Say this at the till
“The tap starts a real payment. It does not make the money free.”
Do this next
- Name one price. “These apples cost £2.” Keep the number small and linked to the thing.
- Use the right source. Say “money from our account” for debit, or “money we are borrowing” for credit.
- Show a before and after. Use five play coins. Remove two after the £2 play payment.
Try a paper shop
Use five coins, blocks, buttons or circles. Give an apple a play price of two. Your child can tap, point to or move a blank card. Remove two objects. Ask: “What is left?” Counting together, watching or passing is fine.
Now price something at four. With three left, there is not enough in this simple shop. The play card cannot make another coin. You can choose something else, wait or stop.
Make it fit your child
Use real objects if drawing is hard. Show one step at a time. A response can be spoken, pointed, signed, AAC-selected, eye-gazed, watched or passed. Do not turn the activity into a speed test.
A precise note for grown-ups
A debit card usually uses money from a current account. An overdraft is borrowed money. A credit card is borrowing and must be repaid; interest or fees may apply if it is not repaid as agreed. A phone wallet can use a chosen card or payment method. The tap alone does not tell you which source paid.
Keep private details private
Your child does not need to see a PIN, account number, balance or bank screen. A price label, covered receipt, play coins or a drawing is enough.
Why this may help
MoneyHelper recommends explaining that digital payments still use real money. This short model makes one payment visible. It is not a full model of every card, overdraft or bank account.