Monopoly (game) facts for kids

The Monopoly board game

Monopoly is a fun board game for two to eight players. In this game, you move around the board, buying and selling land and buildings. Your goal is to become the richest player! You win when all other players run out of money.

Many books offer tips on how to win. One early book, 1000 Ways to Win Monopoly Games, was written by Jeffrey S. Lehman and Jay S. Walker.

Monopoly's History
The Game Board
Setting Up Your Game
How to Play Monopoly
Different Monopoly Editions
Why Play Monopoly?
Fun Facts About Monopoly
Images for kids
See also

Monopoly's History

Monopoly was first created by Elizabeth Magie in 1903. She designed it as a teaching tool. It was based on the idea of land monopoly in economics. Magie wanted her game to show the problems of owning too much land privately. She called her game "The Landlord's Game." She started publishing it herself in 1906. The first rules even included a way for players to share land rents so everyone could win.

In 1934, Charles Darrow from Philadelphia found "The Landlord's Game." He thought it was more exciting if players didn't share rents. He made his own version where making money was the main goal. He named it "Monopoly." Later, he sold his game to Parker Brothers. They wrongly said Charles Darrow created the game.

The Game Board

The Monopoly board has 40 spaces. In the four corners, you'll find GO, Free Parking, JAIL, and Go to Jail. Along the sides, there are properties like streets and businesses you can buy.

The properties include:

22 streets (each has one of eight colors)
4 railroad stations
The Electric Company
The Water Works

There are also spaces called Income Tax, Luxury Tax, Community Chest, and Chance.

In the first American version, the properties were named after streets in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the British version, they are named after streets in London.

Setting Up Your Game

To start, place the board in position. Shuffle the Chance and Community Chest cards. Put them face down on their spots. Each player picks a token, like a thimble or a dog. Place your token on the GO space.

One player becomes the banker. This person gives out money from the bank. They also collect money players spend during the game. The banker gives each player $1500 to begin. Everyone rolls the dice. The player with the highest roll goes first.

How to Play Monopoly

The main goal of Monopoly is to own lots of land (property). You want to be the richest player! The full rules are in every Monopoly box. Here's a quick summary.

Moving Around the Board

On your turn, roll the dice. Move your token forward (clockwise) the number of spaces shown on the dice. Then, follow the instructions for the space you land on.

If you land on a property no one owns, you can buy it from the Bank. The price is printed on the board. If you don't want to buy it, the Banker will sell it in an auction. All players can bid, even the one who first landed there. The player who buys it pays the Bank. They get the property's card, which has important details.
If you land on a property another player owns, you must pay them rent. The rent amount is on the property's card. If you land on your own property, nothing happens.
If you land on Chance or Community Chest, draw the top card. Follow its instructions. Chance cards often make you move to other spaces. Community Chest cards usually give you money or make you pay. Put the card at the bottom of its deck when you're done, unless it says you can keep it.
If you land on or pass GO, you collect $200 from the Bank.
Free Parking is a safe spot. Nothing good or bad happens here.
If you land on Income Tax, you must pay money to the Bank. You can pay 10% of everything you own. Or, you can choose to pay $200 instead. You must decide before you calculate.
If you land on Luxury Tax, you pay the amount shown on the space to the Bank.

If you roll doubles (the same number on both dice), you get another turn. But if you roll doubles three times in a row, you go straight to Jail! You don't get your third turn.

Going to Jail

The Jail space has two parts: IN JAIL and JUST VISITING. If you land on Jail by a normal dice roll, you are "JUST VISITING." Nothing happens.

You go "IN JAIL" in three ways:

You land on the "Go to Jail" space.
You draw a Chance or Community Chest card that says "GO TO JAIL."
You roll doubles three times in a row.

If you go to Jail, move your token directly to the IN JAIL section. This doesn't count as a move. You don't collect $200 if you pass GO. Your turn ends right away, even if you rolled doubles.

While in Jail, you still roll the dice on your turn. But you don't move your token. Here's how to get out:

Roll doubles on your turn. You leave Jail and move normally. You don't get another turn, though.
Use a "Get Out Of Jail, Free" card. Then move your token based on your roll.
Pay a $50 fine to the Bank. Then move forward based on your roll. If you don't roll doubles for three turns, you must choose this option.

Being in Jail doesn't stop you from doing other things. You can still buy, sell, or trade properties.

Building and Trading

Once you own all streets of the same color, you can build houses. More houses mean higher rent when opponents land there. The exact amounts are on each street's card. You can sell houses back to the Bank for half their cost.
After four houses on a street, you can buy a hotel. This increases rent even more. To buy a hotel, you pay cash and return the four houses to the bank. Only one hotel can be on each property. If you sell a hotel, you get back the houses you traded for it.
You must build and sell houses evenly. For example, you must build one house on each street in a color group before building a second on any of them. The same rule applies to selling.
The game has 32 houses and 12 hotels. If the Bank runs out, no one can build more until some become available. If many players want buildings, the Banker auctions them.
You can sell any properties to another player. You both agree on the price. But if you have houses or a hotel on the street, you must sell them back to the Bank first.
You can get a loan from the Bank by mortgaging properties. Each property card shows its mortgage value. This is how much money you get. If a property is mortgaged, you don't collect rent. To unmortgage it, you pay the original mortgage value plus 10% interest. For example, if a property's mortgage value is $100, you pay $110 to unmortgage it. You must sell all buildings on a property before mortgaging it.
If you trade a mortgaged property, the new owner can unmortgage it right away. They pay the normal cost (mortgage value + 10% interest). If they don't, they still pay the 10% interest. Later, they can unmortgage it by paying the mortgage value plus another 10% interest.

Ending the Game

If you owe more money than you can pay, you can try to get more money. You can sell buildings, mortgage properties, or trade with other players.
If you still can't pay, you are bankrupt! You must give everything you own to the player you owe. If you owe the Bank, they auction your properties. You are out of the game.
The last player left wins the game!
Sometimes, players agree to play a "short game." In this case, the game ends when one player goes bankrupt. Then, all remaining players add up the value of everything they own. The player with the most money and property wins.

Different Monopoly Editions

There are many different versions of Monopoly. Hasbro and USAopoly make official ones. Unofficial versions are made by Toy Vault. Official games are named "____ Monopoly," like "Star Wars Monopoly." Unofficial ones are named "____-Opoly," like "Python-Opoly."

Milton Bradley has made editions that show popular culture from different decades. For example, The 1970s Monopoly has spaces with fashion from that time. Players can buy bell bottom blue jeans instead of streets.

Many video game versions of Monopoly exist. There are also electronic versions that use credit cards instead of paper money.

In India, a similar game is called Business. In Egypt, a similar game is called بنك الحظ (The Bank of Luck).

Acquire is another game with similar ideas to Monopoly. It involves owning properties and making money. But it also has rules for more advanced business, like stocks.

Why Play Monopoly?

People play Monopoly for many reasons. Some play it for family game night. Others use it as a learning tool at school. And many just play it for fun!

Monopoly can be a great teaching tool for kids. It helps them learn while having fun. It teaches how to make deals when trading. It shows the value of money. Kids practice addition and subtraction. They also learn good sportsmanship, competition, strategies, and organization.

For younger kids, it's great for learning mathematics. They explore adding, subtracting, probability, percentages, and patterns. Older students can use Monopoly to learn about microeconomics.

Fun Facts About Monopoly

A player goes to "Jail" at least once about every 15 turns.
Monopoly is now sold in 114 countries. It's available in 47 different languages.
Within the first month, Parker Brothers made 20,000 sets each week.
Ralph Anspash created a game called Anti-Monopoly. But it was not as popular as Monopoly.

Images for kids

Lizzie Magie's 1904 board design
2014 US Monopoly box
The board cover of the standard British version, with the 2008–13 artwork
The 'Ultimate Banking Unit' utilized in the Ultimate Banking Edition
During World War II, the dice in the United Kingdom were replaced with a spinner because of a lack of materials.
2 standard dice, included in the original Monopoly Board Game.
The Speed Die