Today, I’m sharing eight no cost videos about poverty that can help children and teens explore rooot causes and effects.

I believe that if more people understood how poverty affects their neighbors, they would be moved to act. And if more of us grasped the true root causes of poverty, our actions would be focused on long term solutions that really work. I also believe that kids can start to form that understanding from a young age.

Below each video, age recommendations as well as discussion questions are included.

Photo Copyright: Spectral / 123RF Stock Photo

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Seven Videos about Poverty for Kids

Stuff UNICEF Cares About: Water

I’m sure that the pair of kids who lead the Stuff UNICEF Cares About has a future in the public eye! These videos about poverty and its effects are ideal for even the youngest kids. Although they’re primarily designed to motivate kids to fundraise for UNICEF, you can also use them to introduce children to basic information about how poverty affects kids just like them.

Recommended for: Ages 4+

Questions for discussion

• What do you think happens to kids when they have to drink dirty water?
• How would you feel if you had to walk a long way to get water?
• How can we help more people have the clean water they need? (Brainstorm some ideas beyond those mentioned in the video.)

Related Post: 18 Children’s Books about Poverty and Hunger

Rosie’s Story (Excerpt from A Place at the Table)

If I asked you to talk about a child living in poverty in the United States, you’d probably think of a kid living in a city. But 16 percent of people in rural areas live in poverty (higher than the overall rate of U.S. poverty.) Rosie is one such child who struggles with poverty, and hunger affects her ability to learn in school.

Recommended for: Ages 7+

Questions for discussion

• Why is it sometimes hard for Rosie to pay attention in school?
• Have you ever tried to do something or learn something when you were really hungry? What did it feel like?

Related Post: How to talk to children about poverty

Barbie from A Place at the Table

Barbie Izquierdo is another person featured in the documentary A Place at the Table. This video clip uses excerpts from the documentary, interspersed with a more recent interview with Barbie. This video about poverty is ideal for talking with older children about the Food Stamp program and how it needs to be improved.

Recommended for: Ages 10+

Questions for discussion

• What do you know about Food Stamps (now called SNAP)?
• How might life for Barbie and her children be different if their Food Stamp benefits lasted them all month?
• Do you think it’s possible to eat a healthy diet on the amount of Food Stamps people receive?

Related post: How to talk to white children about race (a guide for parents)

President for a Day

Before showing this video, explain to kids that you’ll see children deciding how much money should go to each part of the federal budget, such as health, education, defense, and foreign aid to other countries to fight poverty and disease.

Recommended for: Ages 8+

Questions for discussion:

• Were you surprised that the United States only spends one penny out of every dollar on aid to other countries?
• If you were in charge of the federal budget and had one dollar, how many cents would you put in each of these categories: defense, education, health care, and aid to other countries?

Extension activity: Use this kid-friendly letter writing guide to tell Congress how you think they should spend the federal budget.

Related Post: 7 Inspiring Young Activists for Social Justice

Occupy Bakery

This is an excellent video about poverty, low-wage work, and organizing that’s ideal for middle school or high school students. Children learn about how immigrant workers at one New York City bakery were treated, and how organizing with a union helped them change things.

Recommended for: Ages 12+

Questions for discussion:

• Worker and leader Mahoma López says in the video that “there is no justice unless you make your own.” What do you think he meant?
• Do you think immigrant workers are ignored or unappreciated in your community? Why or why not?
• How do you think the workers’ livees have changed now that a union contract is in place?

Related Post: Wisdom for student activists: 4 guides to social change for tweens and teens

Living on One (series)

Living On One is a documentary by a group of young men from the United States who attempt to live on $1 per day in rural Guatemala for two months. You can find a series of clips from the documentary on YouTube, starting with this introductory one.

At first I was hesitant about whether to share this series (I would have preferred to find something that had more voices of people who are directly affected by poverty.)

But the clear way they break down each issues into terms that older children can understand, as well as their willingness to take risks to their health and well-being, won me over. At the end of this introductory video, you’ll find links to the rest of the series, which includes food, water, education, and more.

Recommended for: Ages 10+

Questions for discussion:

• What things would you have to go without if you only had $1 per day to live on?
• For people who have to live on only $1 a day all the time, what do you think would be some of the hardest parts of life?

Related Post: 5 Young Activists Who Will Inspire Kids

The Beast Inside

In this moving animated video, a teenage boy named Tilawn who is homeless share his experiences (intermixed with his spoken word poetry). His words will likely challenge both children and adult’s ideas about who homeless people are.

Recommended for: Ages 12+

Questions for discussion:

• Were you surprised when Tilawn helped another homeless family and even gave away his shoes? Why or why not?
• What struck you most about what he shared about his life?

Related Post: 10 Children’s Books about Housing and Homelessness