LOOK! TEACHING KIDS ABOUT MONEY THROUGH PLAY VIA BPI AND KIDZANIA

They say it's all about how you start your kids young. Tammy is 12 years old at the moment, and with her young age, my husband and I have started to instill in her the value of money.  Why? So she would know that money is not out there where she can just get it for free.  Also, so she would be able to understand deeper that she has to work hard to be able to earn it because being financially literate is very critical in order to survive and succeed in life. 

Some may say— kids will always be kids kasi for them life is all about playing. Oo nga naman. 

Kaya when I got a call and was advised that BPI through its partnership with theme park KidZania will be holding an activity to teach kids some important life skills that can be learned through play— agad-agad I confirmed.

What a better way to teach the kids the so-called financial responsibility through learning about earning and keeping money through fun and practical play diba! 

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) and its thrift bank subsidiary BPI Family Savings Bank (BFSB) have applied the elements of gamification, through a partnership with theme park KidZania. With this effort, plus points talaga si BPI kasi they were able to catch the kids in their most soft spot which is playing as they teach valuable and practical life skills.

Media persons, us -bloggers and our children were treated to a fun day at KidZania where they learned the basics of financial management from (center, in red) Ma. Carmina Marquez, BPI Head for Deposit Products, and Owen Cammayo, BPI Head for Corporate Affairs and Communications. BPI has been KidZania's banking partner since the indoor theme park opened in 2016. 

Kidzania really suits this activity kasi inside the theme park, kids can earn and spend kidZos ( KidZania’s currency) when taking part in activities, as in the real world. 

Look, Tammy playing the role as the Judge. After the hearing, she was able to earn a salary!

You see, in this activity, children are being taught to fill over roles across 65 establishments, where they can work for companies in various industries such as publishing or pharmaceutical, or pay for services rendered in a beauty salon or training in a school.

So it's like they are living in the real-world! 

At Kidzania, Tammy was able to gain financial awareness as they handle and manage their own kidZos—from budgeting to spending and saving. 

Tammy's photo from her previous Kidzania visit doing the role of a Housekeeper at Holiday Inn Hotel

BFSB President Maria Cristina Go said KidZania, a place where kids learn through real-life role-playing activities, is the perfect place for making the concept of money more tangible. Since 2016, over 800,000 children have learned the basics of banking and financial responsibility through BPI and KidZania.  "Kids learn that they can earn money by being productive and useful, that they can use the money for their needs and wants, and that they can save money for their future, to achieve bigger dreams.” 

Another photo of Tammy from her previous Kidzania visit doing the role of a worker inside the Purefoods factory.

At an early age, children should already know how money works, how to earn and spend it, how to manage it, save it, and even how and where to invest it. >>> This is what we have been trying to instill to Tammy ever since because financial literacy is very critical in order to survive and succeed in life. 

Go said this is all part of BPI’s vision of “Building a Better Philippines”, where every Filipino has access to financial services and possesses practical knowledge about saving and investing.

Inside KidZania, there is a special BPI branch where kids are given special accounts and ATM cards for their kidZos, the currency used in the theme park. 

Their savings gain interest over time, which the kids can spend in their next visits. BPI is the exclusive bank partner of KidZania.

Tammy enjoyed this activity so much. She told me, each time that she goes to Kidzania, she always learns something talaga while having fun. 

Oh, she also said that she is soooo happy each time that she comes back kasi she noticed daw that her Kidzania-BPI ATM account earns interest, haha! Tuwang-tuwa talaga sya,

Tammy's Financial Status in Real life:

Currently, Tammy has a bank account in BPI. With her age right now, she knows how to handle and budget her school allowance. The amount in excess (money which she was not able to use in her school expenses ) goes to her savings fund which we deposit on a monthly basis. 

Kaya for my dear moms and dads who are reading this– coming from me who is a mom and a parent too, start your kids young too!

BPI currently has the Jumpstart savings account which is available through BPI and BFSB. Jumpstart is for children aged 10 to 17 years old and requires only a minimum deposit of P100. A portion of the funds can be protected from unplanned withdrawals, and parents can easily transfer money to the account for allowances. The Jumpstart Debit Card can also be used for cellphone reloading.

Open your kids an account so they would be able to learn how money works— how to earn and spend it, how to manage and budget as they learn the art of saving.

For more information about BPI’s Jumpstart and other savings products, visit https://www.bpi.com.ph/bank/savings.