Curated tools, lesson plans, and programs to help you support young people’s financial literacy — at home or in the classroom.
AUDIENCE TAGS
[For Parents] Home use & family conversations; [For Educators] Classroom use & lesson plans; [For Both] Works well in either context
CFEE Resources
Starting points from the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education.
- CFEE – Canadian Foundation for Economic Education – The home of all CFEE programs, resources, and workshops for financial literacy across Canada. [For Both]
- Money and Youth – CFEE’s flagship financial literacy resource for students and families. Downloadable modules cover budgeting, saving, careers, and investing — with parent guides and teacher’s guides included for every module. [For Both]
- Money and Youth – Module 5: Sources of Income – Downloadable student module and teacher’s guide covering employment income, self-employment, investments, and more — with a parent guide included. [For Both]
- It’s a Great Time to Talk with Your Kids About Money – CFEE Blog – Practical advice and conversation starters for parents looking to introduce financial literacy topics at home, in any circumstances. [For Parents]
- Recession vs. Depression: Putting Economic News in Context – CFEE Blog – Helps parents explain the difference between recessions and depressions to their children, and put economic uncertainty into perspective. [For Parents]
Talking About Money
Age-appropriate activities and conversation guides from Talk With Our Kids About Money (TWOKAM) — designed for use at home or adapted for the classroom.
- Need It, Want It — It’s Your Call (Video) – A short video to spark conversations about needs versus wants. Easy to watch as a family or use as a classroom discussion starter. [For Both] [Video]
- Pig Tales with the Piggies Three – TWOKAM – An introduction to needs, wants, and saving through storytelling — a gentle entry point for younger children. [For Parents] [Ages 5–7]
- Wants and Needs – TWOKAM – Helps preteens distinguish between things they need and things they want, with guided discussion prompts. [For Parents] [Ages 11–13]
- Talking Needs and Wants – TWOKAM – A deeper conversation guide for teenagers navigating spending decisions. Suitable for home use or as a classroom activity. [For Both] [Ages 14–16]
- Tracking Income and Expenses – TWOKAM – Helps young adults begin tracking their money as they enter the workforce. Works well as a take-home activity or practical classroom exercise. [For Both] [Ages 18+]
- Have You Thought About Where You’ll Live? – TWOKAM – A guide for older teens and young adults thinking about the costs and decisions involved in independent living. [For Both] [Ages 18+]
Budgeting
Tools and activities for building budgeting skills at home and in the classroom.
- Budgeting for Student Life – Government of Canada – Practical tips and strategies for managing money through post-secondary years. Useful for home review with a teen preparing for school or as a classroom reading resource. [For Both] [Government]
- Student Budget Worksheet – Government of Canada – A downloadable worksheet to help post-secondary students track income, expenses, and savings goals. Works well as a take-home exercise or in-class budgeting simulation. [For Both] [Government]
- Eating Out on a Budget – TWOKAM – An activity exploring food spending decisions and trade-offs. Originally designed as a school lesson plan, equally useful as a family conversation. [For Both]
- The Cost of Living on Your Own – TWOKAM – A practical activity to help older teens understand the full costs of independent living — housing, utilities, food, transportation, and more. [For Both] [Ages 18+]
- Managing Debt and Credit – Building Futures in Manitoba – A lesson plan on understanding debt, credit, and responsible borrowing from the Building Futures in Manitoba curriculum. [For Educators]
Post-Secondary Planning
Resources for navigating education pathways, financial aid, and the costs of school.
- Pay for Post-Secondary: A Student’s Guide to Financial Aid – An open-access guide to navigating scholarships, bursaries, and student financial assistance. A valuable reference for parents helping their child plan and for educators supporting students in Grade 11–12. [For Both]
- Building Futures in Ontario – A curriculum-linked program correlated to Grade 9 Math and Grade 10 Careers outcomes in Ontario. Uses real-life video and animation scenarios to develop applied financial skills, with parent resources included. [For Both]
Careers, Entrepreneurship and Decision-Making
Resources for exploring career pathways, developing entrepreneurial thinking, and building resilience.
- Career Callings (in partnership with CFEE) – An online platform to explore meaningful career paths aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Includes self-assessment quizzes, industry insights, and tools to match strengths with opportunities. Suitable for Careers, Civics, and Social Studies classes. [For Both]
- Career Callings – Overview One-Pager (PDF) – A quick-reference summary of the Career Callings program — useful for sharing with students or including in parent communication. [For Both] [PDF]
- Entrepreneurship: The Spirit of Adventure – Video Profiles and Resources – Free video profiles of 30+ Canadian entrepreneurs, organized by topic. Includes print resources and a self-assessment tool. Suitable for family viewing and classroom use alike. [For Both] [Video Series]
- The Pros and Cons of Decision Making – CFEE Classroom Edition – An article exploring structured approaches to decision-making — useful for parents coaching teens, and for Careers or Business classes discussing how students evaluate choices and trade-offs. [For Both]
- Ways to Handle Change and Stress – CFEE Classroom Edition – An article on coping with change and stress — relevant for teens navigating major transitions, and useful for student wellbeing discussions in Guidance or Careers classes. [For Both]
- What Will School Look Like in the Future? – CFEE Classroom Edition – An article exploring how education is changing — a useful discussion starter for Careers or Current Events classes, and for families thinking through post-secondary options. [For Both]
CRA Outreach Factsheets
Canada Revenue Agency guides on benefits and credits for specific situations and communities — useful for sharing with students, families, or community members.
- Students – Get your benefits and credits! (PDF) – Benefits and credits for student filers. [For Both] [PDF]
- Modest Income Individuals (PDF) – How the CRA can help when money is tight. [For Both] [PDF]
- Persons with Disabilities (PDF) – Benefits and credits for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. [For Both] [PDF]
- Indigenous Peoples (PDF) – How filing taxes opens benefits for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals. [For Both] [PDF]
Research and Background Reading
Research to deepen understanding of financial literacy among Canadian youth.
- Financial Literacy of Indigenous Secondary Students in Atlantic Provinces – AAEDIRC (PDF) – A research report from the Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Project — valuable background for educators working with Indigenous communities. [For Educators] [PDF] [Research]
Resources compiled by the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) for the Money and Youth workshop program. | cfee.org