The mobile app, Big Start, is now available for Kansas families.
Big Start is focused on educating Kansas families on financial literacy and primarily on saving for higher education. The mobile app is the first of its kind and is available through the Learning Quest 529 Plan and the office of Kansas State Treasurer Ron Estes.
The app gives parents and children information about saving money and provides age-appropriate interactive career-planning activities for use on any Apple or Android smartphone or the iPad. Big Start is available for download from both iTunes for iPhones and iPads, and Google play for android smart phones.
The app features four interactive sections that appeal to kids’ learning styles. These include:
• Little By Little – This section illustrates how taking small steps can help accomplish big goals like saving for college. Kids can listen to a narrator read the book, activate animations with sound effects and learn how to say “little by little” phrases in Spanish, French, Korean, Hawaiian and Swahili.
• What Is Money? – The concept of money can be difficult to grasp as a child, but What is Money teaches kids the basics of money and how to earn it.
• When I Grow Up – It’s never too early to start thinking about the future. When I Grow Up helps kids start to think about what they want to be and the schooling it will take to get there.
• Save, Share, Spend – Learning how to save can be daunting for anyone regardless of age. This section introduces kids and their parents to a tested model for reaching savings goals.
In addition, the Learning Quest 529 Education Savings Program has a new Cost of Waiting Calculator available for residents at www.learningquest.com/content/planning.html. Learning Quest is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan administered by the State of Kansas. It is designed to help people invest for the expenses of a higher education.