Paper money is an effective way to teach kindergartners about money. Students earn money by completing classroom chores and/or by following classroom rules. Students save money until they have earned enough to purchase a prize. Different dollar amounts are awarded for each task completed. This enables young children to have a better grasp of numbers and value, which will give them the basic foundation for math.
Large plastic coins are perfect for small children because they are light and durable. Kindergartners earn coins by completing desired tasks in exchange for prizes. Coins are often used for introducing a token economy to students, and gaining an understanding of the system, before moving to more complex systems such as paper money.
Stamps also fall under the category of tokens. Stamps may be given for appropriate behavior, following the rules and completing tasks. Stamps can be given as an immediate reward, such as for cleaning up the classroom or following the rules, or can be accumulated for a prize the same way coins and paper money are. For example, "Earn 10 stamps, get a prize."
Behavior tickets are another form of tokens used in the classroom; however, instead of rewarding good behavior, they are used to modify negative behavior. Example: If a student is running in class, he may receive a behavior ticket. The first ticket can be a warning, the second results in no recess, and the third a phone call home.