Article at a Glance

Why should families talk to their kids about poverty?

Because kids are noticing the world around them, and if we don’t help them make sense of what they see, assumptions will fill the gap. Families who talk openly about hard topics raise kids who respond with empathy instead of judgment. That changes everything about the kind of community we build together.

How do games make this topic easier to approach?

Games meet kids where they are. Instead of a lecture about something abstract, games let kids experience what it feels like to make hard choices with limited options. That kind of hands-on understanding sticks in a way that a conversation alone rarely does, and it tends to spark the best questions too.

What age are these games appropriate for?

Most of them are flexible enough to work across a range of ages, and we’ve noted what works best for each one. A good rule of thumb: if your child is old enough to ask why someone is sleeping outside or why a friend doesn’t have enough lunch, they’re old enough to start these conversations.

Where does this fit into our family’s bigger picture of generosity?

Think of it as the foundation. Understanding comes before action, and kids who understand what poverty feels like are more likely to grow into adults who do something about it. These games are the starting point, and we’ve got plenty of ways to take the next step together.

You want to raise kids who are generous, compassionate, and aware of the world around them. The tricky part is figuring out how to get there, especially when topics like poverty can feel too heavy or complicated to bring up naturally. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be a formal lesson or serious sit-down conversation. Some of the most meaningful moments happen when families are simply playing together.

Games are one of the best ways kids learn. When a child gets to experience what it feels like to make a tough choice with limited resources, even in a playful setting, something clicks. It stops being an abstract concept and starts being something they’ve felt, which is the kind of empathy that sticks.

The games in this list are designed to be fun first and enlightening second, because that’s what makes them work. Think of them less as a curriculum and more as an open door that leads to the kind of family conversations that shape how your kids see the world for years to come.

The Games

You don’t need special equipment or a lot of prep time for any of these. Most can be played tonight with what you have at home.

The Grocery Budget Challenge

Give each child a pretend budget and a grocery list of basic needs: food, toiletries, household items. Then price out each item and let them make choices with limited funds until something has to get put back.

The goal isn’t to make kids feel bad but to let them understand the weight of a decision that millions of families make every week. What gets left behind when the money runs out? What would they choose?

Best for: ages 6 and up

A Day in My Shoes

Write out a handful of scenario cards, each describing a different family situation:

• A single parent working two jobs
• A family that just lost their car
• A household hit with an unexpected medical bill

Each family member draws a card and navigates a series of decisions based on that scenario with limited resources. This one tends to spark the best conversations because it puts kids inside a story instead of just in front of one.

Best for: ages 8 and up

The Giving Jar

Divide a set amount (an allowance, a small family giving budget, whatever works) into three jars: spend, save, give. Each month, let your kids research and choose where the giving jar goes. A local food pantry, Every Arkansan, a family they know who could use support.

This one’s simple, repeatable, and one of the most effective ways to make generosity a habit rather than a one-time event.

Best for: all ages

The Trade Off Game

Present your kids with a series of real-life tradeoff scenarios that families in poverty face. Gas to get to work or groceries for the week? A new pair of shoes for school or keeping the lights on?

There are no right answers, and that’s the point. The discomfort kids experience sitting with those choices is what builds empathy. Follow it up with a conversation about what would make those decisions easier, and you’ve got something really powerful.

Best for: ages 10 and up

Thankful and Aware

Less a game and more a dinnertime ritual. Each person shares one thing they’re grateful for, and one need they noticed in the world that week. It keeps empathy alive as an ongoing practice rather than something that only comes up when you plan for it.

Over time, kids start noticing things you didn’t point out to them, and that’s when you know it’s working.

Best for: all ages

How to Follow Up After You Play

The game opens the door, but the conversation is what walks through it.

Some of the best discussions happen in the few minutes right after playing, when feelings are fresh, and kids are thinking about the choices they made. Put the phones down, stay at the table a little longer, and see what comes up.

If you need a place to start, these questions work well for almost any of the games above:

• What was the hardest choice you had to make? Why?
• Was there a moment that surprised you?
• How do you think it would feel to face that choice in real life?
• What do you think would make things easier for families in that situation?
• Is there anything we could do to help?

Keep it curious, as you want to help your kids develop the habit of thinking about other people’s experiences with care.

From there, connect what they felt to something real. Share a story about a family in Arkansas navigating those same kinds of decisions. Talk about what Every Arkansan is doing to help, and how your family can be part of it.

Why This Matters

“One of the most powerful things a family can do is raise kids who see people. Not just notice them, but understand them. When children grow up with that kind of empathy, they become the kind of neighbors, coworkers, and community members that make Arkansas a better place for everyone.”

— Drew Davis

Your Family Can Be Part of the Story

The families in Arkansas who are living these realities aren’t abstract. They’re parents making impossible tradeoffs, kids going to bed hungry, and communities trying to close a gap that’s wider than most people realize.

The games in this list are a starting point, but empathy is most powerful when it leads somewhere.

Here’s how your family can take the next step:

Give. Even a small, consistent gift creates real stability for families in Arkansas who are navigating the kinds of choices your kids experienced in a game.

Volunteer. Bring your kids along and let them see generosity in action. There’s no better classroom than showing up together for someone who needs it.

Keep the conversation going. The greatest thing you can do after tonight is make this a regular part of how your family talks about the world.

The kids sitting around your table right now are growing into the neighbors, advocates, and community members Arkansas needs. What they learn to see today shapes what they choose to do tomorrow!