Questions and answers.
Plain answers to what parents ask us most. Can't find yours? Write to us, and we reply within two working days.
About Tinker Penny
What is Tinker Penny?
Tinker Penny makes coding packs that teach children money skills.
Your child builds a real game in free Scratch, one short step at a time. Each game teaches one money idea, like saving for a goal or spotting a scam.
Children who'd rather play can play every game in Tinker Penny Play.
What ages is it for?
Ages 7 to 12. Children who can read short sentences can follow the guide on their own.
Younger children enjoy building with a grown-up beside them. In Play, Sprout reads every line aloud.
What money skills does it teach?
One skill per game, each building on the last.
01 Market Day: saving for a goal.
02 Festival Day Stall: earning by making and selling.
03 Coin Garden Time Machine: setting a goal and a plan.
04 Treasure Map: a four-jar budget: spend, save, give, future.
05 Coin Trail: giving is always your choice.
06 Deal Detective: comparing the total for what you need.
07 Scam Detectives: a scam is a trick to get your money or your secrets.
08 Tap and Track: tapping a card is real money.
Who makes it?
ProsperityLab Technology Ltd, part of TWin by ProsperityLab. We're a company in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), licence CL12992.
Is it made by Scratch?
No. Tinker Penny is independent and isn't endorsed by the Scratch Foundation.
Scratch is a free coding tool for children, from the Scratch Foundation and the MIT Media Lab, at scratch.mit.edu.
Getting started
Does my child need to know coding?
No. Market Day starts at the very beginning: opening a file and snapping blocks together.
Each pack adds a few new ideas on top of the last. Our starter guide shows grown-ups what to open, step by step.
What do we need?
A computer, Chromebook or tablet (Android or iPad), and Scratch, which is free. Use it in a web browser, or install the Scratch app.
A phone is too small to build on. Play works on phones, though.
How long does a pack take?
Nine steps: play the game, set up, six coding builds, then show and tell. Most steps take 15 to 30 minutes.
One or two steps a day is plenty, so a pack makes a happy week.
Does it work offline?
Yes. You need the internet once, to download. After that, open the guide from the pack and build in the Scratch app, which works offline.
Play keeps a copy of each game your child has played, so those work offline too.
Which edition should we choose?
You don't have to choose. Every pack includes Anywhere ($), UAE (AED) and India (₹). Switch at the top of the guide whenever you like.
Play
What is Tinker Penny Play?
Play is our web app for children who'd rather play than build. Every pack's game is in it.
Sprout reads the story aloud, your child plays the game, then wins stars and stickers and answers a quick quiz.
Is Play free?
Market Day is free to play. Every pack you buy also opens in Play, from your order page.
There are no ads, no sign-up and nothing extra to buy.
Does Play work on phones and tablets?
Yes, on phones, tablets and computers. You can add it to your home screen like an app. Stars and stickers stay on your device.
Buying
How much does it cost?
Market Day is free. Every other pack is $10 (AED 35 in the UAE).
The Tinker Collection is packs 01 to 05 for $30 (AED 99 in the UAE). Later packs are sold on their own.
Is it a subscription?
No. You pay once for each pack, and your family keeps it. Use it on as many of your own devices as you like.
How do we get the files?
Straight after checkout, you land on your download page, and we email you the link too.
Open each guide online from there, or download the pack. Keep the link: it works whenever you need it.
Can we share packs with friends, a class or a club?
Each pack is for one family to use at home, so please don't share or resell the files.
Your children can share their own remixes with your permission. For classes, clubs and schools, ask us about a group licence at support@prosperitylab.ai.
What if it isn't right for us?
Try Market Day first. It's a full pack, so you'll see how your child gets on.
Paid packs are downloads, so a sale is final once you start downloading, or open a guide or a game in Play.
If a pack doesn't work, we'll fix it or refund you. Our refund policy has the details.
Safety and privacy
Is there any real money involved for my child?
No. Children only ever handle pretend coins inside the games. The one payment happens on this site, once, made by a grown-up.
Are there ads, accounts or in-app purchases?
No. The packs and Play have no ads, no accounts for children, no tracking and nothing to buy inside them.
What information do you keep?
The packs collect nothing. Progress and your child's name stay on your own device.
When you buy, we keep only what we need to deliver your packs and help you. We never sell your information.
We follow the DIFC Data Protection Law. Our privacy notice explains it all.
How do we get help?
Write to support@prosperitylab.ai. Tell us your device and what you see. We reply within two working days.