When I was a kid I was obsessed with the computer game, Sims. I used the cheat code “Rosebud” over and over until I was filthy rich. Then I would build the house of my dreams.

As you grow up you think that your life can be like Sims, that you can hack your reality to get the life you only dream of. I’m still working on that cheat code and the Barbie Dream House.

For those of us that want to relive the excitement of our former youth, I found some money games that give me that same sense of satisfaction.

LEGO City Adventures Build and Protect is a game that allows you to build a city to grow your wealth. First you must build a police station and a fire station to protect your city. You have to mine for bricks and once you have enough, you can open a store, like a doughnut shop, to start earning money. Once you accumulate enough wealth, you can continue building your city with houses, a game shop, aquarium and a prison.

As you continue to grow your city beyond the city limits, you can expand to the boroughs, suburbs and the highest level, a metropolis. The amount of building options increases as you progress, to cafes, pizza shops, banks and more.

Practice Math With Number Games

When I go to the grocery store with my son we use the self-checkout and I let him scan all the items. Grocery Cashier is like a game version of ringing in groceries but with the added bonus of practicing math and numbers.

I think at any age we can work on our money skills, but especially for my son who is five years old. It’s a fun game for kids where they get to play with the cash register. You ring in each grocery item and then calculate the amount of change you give to the customer. It’s great for kids who are just beginning to learn addition and subtraction. It also shows them the value of money and what you can buy for $5, $10 etc.

Whether you have kids that are learning about money or you are just bored at work, I implore you to see how money games can work for you.