Read what Mumsnet users thought of NatWest Island Saver

[LucyBMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the Mumsnet users who have been testing NatWest Island Saver with their child aged 5 to 12 years. NatWest Island Saver is a fun and educational video game designed to teach children aged 5 to 12 about money management.

Here’s what NatWest has to say: “NatWest Island Saver is the world’s first video game that teaches children all about money. Set on the once idyllic ‘Savvy Islands’, players are tasked with an exciting quest to clean up polluted islands and save the bankimals whilst learning about money along the way. We know that it is crucial for children to develop good money habits at a young age to help them make better financial decisions in the future, and studies have shown that games outperform textbooks in helping children learn fact-based subjects.

So, by introducing important money themes such as interest, taxes, loan sharks and debt management through gaming, NatWest Island Saver is the perfect way to help your child become money savvy, without ever feeling like a lesson. Island Saver is free to download here on iOS, Android, Steam, PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.”

Testers, please give your feedback by answering the following questions, as well as completing the short survey we’ve emailed you.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?
2. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?
3. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?
4. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?
5. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

All testers who leave their feedback on this thread and complete the survey will receive a £5 Amazon voucher and will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 voucher for a store of the winner’s choice.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

He enjoyed cleaning the island and collecting recycling to exchange for coins. He also enjoyed saving the animals on the island.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

It definitely made him more aware of where money come from and how banks work.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

He is only 6yo so we haven’t talked much about money but playing the game definitely gave us the opportunity to talk about saving and spending money.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No, I wasn’t aware these were available. I’ll take a look.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes, I would recommend the game as my son enjoyed playing it and it gave us the opportunity to start a conversation about money management that I would probably otherwise not started at his age.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver? She enjoyed playing the game but especially collecting the coins.
2. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned? I think it really helped with them learning that you receive money for the work you do. Cleaning the island to receive coins showed the correlation well.
3. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about? My daughter asked whether she had somewhere to put all her coins from her money box, we spoke about her bank account ( passbook ) and I showed her how the money was growing in it.
4. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions? No, I wasn't aware of them but now that I do know I will check them out.
5. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why? yes as I think it is a relatively simple and easy game that demonstrates money management in a way that is easy for kids to understand. I also think saving is important to learn young and liked how it showed work = money

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

My child enjoyed squirting the water and cleaning the gloop from the machine.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

No, but it did teach her more about environmental issues such as recycling and cleaning up after yourself.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

No, we had no discussions about money as a result of her playing the game.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No, my child didn’t have any important money questions as a result of playing the game. However it is useful to have the resources should we need them in the future.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

My daughter found it very hard to control the game especially on the Nintendo Switch. I let her use the app on my phone in the end which she admitted was far easier - but I think her issues with collecting water meant that she didn’t progress that far with the game. I imagine the money management tasks appear later on, for us we simply managed to do environmental tasks, which she did enjoy when not frustrated with the Switch version.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

He says he liked all of it, but he enjoyed cleaning up the place and making it look better and the parkour elements too.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

He learned about working to earn money and the benefits of saving it up.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

We already talk about money and savings because of earning weekly pocket money and saving for items but it prompted conversation about savings with interest.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

I wasn't aware of them but will go look for them as they sound fun.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why? Yes, I would recommend it as a fun way to learn about money and savings in a fun way. My son enjoyed it simply as a game too, so that was a positive, as he didn't feel like he was doing something to learn - just having fun. So the educational element was a bonus.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

She enjoyed cleaning the island and collecting the different coins.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Yes, I think the app highlighted earning money and keeping it safe.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we talked about the importance of saving money for when it is needed.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes, my daughter enjoyed it. It is a fun game and it is a good way for children to learn about money.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

She gave it a good go but at 5 she was too young to understand or work it properly, I struggled a bit too!

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

No the money aspect was lost on her as she's too young

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

No

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No, she's too young for them

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Older children yes I would but not as young as the demo suggested.

My older Android phone it just hung but on a Newer phone and we got it to load. It's very text heavy so not possible for my 5 year old to play alone, would be good if there was an option to get the text read aloud. Also it disappears quite quickly while my learner was still trying to read it or getting me to read it for her.

Idea of the game is great and once we got the hang of how to move around and move the device around we enjoyed playing it together.

Without changes I think it should be marketed at slightly older children as few 5 year olds can read that well.

It would be good to have some help videos to easily help kids understand how to move around the virtual world though.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

The graphics and the game play.All of it.He really loved it and thought it was really well thought out and genuinely fun to play with just the right amount of challenge. He is a pretty experienced gamer and I thought he might find it limiting, but he thought it was high quality, very high quality for mobile game and generally excellently plotted.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

He is fairly savvy already - but it did show him something about the use and purpose of tax. He was interested in thinking about the relation between environmental care and saving/earning money. And enjoyed how it became more complex as it advanced. He has not finished the gameplay yet.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we talked about tax, about interest, about inflation and saving and bank rates. It led to quite a few discussions - also ethical investment.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No, we have not used those yet.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Definitely. It is such a clever app and it practically demonstrates all sorts of things about money and banking and money management. It led to spontaneous discussions - while also having fun. He was keen to talk about what he had done after each stage. I think it is ingenious - and he will keep on playing! He moves so quickly around the terrain - it is mind boggling.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

He loved the ‘shooting’ aspect of a lot of it. Being a typical boy he’s really into gaming and thought this was really fun.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Yes, he’s learned how a bank account work and the importance of saving money instead of just spending it as soon as he gets it.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we talked about how money has to last and you can’t just spend it all in one day and then expect more.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No we haven’t looked at these.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes for sure, I think any game which is aimed at teaching kids real life skills in a fun way is good.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

DD who is 10 says all of it! She’s not really a gamer but I couldn’t get her off this game once she had grasped how to use the controls! She finished all the islands and loved it.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Yes to some extent and it definitely opened up conversations about money. She learned about why banks are useful and why it’s good to save. She understands the purposes of tax and what interest is which she didn’t before. She’s also asked to open a bank account.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we spoke about the concepts in the game like PIN numbers, tax, interest etc. The game definitely opened up and focused a conversation on working for money. She has become DH’s lockdown barber which he pays her for and she will put in the new bank account once we sort it!

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

Wasn’t aware of these. I will have a look though.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes it’s a great game, although in all honesty I think the target audience is quite limited. I can see from some of the replies already that younger children struggled with the game in terms of controls, engagement, reading etc. DD is 10 and struggled with the controls initially but we worked it out together and it was all fine but I agree that younger children would probably not get that much out of the game. I’m also not sure the game would appeal to those who are much older as I imagine secondary aged children would be aware of the concepts already and regular gamers might find it a bit basic so really I’d say the game would suit 8-11 year olds. Great idea though, well put together and fun as well as educational.

1. my child enjoyed all the animals you could help in the game and being able to ride the rhino and gorilla.

2)yes as we discussed taxes and what happens if you don't pay them. Also pin numbers and the importance of keeping them safe.

3. yes it made us discuss money, savings and taxes and because it was already there on the game it made it easier to explain at a suitable level for a child.

4)no we didn't look on the island saver website we were too busy playing the game.

5)i would recommend Natwest Island saver game as my son really enjoyed it, there's many aspects that make it a fun game to play even though they are learning about money too. I also like that the rewards come from cleaning up and picking up rubbish as it teaches a lesson about looking after your environment too.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

She loved saving the animals.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

A bit. Saving to upgrade the water blaster for example, and we had a discussion about tax when that came up in the game.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

A little, for example when the Taxbot arrived we had a discussion about why people pay tax and what happens to the money collected. We also talked about why and how some people avoid paying tax!

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

It was a fun game and it did generate some discussion. However (and maybe this is an age-related thing?) she has come to a point in the game where try as she might she cant reach the golden key to unblock the next part of the island and she’s totally given up on it now. Played it loads to start with, but she’s a bit sad its too hard to finish.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

My daughter loves the game. Her favourite thing is to suck up the rubbish and money and deposit it. She loved calling the animals and feeling like she had a mission to help the animals.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

She has learnt the concept of working hard for your money. That money isn't freely available and that you have to pay out for services and tax so it is not always all your money to keep. She's only 6 and a half but we used the taxbot to explain we have to pay for our bin men and the powpmeon shops and banks receive wages for the work they do so need paying by someone etc.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about? Yes as above...she wasn't keen on the tax man hovering to take money at first so we talked about the purpose of his role and where the money goes..that became a lot easier when she saw the cleaner bot once she had cleaned an island.
2. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions? We haven't done this but will take a look.
3. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes..I think it is great game, fun and educational at same time. I think it is slow going to open so could put some smaller children off and the younger age would struggle without some adult support going to the different areas and remembering where everything is. Thanks for the opportunity to test.

Hi my son is 7, and he thought it was fantastic getting a new game, it was difficult to get the hang of at first but then he enjoyed the process.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

He enjoyed putting money into the bank, and cleaning up the Island

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

My son learnt a lot through playing the game, basic skills like depositing money into the bank and paying tax.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes we discussed tax, which was interesting with a 7 year old!

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No, I didn't see these

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes I would recommend it, however it was more about the environment than money management I thought.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

Getting the bankimals. Overall, he has loved playing the game, and didn't realise it was a learning resource - he just thought it was a normal game. As a result he chose to play it by himself quite a few times, no persuasion required from me. Unfortunately due to lockdown restrictions he is quite an experienced Switch gamer for a 5 year old, and I had been concerned it wouldn't stand up against the usual games he plays - I was wrong.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills?

Yes, he really got to grips with the idea of saving the coins up.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we talked about saving the doubloons up and how that was like saving his pocket money. We opened up a savings account for him at the same time and he was excited to see Pigby on the letter, as he recognised him from the game.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

I thought the fact it was available on the Switch was a real differentiator from other resources, and it was a very playable game. The only drawback was that he needed to call me in quite often to read the instructions, as he's only 5 and not a strong reader. The environmental aspect was also a positive.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

Cleaning trash

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Saving skills

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

No

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Not sure as my kids were not very interested in that

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

My son liked the cartoon style graphics. The instructions that the parrot gave you were helpful.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

My son has learnt that it is positive to save money.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, in terms of the concept of a bank account, the prospect of teaching age appropriately about scams.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Potentially. It’s a useful starting point.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

He loved that the game was easy to use and colourful.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Yes he has learned the importance of saving and that you have to work hard for your money.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes we discussed the importance of working for money in the future and that saving now will help to pay for items they really want.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes it is a simple to use game and generates a lot of discussion about why/how we should save and how to spend money wisely and not frivolously

My child is 7 and found it quite hard to play the game (use the controls) but did like collecting rubbish
She did learn a bit about the idea of saving money to pay for bigger, better things.
We did talk about introducing pocket money and what to do with it and how to earn more.
We didn't use any of the activity sheets
It could be a useful starting point for conversations about money.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

DD loved unlocking new places on the islands and collecting the bankimals

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Yes I do, she understands the importance of money management a lot more than she did before

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we discussed paying tax and what it goes towards etc

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No we didn’t realise these were there.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes absolutely, DD really enjoyed playing this and has learnt a lot regarding money management

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

H aged 7 enjoyed collecting and shooting the recyclables and sucking the coins out of the full animals but she struggled a lot with the controls as you had to use the mouse and the various keys and she got frustrated with some of the tasks like finding things without a map.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

She is more encouraged to put money into a savings account or piggy bank so it doesnt get lost or stolen

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

We talked about savings and working to earn money

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No we didnt know about these but we might in the future

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

I would recommend it to someone with an older child. H struggled a lot playing the game - she got very frustrated at times and myself or the 10 yr old had to do some bits for her and it did take us a while too - finding the key on the first level was too hard for her and then with the fertiliser she kept trying to capture snowflakes without realising it was a plant several rooms over which was difficult.

The game play itself was a bit clunky in parts e.g. when jumping on the mini islands to get across waters you couldnt judge the jumps.

It also got a bit repetitive at times it was repeating the same thing over and over - H did get a bit fed up after a while

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver? Cleaning island
2. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned? Yes, how to save
3. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about? Yes. How to save for future use
4. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions? No
5. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why? Yes. It is fun to play and initiate questions. The ease of navigation on iPhone for the game could do better

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

He loved collecting the coins and seeing the different bankimals.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned?

Yes, about taxes and the importance of keeping money safe.

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

Yes, we talked about taxes, saving and how money is kept in the bank.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

Yes, it is a fun game to play and teaches about animal conservation and money

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

Picking up the plastic bottles and putting them in the trash.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills?

No, I think they’ve learnt more about saving the environment and picking up litter.

If yes, what have they learned?

1. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about?

No not really.

1. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?

No I wasn’t aware of them.

1. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why?

No, I don’t think the money management came across enough in the game- the main focus was on picking up plastic bottles and cleaning the environment. My child is 7 and took a while to get started with this, she said the controls to shoot and suck we’re too close together and she often confused them. She also struggled to navigate around the island and get her bearings and she said it wasn’t always clear in the game what the next goal was. She did play for a quite a while but never managed to leave the first area in the game.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver?

Collecting the coins and interacting with different creatures.

1. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned? To begin with it was a very good conversation starter, secondly the game introduced the concept of saving and gave different ideas and tips.
2. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about? Yes, definitely. We spoke about saving, as well as the widespread attempts of fraud and fake bank e-mails, phone calls and messages that we need to be aware of. We spoke about the importance of reasonable money management and saving.
3. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions? Yes, we did use and enjoy the activity sheets. They are creative and useful.
4. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why? Yes, of course. The game is fun and creative. It introduces a lot of important concepts as well as helps children understand them.

1. What did your child enjoy most about NatWest Island Saver? Nothing,we downloaded it to an android phone,and it was really slow to load then kept crashing.
2. Do you think playing NatWest Island Saver has taught your child money management skills? If yes, what have they learned? No
3. Did NatWest Island Saver encourage conversations about money between you and your child? If yes, what did you talk about? I did explain to my Son the game was about saving pennies,as he is only 5.
4. Did you use any of the activity sheets on the NatWest Island Saver website to help guide your child through important money questions?No
5. Would you recommend NatWest Island Saver to other parents looking to talk to their children about money management? Why? Maybe if it was played on another device Unfortunately it didn't work well on my phone at all,we would have probably tried it on the Switch if one of the joycons wasn't suffering from drift,so didn't really get chance to give this game a proper go.