How to create a savings goal for a child
A savings goal in KiddyCash is a target amount you set for a child, such as saving KES 5,000 for a new school bag or a birthday present. When a goal is active, the funds earmarked for it are locked into the savings layer — a separate portion of the child’s wallet that they cannot spend until the goal is reached or you choose to release the funds. This helps children in Nairobi, Lagos, Kampala, and across Africa learn that saving is intentional, not accidental.
Before you start, make sure you have already added at least one child to your family on KiddyCash and that their wallet is set up. If you are new to the idea of structured saving as a teaching tool, it is worth reading why the family budget is your most powerful financial teaching tool — it gives helpful context for why locking funds this way builds real habits.
Steps to create a savings goal
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Open the goal creation screen. Go directly to https://kiddy.cash/family/kiddy/account/goal/create while logged in to your KiddyCash account. This takes you straight to the goal setup form. You can also get here by tapping Family in the bottom navigation, selecting the child, tapping their wallet, and then tapping + New Goal.
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Select the child. If you manage more than one child, a dropdown will ask you to choose which child this goal belongs to. Each goal is linked to one child’s wallet.
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Give the goal a name. Type a clear, specific name — for example, School shoes, New tablet, or Family trip savings. A name the child recognises makes it feel real and motivating.
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Set the target amount. Enter the amount in KES (or your local currency if your account is set to a different currency). This is the total the child needs to reach before the funds are released. For example, type 5000 for KES 5,000.
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Set a target date (optional but recommended). Choose a deadline. A deadline helps KiddyCash calculate how much needs to be saved per allowance cycle and shows the child a progress bar with a finish line. You can skip this if the goal is open-ended.
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Choose a funding rule. Decide how money moves into the goal:
- Manual top-up — you or the child move money in by choice.
- Automatic percentage — a set percentage of each allowance or M-Pesa top-up is swept into the goal automatically. This is the most effective option for building consistent saving behaviour.
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Add an image (optional). Upload or choose an emoji or photo to represent the goal. Seeing a picture of the item they are saving for keeps younger children engaged.
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Tap Save Goal. Review the summary screen, then tap Save Goal. The goal is now active and visible on the child’s wallet screen. Any locked funds will appear separately from their spendable balance.
What happens next
The child and you can both track progress at any time. Learn how in how to view a child’s savings goal. If the target amount or date needs to change — for example, if the price of an item changes — see how to edit a child’s savings goal.
For ideas on how to frame goals as part of a wider money conversation, how to run a simple family budget kids can see and learn from is a practical starting point.