Add the Cash: Counting Money Game is a fast-paced and engaging way for students to build confidence with Australian coins. Designed to develop essential financial literacy and mental addition skills, this interactive game gives students a meaningful context to practise recognising coin values and calculating totals. With colourful spinners, strategic gameplay and plenty of replay value, it’s the perfect resource for making money maths fun and accessible.

Ideal for students in Years 1–3, players spin two spinners and add the coin values shown. They then cover the total on their individual game boards using counters. The first student to cover five amounts in a row - vertically, horizontally or diagonally - wins the game! The game can be played in turns or as a whole-group activity where all students respond to the same spin, making it highly flexible and suitable for various classroom setups.

Add the Cash helps reinforce coin identification, support mental addition, and build fluency in combining amounts in a low-pressure, collaborative environment. By working with familiar Australian coin values and using visual prompts, students strengthen their understanding of money while developing strategic thinking. The optional recording sheet provides an opportunity to link gameplay with written numeracy, supporting both verbal and written reasoning.

Key Learning Outcomes:

• ✅ Recognise and identify Australian coins and their values
• ✅ Add money amounts mentally and with increasing fluency
• ✅ Strengthen strategic thinking and problem-solving through gameplay
• ✅ Develop oral and written number sentence skills
• ✅ Build confidence in everyday money use and decision-making

What’s Included:

• Printable coin value spinners (two spinners per game)
• Multiple game board variations for repeated use
• Optional recording sheet to support number sentence practice
• Instructions for setup and flexible gameplay options

Materials Needed:

• Printed spinner page, game boards, and optional recording sheets
• Paperclip and pencil (or plastic spinner) to use with spinner templates
• Counters or tokens for covering totals on the game board
• Optional: real or play coins for tactile support with coin values
• Thick card or write-and-wipe sleeves for durability

How to Use:

• Print and prepare all components before beginning play
• Each student receives a game board and a set of counters
• Students spin both coin spinners and add the amounts shown
• They cover the matching total on their board using a counter
• If the total is already covered or not present, the turn is skipped
• Play continues until one player covers five amounts in a row in any direction

Ideas for Classroom Use:

• 💡 Use in numeracy centres as a fun and purposeful money activity
• 💡 Pair students together for peer support and strategy sharing
• 💡 Reinforce coin recognition using real or plastic coins during play
• 💡 Include in guided small-group instruction or fast-finisher tubs

Top Teacher Tips:

• 💛 Encourage students to say their coin values and total aloud to build mental maths fluency
• 💛 Use the optional recording sheet to link gameplay with written number sentences
• 💛 Challenge advanced students to create their own spinners with different coin combinations
• 💛 Print boards in black-and-white for students to colour in coin totals as a creative extension

Add the Cash: Counting Money Game offers a ‘cents-ational’ way for students to build vital financial skills. With every spin and total, they move closer to mastering money concepts in a way that’s memorable, engaging and fun!