April is Credit Union Youth Month, and we’re giving families a head start.
For most of us, the real education about borrowing came after something went sideways. A credit card balance that grew faster than expected. A student loan that felt manageable at 18 and suffocating at 25. A car payment that stretched the budget just a little too thin.
The first lesson came from the first mistake.
This April, Chief Financial Credit Union wants to change that, one family at a time.
We’ve partnered with My First Nest Egg to bring you Dive Into Lending: A Deep Sea Loan Adventure, a free, hands-on financial literacy experience designed for kids and the adults who love them. Whether you’re a parent sitting at the kitchen table or an educator looking for a resource that actually holds kids’ attention, this is for you.
What Is Dive Into Lending?
It’s part adventure map, part learning kit, and entirely free.
The experience follows kids through nine underwater stops, each one introducing a real-world lending concept in a way that’s visual, memorable, and genuinely fun. At each stop, short animated videos explain the concept, and hands-on worksheets give kids a chance to work through it themselves.
No finance degree required on your end. The sea creatures do most of the explaining. You just show up, watch together, and talk it through.
👉 Download the Adventure Map here | Download the Parent Guide here
Or stop into any Chief Financial Credit Union branch to pick up your free printed kit, no account required, no strings attached.
The Lessons That Actually Stick
Here’s a look at what kids explore along the way, and why each concept matters more than many adults realize.
🦈 Stop 1: Loan Shark Lagoon- Spotting Dangerous Deals
A loan is money you borrow and promise to pay back, usually with interest. That part is straightforward.
What’s less obvious, especially to young people, is that not every lender is on your side. Some loans come loaded with sky-high rates, buried fees, and pressure to sign before you’ve had time to think. The Loan Shark Lagoon teaches kids to recognize the red flags: “instant cash,” “no credit check,” and anything that rushes you past the fine print.
This lesson is protective in a way that lasts. When kids can spot a predatory deal at 12, they’re far less likely to fall for one at 22.
Talk it through: “What would make a loan feel unsafe to you?”
🐡 Stop 2: Balloon Payment Tsunami- The Surprise You Didn’t See Coming
Some loans look affordable month to month, and then explode with a massive final payment at the end. That’s called a balloon payment, and it catches people off guard more often than you’d think.
The adventure map illustrates this with puffer fish, each one showing a different final payment for the same loan. Kids match the loan to the puffer fish, and the lesson lands in a way that’s hard to forget.
Talk it through: “Why might smaller monthly payments be misleading?”
🏠 Stop 3: Mortgage Reef- Renting vs. Owning
This one opens a conversation that many families have never quite had out loud.
Renting means you pay to use a home. When the lease ends, you leave with nothing built. A mortgage means you’re also paying every month, but slowly, over time, you’re building something that becomes yours.
Understanding the difference between paying for access and paying to own is one of the most foundational financial ideas a young person can carry into adulthood. This stop gives families simple language to make that distinction clear.
Talk it through: “How is owning something different from just paying to use it?”
🚗 Stop 4: Car Loan Current- Your Credit Score Has a Price Tag
Three drivers want the same car. One has a credit score of 760 and pays $330 a month. Another has a score of 680 and pays $375. The third has a score of 520 and pays $445.
Same car. Very different monthly payments.
This stop makes the abstract idea of a credit score concrete and personal. When kids understand that the financial habits they build today shape what things cost them tomorrow, responsibility takes on a whole new meaning.
Talk it through: “Why do you think how responsible you’ve been affects what you pay to borrow money?”
💳 Stop 6: Credit Card Cove- That Hoodie Costs More Than You Think
Three friends each buy the same $60 hoodie with the same credit card. The friend who pays the full balance right away pays $60. The friend who pays the minimum for a few months pays more. The friend who takes the longest pays the most, for the exact same hoodie.
This is how compounding interest works, and it’s one of those “aha” moments that kids and parents alike tend to remember. Credit cards aren’t the villain here. Carrying a balance without understanding the cost is.
Talk it through: “Why did the same hoodie end up costing different amounts for each person?”
🌋 Stop 9: Variable Rate Volcano- When Your Payment Erupts
Some loans come with fixed rates, your payment stays the same for the life of the loan. Others carry variable rates, which means the interest can rise or fall depending on the market. When rates go up, payments go up too, sometimes without much warning.
Three volcanoes show kids exactly what happens in each scenario. It’s a simple visual that teaches something many adults only learn the hard way: the terms in a loan agreement matter, and knowing what you’re agreeing to protects you.
Talk it through: “Why might predictable payments feel safer?”
For Parents: It’s Easier Than You Think
You don’t need to know every answer before you start. The Dive Into Lending kit is built to guide the conversation, not put you on the spot.
Scan the QR code on the map to watch a short video for each stop. Then work through the matching activity together. The Parent Guide walks you through every concept with plain-language explanations and suggested questions for each stop.
One video. One activity. One conversation. That’s how a foundation gets built.
👉 Download the Parent Guide here
Or pick up your free printed kit at any Chief Financial branch, the team there is happy to walk you through it.
For Educators: A Resource Your Students Can Actually Use
If you’re a teacher or youth program coordinator looking for a financial literacy tool that holds attention and connects to real life, Dive Into Lending was made with your classroom in mind.
The adventure map covers nine distinct concepts, from APR and credit scores to mortgages and predatory lending, with short videos and hands-on activities at each stop. It’s flexible enough to work as a full unit or individual lessons, and every concept comes with a discussion prompt built right in.
We’re happy to provide kits for your classroom. Reach out to your nearest Chief Financial Credit Union branch and let’s make it happen.
The Goal Isn’t to Scare Kids Away From Borrowing
Credit cards, student loans, auto loans, mortgages, these are tools. Used wisely, they help people build lives, reach goals, and move forward. The goal of Dive Into Lending isn’t to make borrowing feel scary. It’s to make sure the first lesson doesn’t come from a painful mistake.
Credit cards and student loans are often among the first major independent financial decisions young people make, and they’re usually made without much context. Teaching these concepts early changes that.
Ready to Get Started?
Your free Dive Into Lending kit includes the full adventure map, the hands-on worksheet, and the Parent Guide, everything you need to turn one afternoon into a financial foundation that lasts.
Two easy ways to get yours:
✅ Download the Adventure Map →
✅ Stop by any Chief Financial Credit Union branch, no appointment, no account needed. Just come in and grab your free kit.
While you’re here, our team is also happy to help you open a youth savings account for your child. There’s no better time to pair the lesson with a little real-world practice.