Most young children enjoy counting and sorting coins, but somewhere along the way unless they are coached, they’re probably more likely to lose their pennies in the couch, rather than save them. It doesn’t have to be that way! You can teach your children to start saving as soon as they can sort coins.

Start with a piggy bank or, easier still, a jar! You don’t need to buy special jars. You could use a baby food jar, jelly jar, peanut butter, Parmesan cheese or any jar (don’t forget to clean it and let it dry completely). They can decorate the jar with paper, stickers or whatever craft supplies you have on hand. Then, let the fun begin!

1. Work for pennies. Assign chores to your child and pay them in coins—a dime to water plants, a quarter to put away laundry, etc. You’ll be amazed how many chores they want to do to watch their money build in the jar.

2. Make a game of it. For children who are old enough to read dates (about age 5 and up), hand them a pile of change and ask them to look for their birth year on the coins. Whichever coins are from that year, the child may put in the jar. Get into the habit of doing this once a week.

3. Help them set goals. For older children, let them make a jar—or two or three!—for each goal they’d like to save for. They could save for a special lunch, movie ticket, toy, video game, etc. You could also suggest they have a jar for spending, saving and donating. Give them an allowance and help guide them in deciding which jar to drop the money in.

4. Challenge them. Most of us know about “swear jars” where you have to drop in money when you use foul language. Why not put a positive spin on that and have a Kindness jar for each child where you drop coins in every time you catch them doing something kind and match their deposit in a separate jar that can be used for family fun!

Watch them enjoy their savings grow!