How to Play Monopoly Junior
Monopoly Junior is a stripped-down version built for ages five and up. It swaps the big board for a smaller one, uses only $1 bills, and replaces houses and hotels with simple ownership — so young players can actually finish a game.
The theme is a fun fair of ticket booths rather than real estate, but the buy-and-charge-rent heart of Monopoly is intact.
Last reviewed 2026-07-27
What's in the box
- A smaller Monopoly Junior board
- Four character tokens
- A single die
- Chance cards and “Sold” tickets
- Monopoly money in $1 bills only
Setup
- Give each player a token on GO and an equal starting bank of $1 bills (the amount scales with the number of players, roughly $16–$20 each).
- Shuffle the Chance cards and place them on the board.
- Choose a Banker to hand out money and “Sold” tickets.
- The youngest player goes first, and play passes to the left.
How to play — the rules
Move and buy
Roll the single die and move that many spaces. If you land on an unowned space, you buy it for the price printed there and mark it with your “Sold” ticket — in Junior, buying is automatic rather than optional.
Collect $2 each time you pass GO.
Paying rent
Land on a space someone else owns and you pay them the amount shown. If a player owns both spaces of a matching color, the rent they collect is doubled.
You never build houses or hotels — owning the matching pair is the only way to raise rent.
Running out of money
If you cannot pay what you owe, you are out of the game. That immediately triggers the end: the remaining players count their cash.
A turn, step by step
- Roll the single die and move that many spaces.
- Buy the space if it is unowned, or pay the owner if it is not.
- Follow any Chance card or space instruction.
- Collect $2 whenever you pass GO.
How to win
The game ends as soon as one player runs out of money. At that point every remaining player counts everything they have.
The player with the most money — cash on hand — wins. Games are short, so a lucky Chance card or a completed color pair often decides it.
Strategy tips
- Buy everything you land on early; owning more spaces means more chances to collect.
- Completing a color pair doubles your rent, so aim to own both matching spaces.
- Keep a little cash in reserve so a rent payment doesn’t knock you out.
- Because the game ends the moment someone busts, watch the poorest player — you may want to end it while you are ahead.
Frequently asked questions
How is Monopoly Junior different from regular Monopoly?
It uses a single die, only $1 bills, a smaller board, and no houses or hotels. Buying is automatic, rent is simpler, and the whole game finishes in about 20 minutes.
How do you win Monopoly Junior?
The game ends when one player runs out of money. Everyone else counts their cash, and the richest player wins.
What age is Monopoly Junior for?
It is designed for ages 5 and up — young enough that kids only need to count to about six and handle single dollar bills.
Do you charge double rent in Monopoly Junior?
Yes, if you own both spaces of a matching color, the rent you collect on them is doubled. That is the closest thing Junior has to building.
House-rule ideas
- Play to a set time and count money, so nobody has the disappointment of “going out.”
- Let a busted player rejoin with a small loan for very young children.
- Cap the game at one lap of the board for the shortest possible session.
Buy Monopoly Junior
Monopoly Junior Board Game
The kid-sized edition: single die, dollar bills, and 20-minute games.
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