Working to Meet Needs and Wants in Families and Communities

What Are Needs and Wants?

You have things you need and things you want. A need is something you must have to live and stay healthy. A want is something fun to have, but you can live without it.

Food, water, clothing, and shelter are needs. Every family must have these things. Toys, games, and candy are wants they are nice, but you do not need them to survive. You can learn more about Human Basic Needs: Water, Food, Shelter, and Emotional Security to understand why these things are so important.

Needs in Your Family

Your family works hard to get what you need. A parent or caregiver earns money so your family can buy food, clothing, and a home. Families work together to make sure everyone has what they need.

Think about your home. It keeps you warm and safe. That is shelter a need! The food on your table is a need too. Your family goes to the grocery store to buy food so you stay healthy and fed.

Community Helpers Meet Needs

People in your community work to help meet needs too. A farmer grows food for families. A builder makes homes that give families shelter. A doctor helps sick people get better that meets the need for health care. A firefighter keeps you safe that meets the need for safety.

You can learn more about the people who help your community by exploring Community Helpers and Roles of Community Workers.

Key Terms and Definitions

Need: A need is something you must have to live and stay healthy. Food, water, clothing, and shelter are needs. You cannot survive without them.

Want: A want is something you would like to have but do not need to live. Toys, games, candy, and bikes are wants. They are fun, but you can live without them.

Food: Food is a need because your body cannot grow or stay strong without it. Your family buys food at a grocery store or grows it in a garden.

Water: Water is a need because your body must have it every day to stay alive and healthy. You cannot live without clean water.

Shelter: Shelter is a need. Your home gives you shelter. It keeps you warm and safe, especially when the weather is cold.

Clothing: Clothing is a need because it protects your body and keeps you warm. A coat is clothing that keeps you safe in cold weather.

Safety: Safety is a need. You need to be safe to live and grow. Firefighters and community helpers work to keep you safe.

Health care: Health care is a need. When you are sick, a doctor or nurse helps you feel better. Getting medicine and seeing a doctor meets your need for health care.

Ways You Can Practice

Look around your home. Can you find things that are needs? Can you find things that are wants? Try sorting them into two groups needs and wants!

You can also think about the people in your community. A baker makes bread that is a food need! A teacher helps you learn that is a learning need! Explore Essential Community Services to see more ways communities meet needs.

Building on What You Know

You already know about your family and the people around you. Understanding Family Roles and Responsibilities helps you see how each person in a family works to meet needs. You also know about your community from topics like Types of Communities and Community Places.

Learning about needs and wants gets you ready for bigger ideas like Introduction to Money, Making Choices, and Making Simple Decisions. You will also learn about Community Resources and Types of Businesses that help families get what they need.

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Needs and Wants: How Families and Communities Work Together

You will learn the difference between needs and wants, and how families and communities work together to get what they need to live and stay healthy.