How a Child Repays a Loan

When a parent or guardian sets up a loan on KiddyCash, the child receives funds in their account with an agreement to pay them back over time. A loan repayment is a payment the child makes from their KiddyCash wallet toward that outstanding balance — reducing what they owe, one payment at a time.

This guide walks you through making a repayment from a child account, step by step.

Before You Start

Make sure you have the following ready:

  • Access to the child’s KiddyCash account (either as the child or as a guardian helping them)
  • Enough balance in the child’s wallet to cover at least one repayment amount
  • The loan already set up — if no loan exists yet, follow the steps in How to create a loan for a child first
  • The loan ID, which you can find by visiting How to view a child loan

Teaching kids to repay loans builds real financial habits early. If you’re looking for ways to help your child earn money to fund their repayments — through chores, for example — this article on why chores still matter in modern family life is worth a read.

Step-by-Step: Making a Loan Repayment

Step 1: Log in to the child’s account

Open the KiddyCash app and sign in using the child’s credentials. If the child is young and you are assisting them, log in on their behalf.

Step 2: Navigate to the loan

Go directly to the loan using the account and loan link for this child:

https://kiddy.cash/kiddy/account/:kiddy_account_id/loan/:loan_id

Replace :kiddy_account_id with the child’s account ID and :loan_id with the specific loan ID. You can find both values on the loan detail screen inside the app.

Step 3: Review the outstanding balance

On the loan detail screen, you will see:

  • Total loan amount — the original amount borrowed (for example, KES 500)
  • Amount repaid so far — what has already been paid back
  • Outstanding balance — what is still owed
  • Repayment schedule — any agreed installment amounts and due dates

Read through these figures carefully before proceeding.

Step 4: Tap “Make a Repayment”

Locate the Make a Repayment button on the loan detail screen and tap it.

Step 5: Enter the repayment amount

Type in the amount you want to pay. This can be:

  • The full outstanding balance (to clear the loan completely), or
  • A partial amount (for example, KES 100 as one installment)

The amount must not exceed your current wallet balance. If the wallet is empty, top it up first — for instance, a parent in Nairobi might transfer funds via M-Pesa into the child’s KiddyCash wallet before the repayment is made.

Step 6: Confirm the repayment

Review the repayment summary — the amount, the remaining balance after payment, and the account it will be deducted from. Tap Confirm to complete the transaction.

Step 7: Check your updated balance

Once the repayment is processed, the loan detail screen will refresh to show the new outstanding balance. If the balance reaches zero, the loan is marked as fully repaid and the child may earn a KiddyCash badge for completing their first loan.

Tips for Building Good Repayment Habits

Consistent repayments teach children that borrowing comes with responsibility. Connecting loan repayments to earnings from chores or a kiddy business makes the lesson even more practical. How chores connect to financial literacy for kids explains this link in more detail.