Set out four bowls next to a large pile of coins. Place one penny in the first bowl, one nickel in the second bowl, one dime in the third bowl and one quarter in the fourth bowl. Instruct your child to sort all the coins into her bowl. Once they are all sorted, teach her the names of each coin and practice by asking her to point to the bowl with nickels and then the bowl with pennies. Teach her the value of each and then ask which one is five cents and which one is 10 cents. Let her dump out all the bowls and sort them again.
Teach your child that coin size does not reflect value by helping him order them first according to size and then moving the coins to be in order of value. Count the number of pennies that make up each coin with him and then count the number of nickels that make up each of the larger coins. Place the piles of coins next to each other and help him see the different coin values.
Use a toy cash register to teach your child to make correct change. Start small, choosing a small toy and telling her it costs one nickel. Give her a dime and help her determine what the change would be. Purchase the same toy with a quarter and help her again figure out the change. To emphasize the nickel coin, set costs so that each time the change will include a nickel.
Give your child a pile of nickels and instruct him to count out 20 nickels. Help him count the nickels and explain to him that these nickels equal one dollar. Take him to a dollar store and allow him to choose one toy. Allow him to take it to the register and pay with his nickels.