Give a habit with the gift
Cash is a lovely gift for the holidays and birthdays. With one small question, it can also start a habit: saving up for something that matters to your grandchild. Ask what they are saving for, give toward that goal, and tuck in a note that says so.
One US Letter page with four notes. Each note fits inside a holiday or birthday card. No sign-up.
For the parents: Babalata is a money-habits app for kids 6 to 18. Kids set savings goals and watch them fill up, and parents keep the real money.
How gift money becomes a savings goal
Ask first
Before you give, ask your grandchild one question: “What are you saving for?” A new bike, an art set, a gift for a sister: any goal counts. If you are not sure, ask the parents. They usually know.
Give toward the goal
Put the cash in the card with a gift note that names the goal: “This gift is for your goal: a new bike.” Now the gift has a job, and your grandchild knows you care about what they care about.
Let the parents track it
In Babalata, a parent can record your gift toward the child’s savings goal. It shows as a gift, apart from the child’s own saving, and the goal fills up a little more. The real money stays with the family.
How to use the gift note
- Print the page and cut along the dashed lines.
- Write the goal on the line under “This gift is for your goal”, then fill in From and To.
- Tuck the note inside the card with your gift.
- Your grandchild cuts off the reply at the bottom, writes what they are saving for, and gives it back to you. It makes a sweet thank-you.
The example on this page (a new bike, Grandma and Sam) is made up.
Print the gift notesA few ideas
Live far away?
Mail the card with the note inside. Your grandchild can mail the reply back, or read it to you on the phone or a video call.
More than one grandchild?
Print a note for each. Every child can have a different goal, and that is the fun of it.
Too young to write?
A parent can write the goal for them, or your grandchild can draw it on the back of the reply.
Ask how it is going
On your next call, ask about the goal. Halfway there, almost there, reached: every saved dollar deserves a cheer.
Larger gifts meant for the future, such as college, follow different rules. Our guide to holiday and birthday money for kids points to official sources, and has ideas for splitting gift money by age.
Questions grandparents ask
What do I write on the gift note?
Write the goal your grandchild told you about, such as “a new bike”, then your name and theirs. If you do not know the goal yet, leave the line empty and let your grandchild fill it in.
Will the note fit inside a holiday card?
Yes. There are four notes on one US Letter page. Each one is a little smaller than a quarter of the page, so it fits inside most holiday and birthday cards.
Do I need the Babalata app to use the note?
No. The note works on its own with any cash gift. Babalata is for your grandchild's parents: they can record your gift toward the child's savings goal in the app.
Can I send money to my grandchild through Babalata?
No. Babalata does not hold or move money, and there is no debit card or bank account. You give the cash the way you always do. A parent records the amount in the app, and the real money stays with the family.
Is the note for a particular holiday?
No. It names no holiday, so it works for Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, birthdays and any other day you give cash.
What age is it for?
Any child who can name something they want to save for. Babalata itself is for kids ages 6 to 18. Younger children can draw their goal instead of writing it.
Share this page with your grandchild's parents
Babalata is a money-habits app for US families with kids ages 6 to 18. Kids set savings goals and do short Money Gym lessons with Babuddy, Babalata's money coach character. Parents keep the real money (no debit card, no bank account) and can record your gift toward the goal.
Available on the App Store and Google Play, in the United States only.
More for the holidays: the Holiday Money Challenge and Thanksgiving conversation cards.