Grades 1–2
Can You Buy It?
Eight price tags and a handful of coins for each. Kids count the coins and decide if there is enough money.
Math worksheet · Money counting and making change
Coin Riddles
Eight riddles like “I have 3 coins that make 16¢. What are they?” Every riddle has just one answer.
- Grade level
- Grades 1–2
- Time
- About 20 minutes
- Answer key
- Yes, page 2 of the PDF
- Kids practice
- Coin and bill values, Counting money, Making change, Decimals with money
What kids do
“Read the riddle. Try different coins until the number of coins and the total both match.”
Printed on the sheet:
- I have three coins. Together they make
- I have two coins. Together they make
- I have four coins. Together they make
- I have five coins. Together they make
Teacher tip
Kids can test their guesses with play coins until both clues match.
How to use it
- Set up a pretend store with the prices from the sheet.
- Write cents and dollars side by side on the board: 75¢ and $0.75.
- Do the first problem together under a document camera, then let kids finish on their own.
Watch for
Writing $5.7 for $5.07. The cents always take two digits.
Talk about it
- Where do people still use coins?
- Which problem was the hardest? What made it hard?
Take it further
Ask kids to count the coins in a jar at home with a grown-up.
US Letter, prints well in black and white. Free for home and classroom use: print as many copies as you need.
More money counting and making change worksheets
2nd grade
Show the Amount Two Ways
Six amounts. Kids draw two different sets of coins for each: one with the fewest coins and one another way.
Grades 2–3
Half Dollars and Dollar Coins
Meet the half dollar (50¢) and the dollar coin ($1), then count six groups of coins up to $3.
Grades 2–3
Write Money Amounts
Twelve amounts to write two ways: “three dollars and forty cents” becomes $3.40, and $5.07 becomes words.
Free for teachers
Get the free Classroom Drawing Kit
12 printable pages: six step-by-step lessons, a grid activity, draw-and-write sheets and teacher notes, sent with your welcome email. After that, new classroom printables by email.