Financial literacy activity
Market Research Survey
Ask family members what their favorite things are! Take a survey about favorite colors, foods, or toys. Make a picture chart showing the results.
Materials and setup
- paper
- pencil
- clipboard (optional)
- markers for charts
How this changes by age
Pre-K (ages 3–4)
Ask family members what their favorite things are! Take a survey about favorite colors, foods, or toys. Make a picture chart showing the results.
Steps
- Pick a question to ask everyone: 'What is your favorite fruit?'
- Draw pictures of 4 fruit choices on a paper: apple, banana, orange, grapes.
- Ask each family member to pick their favorite. Make a tally mark next to their choice.
- Count the tallies: 'Apples got 3 votes! Bananas got 2!'
- Color in a simple bar chart together. Which fruit is the family favorite?
Learning objectives
- Ask a survey question and record responses
- Use tally marks to count votes
- Read a simple bar chart to find the most popular choice
Kindergarten (ages 5–6)
Conduct a survey to find out what people want to buy! Ask 5-10 people about their preferences, record answers, make a chart, and use the data to decide what product to sell.
Steps
- Think of a business idea (lemonade stand, craft sale, etc.).
- Write 3 survey questions: 'Would you buy lemonade or iced tea?' 'How much would you pay?' 'What flavor do you like best?'
- Ask 5-10 people (family, neighbors) and write down each answer.
- Make a tally chart and a simple bar graph for each question.
- Use your data to decide: 'Most people want lemonade and would pay $1. That is what we will sell!'
Learning objectives
- Design simple survey questions related to a business idea
- Collect and organize data from multiple respondents
- Use survey data to make a business decision
Early elementary (ages 6–8)
Design and conduct a professional market research survey with 10+ respondents. Create multiple question types (multiple choice, rating scale, open-ended), analyze results with charts, and write a report with recommendations.
Steps
- Define your research goal: What do you want to learn? (e.g., 'What snack should I sell at my stand?')
- Write a survey with 6-8 questions using different types: multiple choice, yes/no, rate 1-5, and one open-ended question.
- Survey at least 10 people. Record all responses neatly on a data sheet.
- Analyze the data: Calculate percentages for each multiple choice answer. Find the average rating. Read all open-ended responses for themes.
- Create 3 charts or graphs showing your most important findings.
- Write a 1-page Market Research Report: what you asked, who you asked, what you found, and your recommendation.
Learning objectives
- Design surveys with multiple question types for different data needs
- Collect data from a sample group and organize it systematically
- Analyze survey data using percentages, averages, and themes
- Write a research report with data-driven recommendations
Upper elementary (ages 8–10)
Conduct a full market research study including hypothesis formation, survey design, data collection from 15+ respondents, statistical analysis, and a professional presentation of findings with actionable business recommendations.
Steps
- Form a hypothesis: 'I believe kids aged 8-12 would prefer ___ over ___ because ___.'
- Design a 10-question survey with demographic questions (age, gender), preference questions, and pricing questions.
- Test your survey on 2 people first (pilot test). Revise any confusing questions.
- Survey at least 15 people. Organize all data in a spreadsheet or table.
- Analyze: Calculate percentages, averages, and look for patterns. Do different age groups or genders prefer different things?
- Create a professional presentation with: Research Question, Methodology (who/how you surveyed), Data (charts and graphs), Key Findings (3-5 insights), and Recommendations.
- Present to your family and answer questions about your methodology and conclusions.
Learning objectives
- Form testable hypotheses and design research to test them
- Create and pilot-test a comprehensive survey instrument
- Analyze data across demographic segments to find patterns
- Present research findings professionally with methodology and evidence
Safety and evidence note
Read the full activity before beginning. An adult should supervise tools, heat, food, outdoor work, movement, and experiments as appropriate. Completion records that the activity was done; the child’s explanation, work sample, photo, or demonstration is stronger evidence of learning than a completion check alone.
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