federal Reserve Banks
There are Federal Reserve Banks in 12 different US cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Richmond, Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Dallas and San Francisco. This means no matter where you live, a Federal Reserve you can tour isn’t far off. You’ll have to make reservations in advance to tour one, leave your cells and cameras at home and bring along proper ID…but getting a tour isn’t a big problem. You will get to see how cash is processed through the facility, the gold vault and have time to explore the Bank’s on-site museum.
No matter the time period or the culture, this organization is dedicated to studying their currency. Visitors to this New York museum can see coins from ancient times to the modern, including relics from Roman, Greek, Byzantine and South Asian cultures, as well as some amazing collections from more recent mintings. Care to do a little research of your own? The ANS building is complete with library and archives that anyone can use. No items may be checked out, however.
Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Founded in 1898 at the Chicago Butter and Egg Board, today this thriving marketplace deals with a whole lot more than just butter and eggs. Trading at the CME now involves everything from alternative investments, like weather, to more traditional ones, such as commodities. Visitors to my home town will find two visitors’ centers at the CME, both containing viewing galleries to the trading floor below. Additional resources on hand will help you learn about the history of the CME and see how it’s expanded and evolved into the large marketplace it is today.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
If you haven’t gotten enough of seeing how money is made, venture to this Washington, DC landmark to see where it all begins. A tour will take you through the process of printing new money, starting with blank paper and ending with loads of cash. In addition to money, the facility also prints security badges, passports, White House invitations and materials for Homeland Security. If you can’t make it to DC, don’t worry – there’s another facility you can tour, located in Fort Worth, Texas.
I hope this has given you some ideas to help increase the burgeoning knowledge base of the grandchildren in your home. I think activities like this are important because they introduce new minds to the ever-changing economy around us, and if you can spark an interest at 5, think about the possibilities for your financial whiz at 13 –
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GrandmaCents 
We live in DC. I never thought about going to the Bureau of Engraving. But I think that would make a great field trip for my 4year old. I’m trying to teach him more about the concept of money.