Use examples of what constitutes real money and fake money. For example, use fake money that comes with a board game like Monopoly to impart the concept of "fake money." Then take a bill out of your pocket that children can look at to understand what constitutes "real money." As a part of your discussion, include an explanation as to why counterfeiting currency is illegal. Tailor your lesson to match the age of the children. For older children, provide greater details on economics and the effects of counterfeiting.
Point out to children ways they can spot counterfeit money, such as the tiny plastic strip that can be seen by holding a real bill up to the light. Talk about how real money is made and what it is made of versus fake money, which is typically made of paper.
Give children an opportunity to work on a project about money and counterfeiting. An art project can present an excellent opportunity for children to learn about money, and in particular, counterfeit money. For example, you could ask children to draw and then color a real $1 bill versus a counterfeit bill.
Develop a list of questions to ask children after your lesson to gauge your audience's retention of what you covered in the lesson. Questions can include what security features the U.S. government implements in an attempt to ensure that currency is virtually impossible to reproduce. This effort not only makes it harder for counterfeiters to reproduce counterfeit currency, it also makes it easier for others, such as businesses, to determine if a bill is real or counterfeit.