Infants 2 / Infants 2 Mathematics

Coins and Bills – Infants 2 Maths

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Let us go shopping! To buy things, we use money. In Trinidad and Tobago we use dollars ($) and cents (¢).

Our coins

A Trinidad and Tobago 5 cent coin
5 cents (5¢)
Mark Morgan from Trinidad, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Trinidad and Tobago 10 cent coin
10 cents (10¢)
Mark Morgan from Trinidad, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Trinidad and Tobago 25 cent coin
25 cents (25¢)
Mark Morgan from Trinidad, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Look closely at the coins. The 5 cent coin shows a bird. The 10 cent coin shows a hibiscus flower. The 25 cent coin shows the chaconia, our national flower. It is the biggest of the three.

Our bills

  • the $1 bill is red
  • the $5 bill is green
  • the $10 bill is grey
  • the $20 bill is purple

Same value, different coins

Two 5¢ coins have the same value as one 10¢ coin.

5¢ + 5¢ = 10¢

There are different ways to make 25¢:

  • 25¢
  • 10¢ + 10¢ + 5¢
  • 10¢ + 5¢ + 5¢ + 5¢
  • 5¢ + 5¢ + 5¢ + 5¢ + 5¢

That is 4 ways! And $5 + $5 = $10.

Shopping words

The price is how much something costs. We pay the seller. If we give too much, the seller gives us change.

A sweet costs 10¢. You pay with a 25¢ coin. Your change is 15¢.

TRY ITFill the purse

Tap the money to put it in the purse. Make the amount shown.

My purse (tap money here to take it out):

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. How many 5¢ coins make 10¢?

Show answer

2.

2. How many 5¢ coins make 25¢?

Show answer

5.

3. Which bill is worth more: $5 or $20?

Show answer

$20.

4. How many $5 bills make $10?

Show answer

2.

5. How many $10 bills make $20?

Show answer

2.

6. A pencil costs 20¢. You have two 10¢ coins. Do you have enough?

Show answer

Yes. 10¢ + 10¢ = 20¢.

7. A juice costs $5. You pay with a $10 bill. What is your change?

Show answer

$5.

Quick check

1. Which coin shows a bird?

Show answer

The 5 cent coin.

2. Make 15¢ with two coins.

Show answer

10¢ + 5¢ = 15¢.

3. What colour is the $1 bill?

Show answer

Red.

Maths words

Say these words with a grown-up. Can you use each one in a sentence?

money · dollars · cents · coin · bill · price · cost · buy · sell · pay · change · value · too much · too little

Try it at home

  • Play shop! Put prices on toys or fruit (5¢, 10¢, 20¢). Take turns being the seller.
  • Sort real coins into piles by value.
  • Ask a grown-up to show you the colours of the bills.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

  • name the 5¢, 10¢ and 25¢ coins and the $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills
  • show the same amount in different ways (for example 10¢ = 5¢ + 5¢)
  • use words like price, pay, cost and change when playing shop
  • decide if they have enough money, too much or too little

Note: the 1 cent coin is no longer used, so this lesson works with 5¢, 10¢ and 25¢ coins. Always supervise young children with real coins.

Previous: First to Tenth
Next: Patterns That Repeat and Grow

Attributions to media used in this post:

5 Trinidad and Tobago Cents (5105684593).jpg – Mark Morgan from Trinidad – CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

10 Trinidad and Tobago Cents (5106280322).jpg – Mark Morgan from Trinidad – CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

25 Trinidad and Tobago Cents (5106278120).jpg – Mark Morgan from Trinidad – CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.

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