Needs and Wants Teaching Resources

Teaching about needs and wants in preschool, kindergarten or first grade? Explore printable worksheets, sorting activities, center activities and more teaching resources created by teachers to help you teach this important social studies concept!

In this teacher-created collection, you’ll find curriculum-aligned teaching resources that have been carefully reviewed and chosen by our teacher team. This is our way of making your lesson planning easier!

Is this your first year teaching this section of the social studies curriculum, or are you just looking for some fresh ideas? Read on for some tips from our teacher team on defining wants and needs and helping your students to understand the difference.

What Is the Difference Between Needs and Wants? Kid-Friendly Definitions

Ah, this is the crux of what you're teaching, isn't it? Our students need to learn that needs are essential, while wants are optional. To help you help them, here's a simple way to break down the difference between these economic principals for young students.

Needs

Needs are defined as the things that people must have in order to survive.

Needs usually remain the same. We always need food and water to survive, for example.

Wants

Unlike needs, wants are things that people would like to have but do not necessarily need in order to survive.

Wants usually change over time. One day you might want a particular toy, but a few years later, you might want something else!

Examples of Needs and Wants for Kids

Examples can go a long way in helping your students understand this economic concept better. After all, it makes the theoretical more concrete!

So let's take a look at some kid-friendly examples!

Examples of Needs for Kids

• Food
• Water
• Shelter
• Clothing

Examples of Wants for Kids

• Toys
• Candy
• Fancy shoes or clothing
• Food from a restaurant

What Is Scarcity? A Kid-Friendly Definition

The concept of scarcity can be a tough one for kids to understand, so here's a kid-friendly definition to use with your students:

Scarcity means we cannot get all of the things we want or need because there is only a limited number. We have to make choices about what we will take or how we will use things because there is only so much to go around.

For example, if there is only one toy truck, and two students want to play with the truck, then they will have to take turns or find another toy to play with.