What if your child could spend the summer building reading skills and learning how money works at the same time?
Many adults reach their 20s, 30s, or even 40s before learning the basics of budgeting, saving, investing, and managing money. A new free summer program aims to change that by helping children start those conversations much earlier through books.
Certified Financial Education Instructor and Youth Finance Advocate Jasmine Paul is encouraging young readers to pick up a book and build their financial knowledge through The Wealth Playground Summer Reading Challenge, a free program designed for students in grades K-12. The challenge combines literacy and financial education with a curated list of more than 26 books focused on money, entrepreneurship, investing, saving, budgeting, and financial decision-making.
A Mission to Build Financial Confidence Early
Jasmine Paul is the founder of The Wealth Playground, a financial literacy company focused on early money education for children and families. Her work centers on helping young people develop healthy money habits before they reach adulthood.
According to The Wealth Playground, the organization has impacted more than 11,000 youth and helped families repay more than $350,000 in debt. The organization has also partnered with major institutions and organizations including the Taco Bell Foundation, Harvard University’s READS Lab, United Way of Central Iowa, Wisconsin Bankers Association, Verizon Headquarters, the San Antonio DoSeum, LaVida Scholars, and Colabl to bring financial wellness programming to young people.
For Paul, financial literacy and literacy literacy go hand in hand.
Why Reading Matters More Than Ever
Reading proficiency continues to be a major concern across the United States.
According to the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), 54% of U.S. adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level, while 64% of fourth graders are not reading proficiently.
Those numbers helped inspire Paul to create a challenge that encourages children to spend more time reading while also gaining practical life skills.
As a child, she participated in library reading challenges herself and understands how a simple reading goal can spark a lifelong love of books. By combining reading with financial education, she hopes to help young people strengthen two essential skills at once.
Read More. Dream More. Do More.
The challenge’s slogan, “Read More. Dream More. Do More.”, reflects its broader goal of helping young people imagine new possibilities for their futures while developing knowledge that can support long-term financial well-being.
Participants can choose from a diverse list of books that introduce concepts such as:
- Saving money
- Budgeting
- Investing
- Entrepreneurship
- Stock market basics
- Financial goal setting
- Smart spending habits
- Money management
The book list includes titles such as A Sweet Market Crash!, Leena Mo, CEO, Growing Money, Investing for Tweens, No, No, Sonny, Save That Money!, The Golden Quest, and several books written by Jasmine Paul herself, including Granny’s Vintage Camera and A Boy, A Budget, and A Dream.
The challenge also features books for a wide range of ages, from early elementary students learning what money is to teenagers exploring investing and wealth-building concepts.
How the Summer Reading Challenge Works
The Wealth Playground Summer Reading Challenge officially began on June 16, 2026, and runs through August 8, 2026.
To participate, students in grades K-12 simply:
- Register for free.
- Select books from the recommended reading list.
- Read throughout the summer.
- Submit short summaries or reflections online.
Participants will be entered for opportunities to win prizes based on the number of books they read and the number of completed entries submitted.
The challenge is designed to make learning accessible, engaging, and family-friendly while encouraging meaningful conversations about money at home.
Why This Matters for Families
Money conversations often begin too late.
Many adults wish they had learned more about budgeting, saving, investing, and financial planning when they were younger. Financial literacy is increasingly recognized as an important life skill, yet many schools still provide limited instruction on personal finance.
Programs like The Wealth Playground Summer Reading Challenge help bridge that gap by introducing money concepts through stories and age-appropriate books.
For families looking for a productive summer activity, the challenge offers a way to encourage reading while helping children build knowledge that can benefit them for years to come.
Whether your child dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, wants to understand how saving works, or simply enjoys a good story, this challenge provides an opportunity to grow both literacy and financial confidence.
How to Join
The Wealth Playground Summer Reading Challenge is free and open to students in grades K-12.
Families can learn more and register at:
thewealthplayground.com/summer
The challenge runs through August 8, 2026, giving young readers plenty of time to explore new books, build money skills, and discover that learning about finances can be both fun and empowering.
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