You can buy direct shares for your children as a form of investment savings. Although there is no minimum (apart from the value of a particular share) it is often more risky to invest into just one particular company. Nevertheless, direct shares have no ongoing fees and if you take the time to understand the company, doing research first and keep a watch on things so you know how your shares are performing, they can be a great investment option for your children. Most shares pay a yearly dividend that can be employed to simply buy more shares.