Every generation, cartoons are criticized for being too simple and, as some have argued, even dangerous for children. But cartoons are instrumental parts of childhood and every generation has their own. We were curious about the business and financial lessons being taught to kids (if any at all) and are pleased with what we found.

Business and Finance Lessons in Today’s Cartoons

Like many of our lists, this is just a quick sampling and in no way comprehensive. We’re also deliberately skipping one example because it is so awesome it deserves its own post. Enjoy!

Phineas and Ferb: The Lemonade Stand

Disney’s “Phineas and Ferb” concentrates on the antics of two stepbrothers and their adventures wasting time over summer vacation. Their ideas often involve massive, and sometimes dangerous, construction projects but they do dabble in business from time to time.

The best example is the episode simply titled, “The Lemonade Stand”. Seeking to build the “ultimate lemonade stand”, as well as provide others with franchise possibilities, Phineas and Ferb concoct a large robot to make their product. Their endeavour is ultimately successful, leading to quick expansion by the end of the episode. However, the boys decide to give up their lemonade stand in order to continue their quest of discovering new ideas and adventures.

Arthur: Arthur’s Pet Business

Based on the beloved children’s books, “Arthur” is one of the longest running animated series ever. (And second only to The Simpsons.) Early in the series run, the title character Arthur wants a dog but must prove to his parents he’s responsible enough to care for one. His pet business manages to solve a few problems. Not only can he earn enough money to buy his own dog but he can prove to his parents he knows how to care for pets. It’s a win-win!

Of course, that’s not how things work out for Arthur. He quickly finds his first pet-sitting job to be exhausting due to a grouchy, finicky dog with a very particular diet. Undeterred, Arthur expands his business to include more dogs and even a snake. To handle the new work, he hires a friend to help care for the animals. We won’t ruin the story for anyone but this story, based off a book of the same name, details the frustrations and issues with starting a new business. It’s remarkably comprehensive for a kids story!

Max & Ruby: Bunny Money

Max & Ruby is a children’s show on Nickelodeon that follows two rabbit siblings through a series of adventures, misadventures, and general playtime. In one episode, Ruby has saved some money to buy their grandma, Bunny, a birthday gift. Unfortunately, Ruby quickly realizes she didn’t bring enough money for the gift and a day of shopping with little brother. In order to get their grandma a birthday gift, Max and Ruby have to learn some quick lessons about budgeting and spending money.