Looking for simple Making Values 20p, 50p and £1 Burger Shop activities to help children practise money? A burger shop theme is a fun, practical way to help children recognise coins, make amounts, compare values, add prices and understand that the same total can be made in different ways. New to outdoor learning? Explore the Begginers Guide to Outdoor Learning.
Money can feel tricky when children only see it on a worksheet. A burger shop gives children a playful reason to use coins. They can build burgers, choose toppings, read a menu, pay for meals, find totals and explore how to make 20p, 50p and £1 using different coin combinations. Download this outdoor maths resource and thousands more – take a 60-day free trial.
At The Muddy Puddle Teacher®, we believe maths should feel active, purposeful and easy to understand. You do not need expensive resources. Pretend coins, chalk, cardboard menus, paper plates, trays, natural loose parts, crates and an outdoor space are enough to create a meaningful burger shop money activity.
New to Teaching Money Outdoors? Start Here
If children are still building confidence with money, start by exploring the coins.
Let children handle coins, compare them, talk about their size, colour and value, then practise making simple amounts. Children need to understand that more coins does not always mean more money. One 50p coin is worth more than lots of 1p coins, and one £1 coin has the same value as one hundred pennies.
A burger shop gives this learning a real purpose. Children can make burgers, chips, drinks and meal deals, then pay using coins.
Start with one target value, such as 20p. Once children are confident, move to 50p, then £1. This keeps the learning manageable and helps children build success step by step.
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Outdoor Burger Shop: Make 50p
Set up a pretend burger shop outside using trays, crates, paper plates, chalk menus and natural loose parts. Children can make burgers using leaves for lettuce, stones for tomatoes, sticks for chips, bark for buns and petals for toppings.
Give children a simple challenge: Can you make a burger meal that costs exactly 50p?
Time: 20–30 minutes
Prep: Low
Resources: Pretend or real coins, paper plates, trays, chalk, cardboard menu cards, natural loose parts and a simple counter
Learning: Making values, coin recognition, counting money, addition, problem-solving, role play and mathematical language
Children might make 50p using one 50p coin, two 20p coins and one 10p coin, five 10p coins, or a mixture of 20p, 10p, 5p, 2p and 1p coins.
As children play, adults can ask, how can you make 50p, can you make it another way, which coins are easiest, which way uses the fewest coins, how do you know your total is correct?
This gives children a practical money challenge that feels like play.
Why Burger Shop Money Activities Work Well
Burger shop money activities work well because the context is familiar and easy for children to understand. They know that food has prices, customers pay and shopkeepers need to check totals.
This creates a meaningful reason to practise money skills. Children are not just counting coins because an adult has asked them to. They are paying for a burger, choosing a meal deal, checking a price or working out if they have enough money.
Making values such as 20p, 50p and £1 helps children understand coin value, addition, counting in 2s, 5s, 10s, 20s and 50s, and the idea that one amount can be made in many different ways.
The burger shop also supports communication, role play, turn-taking and problem-solving.
Making 20p in Different Ways
Start with 20p because it is a manageable value for children who are developing confidence.
Children can make 20p using one 20p coin, two 10p coins, four 5p coins, ten 2p coins, twenty 1p coins or a mixture of coins.
In the burger shop, you might price a mini burger at 20p, chips at 10p, sauce at 5p and salad at 2p. Children can work out how to pay for a 20p item or build a meal that totals exactly 20p.
Ask questions such as, can you make 20p with two coins, can you make 20p with five coins, can you make 20p without using a 20p coin, which way is quickest, which way uses the most coins?
This helps children understand value and coin combinations.
Making 50p in Different Ways
Once children are confident with 20p, move on to 50p.
Children can make 50p using one 50p coin, two 20p coins and one 10p coin, five 10p coins, ten 5p coins, twenty-five 2p coins or a mixture of coins.
A burger shop gives lots of playful reasons to make 50p. A burger might cost 50p, a meal deal might cost 50p, or children might need to choose items from the menu that total 50p exactly.
They could combine a 20p burger, 20p chips and 10p drink, or a 50p special burger, or a 30p burger and 20p side if you are extending the challenge.
Ask, can you make 50p another way, can you make it using only silver coins, can you make it without using a 50p coin, which combination would a customer prefer, how can you check your total?
This builds flexibility and confidence with larger values.
Download this outdoor maths resource and thousands more – take a 60-day free trial.
Making £1 in Different Ways
Making £1 is a brilliant challenge for children who are ready to work with larger amounts.
Children can make £1 using one £1 coin, two 50p coins, five 20p coins, ten 10p coins, twenty 5p coins, fifty 2p coins, one hundred 1p coins or a mixture of coins.
In the burger shop, £1 could be used for a full meal deal, a family order or a special challenge where children must design a menu that totals exactly £1.
You might ask children to create a £1 burger meal using a burger, drink, side and topping. They can then use coins to build the total and explain how they know it equals £1.
Ask questions such as, how many 20p coins make £1, how many 50p coins make £1, can you make £1 without using a £1 coin, can you make £1 in three different ways, which way uses the fewest coins?
This helps children deepen their understanding of equivalence and value.
Burger Shop Menus for 20p, 50p and £1
A simple menu helps children apply their money skills.
You might create a burger shop menu with prices such as bun 10p, burger 20p, cheese 10p, lettuce 5p, tomato 5p, chips 20p, drink 20p, sauce 2p, special burger 50p and meal deal £1.
Children can read the menu, choose items, add prices and find the correct coins.
They can also create their own menus. This supports number writing, spelling, mark-making, decision-making and ownership of the role play.
Keep the menu simple at first, then add more prices when children are ready for challenge.
Adding Burger Shop Prices
Once children can make values, they can begin adding prices.
They might add a 20p burger and 10p cheese, a 50p special burger and 20p chips, or a 20p drink, 20p chips and 10p sauce.
Children can use coins to build the total physically before recording the calculation.
You might ask, how much is it altogether, can you count on from 50p, what is 20p more, which coins will you use, is there another way to pay, do you have enough for the meal deal?
This helps children connect practical money work with addition.
Comparing Burger Shop Prices
The burger shop is also useful for comparing values.
Children can compare which meal is cheaper, which costs more, which two items cost the same as one 50p item, or whether a £1 meal deal is better value than buying items separately.
They might compare a 50p burger with two 20p sides and a 10p drink. They might decide whether 20p + 20p + 10p is the same as 50p.
Ask, which is cheaper, which is more expensive, how much more does it cost, how much less is it, are these two totals equal, how do you know?
This supports reasoning and mathematical language.
Burger Shop Role Play and Language
A burger shop gives children a natural reason to use money language.
Children can practise phrases such as, that costs 50p, your total is £1, I need 20p more, can I pay with two 50p coins, this burger is cheaper, the meal deal costs more, I can make 50p another way.
Role play supports speaking, listening, turn-taking and confidence.
For children who need language support, adults can model short phrases, use visual menus and repeat key vocabulary such as coin, pence, pound, price, cost, total, pay, value, more, less, cheaper, expensive and change.
Outdoor Money Maths for KS1
This burger shop activity is ideal for KS1 because it keeps money practical and meaningful.
Year 1 children may focus on recognising coins, matching prices and making 20p. Year 2 children may move towards making 50p and £1, adding prices and finding different coin combinations.
Children can work practically before recording calculations. This helps them understand what the numbers mean.
Money learning needs repetition, and a burger shop gives children a reason to repeat the skill again and again through play.
Explore outdoor maths ideas – Taking Money Outdoors 1p & 2ps.
Adding Money 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p EBook Outdoor Maths Activities
Outdoor Money Maths for Lower KS2
This activity can also work well for lower KS2 children who need consolidation.
Older children can create more complex menus, calculate totals, compare meal deals, work out change from £1, create customer challenges or design a burger shop budget.
They might be challenged to create three different meals that each total £1, or to find the fewest number of coins needed to pay for a 70p order.
This keeps the activity useful for mixed-ability groups and intervention work.
Burger Shop Money Activities and SEND
Burger shop money activities can support children with SEND because the learning is practical, visual and repetitive.
Children can touch the coins, match them to prices, build totals, choose menu items and repeat the same buying routine. This makes money more concrete.
Some children may begin with matching one coin to one price. Others may work on making 20p before moving to 50p or £1.
Children can show understanding by choosing coins, handing over the right amount, sorting coins, building a burger, pointing to a price or counting with support.
The activity can be adapted easily so every child can take part.
Burger Shop Continuous Provision
A burger shop can become part of outdoor continuous provision.
Leave out a simple counter, menu, coins, trays, paper plates and natural loose parts. Children can return to the shop during outdoor play and practise money through repeated role play.
Adults can add small challenges over time. One day the challenge might be to make 20p, another day to make 50p, another day to create a £1 meal deal.
This repeated exposure helps children become more confident with money.
Want Ready-to-Use Burger Shop Money Resources?
The Making Values 20p, 50p and £1: Burger Shop resource is designed to help children practise money in a playful, practical and meaningful way.
Inside The Muddy Puddle Teacher® membership, you will find ready-to-use outdoor maths activities, money role play resources, EYFS and KS1 maths ideas, SEND support, outdoor play prompts, intervention ideas and simple planning to help you take learning outside.
Our resources are created to save teachers time, reduce planning stress and make maths feel active, purposeful and fun.
Ready for More Outdoor Maths Ideas?
If you enjoyed this Making Values 20p, 50p and £1: Burger Shop activity, you can access hundreds more outdoor learning resources inside The Muddy Puddle Teacher®.
Start today with a 60-day free trial and explore outdoor learning resources for EYFS, KS1, KS2, SEND, forest school, outdoor play, maths, money, role play and continuous provision.
Download this outdoor maths resource and thousands more – take a 60-day free trial.
Start with one burger shop, one menu and one target value, then build from there.
Outdoor money maths does not have to be complicated. Sometimes, it just needs a playful shop, simple coins and children ready to count, compare and make values.
Making Values 20p, 50p and £1 Burger Shop FAQs
What is Making Values 20p, 50p and £1: Burger Shop?
Making Values 20p, 50p and £1: Burger Shop is a practical money activity where children use a burger shop role play theme to make amounts, count coins, compare values and add prices.
What age is this burger shop money activity for?
This activity is ideal for KS1 and can also support EYFS children who are ready for money work or lower KS2 children who need extra practice with coin values.
How can children make 20p?
Children can make 20p using one 20p coin, two 10p coins, four 5p coins, ten 2p coins, twenty 1p coins or a mixture of coins.
How can children make 50p?
Children can make 50p using one 50p coin, five 10p coins, two 20p coins and one 10p coin, ten 5p coins or a mixture of coins.
How can children make £1?
Children can make £1 using one £1 coin, two 50p coins, five 20p coins, ten 10p coins, twenty 5p coins or a mixture of coins.
Why use a burger shop to teach money?
A burger shop gives children a real reason to use money. They can buy, sell, make totals, compare prices and practise coin combinations through role play.
Can this support SEND learners?
Yes. Burger shop money activities can support SEND learners because they are practical, visual, repetitive and easy to adapt. Children can match coins, choose prices, build totals and join in through role play.
Do I need special resources?
No. You can use pretend coins, real coins with supervision, cardboard menus, trays, paper plates, chalk, natural loose parts, crates and an outdoor space.
