Kids can learn about making money online

Two Web sites may help kids learn how to handle money and improve their math skills at the same time. Check out:

Lemonade.com: Setting up a neighborhood lemonade stand is often a kid’s introduction to entrepreneurship, teaching life lessons in responsibility, self-reliance and hard work. Lemonade.com enables today’s kids to create virtual “lemonade stands” — storefronts that can live on their social network profiles or blogs and help bring in some extra cash.

Stand owners customize a virtual storefront design and then “drag and drop” various products and brands they love into their stand for sale. There are currently about 3 million different products to choose from, including kids’ favorites like Disney, Barbie, Dora the Explorer, pet products, games, blocks, books and more.

UpDown.com: Older kids may learn about “money in the real world” from a book in the classroom, but the abstract ideas of earning and investing will likely be ungraspable until they can put those lessons to work.

UpDown.com is designed to educate teens about investing in a fun, informative and intuitive way. The site has been described as “fantasy football meets the trading floor,” and each stock is like a pro football player on UpDown.com. Members are given $1 million in virtual money to invest and compile their “fantasy” portfolio. Teens earn real money if their virtual portfolio outperforms the S&P 500. In addition, members can create their own competitions and compete among their friends, providing a social element that will keep teens interested in investing.