Laree, when I was doing munckin money math, I saved up a bunch of my happy meal toys and stuff like that. Then I opened a small store with prices on all the cool items. Each kid got a dollar in change, and had to give me exact change for the item they bought.
Later 'store's worked like the original Wheel of Fortune: They had to spend all the $ (at one time) without going over. Like loading a shopping cart but having to have enough $ to cover it.
The last set of stores they had to add 10% sales tax to each item. DD was talking to me about this the other day, since she remembers that being the most difficult store to get the hang of. She was always better at it than her big sister.
Before we did the stores, they traded coins for M&M's. They had to pick the pile of candy that matched in # the value of the coin I showed them.
I can remember being VERY proud when they each took a gift card (X-mas gift) and a coupon into the Build-a-Bear store following our lessons. Eldest spent it all to the last penny, and had accounted for the coupon savings as well as the tax. Youngest thought it over and decided she didn't HAVE to spend it all right then, and maybe we'd have another coupon for the next trip, too.
Batty, I hate it that you feel my pain on the kids-in-school thing. Sheesh.
The bootiful chicken contest is by the same child who has a fox-killin' daddy. Not sure how old she is, but I'd guess 12-14.
