Buy It Right!

Buy it Right! - Includes 3 skill levels for improving money skills.

Buy it Right! is a money game that can support academics while working on a number of OT goals at the same time. Take turns purchasing products, adding up prices, and making change. The first player to fill his shopping cart wins the game.

The cards on the left in the image above are the shopping carts. You can see eight colored squares on the top card, two each of four different colors. At the top right of the board you can see 4 stacks of small cards. Each card has one item on it and these are the items available for purchase. Each card has a colored background that will match one of the four colors on the shopping cart squares. The price you pay for each item will depend on the throw of the dice. After you buy an item you will place it on the same colored square on the shopping cart card. Be the first to fill this cart with eight items to win the game.

There are three levels of play, described below. The green dice each have the numbers one to six on them. The bottom of the game box is a cash register tray so that you can sort coins and bills. The game includes pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters, one dollar bills, five dollar bills, ten dollar bills and twenty dollar bills.

The bottom of the box "cash register".

• LEVEL 1 - Follow the same directions as Level 3 but use bills only. Use only 1 die to represent dollars.
• LEVEL 2 - Follow the same directions as Level 3 but use coins only. Use 2 dice to represent coins. For instance, if you throw a three and a two you can have either 32 cents or 23 cents. Think big.
• LEVEL 3 - Play with both coins and bills. Use three dice to represent dollars and cents. For instance, if you throw and 1, 2, and 4 you may have $1.24. Or you could have $4.21 or $2.14, etc. Find the largest possible number if you are collecting money and the smallest possible amount if you are paying out money. Be the first person to fill your shopping cart with two item cards in each color (eight total) and win. 
  
  
  Play:
  Roll one die and move your marker ahead that many spaces on the game board. Follow the board directions for the spot you land on, using the calculator to add prices and make change. Board directions include:
  
  
• ATM - Roll the number dice and collect that much from the cash register. Remember to line your dice up so that you will collect the highest amount possible.
• Find Money - Roll the number dice and collect that much from the cash register. Remember to line your dice up so that you will collect the highest amount possible.
• Lose Money - Roll the number dice and put that much back into the cash register. Line up the dice so that you are paying in the least amount possible.
• Buy one, two or three items -  Choose any items you need from the item cards to help you fill your shopping cart. Line your dice up so that you are paying the least amount possible. Use the calculator to figure the total owed if you are buying more than one item. You can also use the calculator to figure change.
• Buy 1 item from a friend - Choose an item to buy from another player's cart. Throw the dice to see how much to pay him. Pay him the least amount possible.
• Give a gift to a friend - Choose an item card to give a friend. Throw the dice to see how much to pay the cash register. Pay the least amount possible.

If you would like to read more about games that require writing or drawing in some form, check out my post Games That Require a Writing Tool. 

To see a list of money games I have blogged about, check out my post Games With Money.

Try this:

• Shape the palm before shaking the dice by putting a small ball or round object in the individual's hand and forming the hand around it. Remove the ball and add the dice.
• Model the cupping position and how to shake the dice before starting to play - fingers together, making a rounded cup in the palm. Often the child will just squeeze the dice tight in the hand and shake the hand, thinking the dice are moving around when they are not.
• Skip the game, just use the cash register part of the box to practice sorting coins. Turn the box so that the coin sections are facing the individual. As you drop each coin, say the name and value. For example: nickle, 5¢.
• Skip the game, just use the cash register part of the box to practice sorting bills. Mix the bills. Practice putting them in a neat stack. Fan the bills and use the thumb to let one go at a time. Or hold a small stack of bills and push them off one at a time with the thumb to separate. Turn the box so that the bill section is facing the individual.
• Place several coins in the individual's hand. Ask him to push them, one at a time to the fingertips to sort.
• Place several coins flat on a table top. Ask the individual to pick them up, one at a time, squirreling each one in his palm as he goes without dropping any.
• Place several coins flat on a table top. Ask the individual to pick them up, one at a time, turn the hand over, and drop it into the palm. Close the fingers over the coin, turn the hand over and repeat.
• Place a line of 10 coins in front of the individual, all face down. Ask him to pick up one coin at a time, flip it in his hand and return it to the table face up.
• Shorten the game. Instead of using the shopping cart card to collect eight items, first player to collect any four items wins.Pick you favorites.
• Make change without using the calculator.
• Make change by picking up the coins one at a time and squirreling them in the palm as you go. Keep a running total in your head.
• Using just the cash register, hand the player two $1 bills. Ask him to make change two different ways.
• Give the individual a $10 or $20 dollar bill. Ask him to make change for it two ways, one with coins and one without. 
• Use just the cash register and dice. Throw one die and count out that many bills. Throw two dice, count out that much change. Throw three dice and count out that much in bills and change.
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, finger and manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, palmar arch development and support, finger isolation, separation of the two sides of the hand, using a writing tool, coin identification and value, counting money, making change, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation 

In the box: Game board, 3 dice, 4 game markers, 1 calculator, 4 shopping cart cards, 40 item cards, 40 play money bills, 100 plastic money coins

Ages 6-9, 2-4 players

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.