At Lemonade Day we turn regular kids into small business owners.  You might be wondering if this is something your child is ready for.  Here’s how you will know if your kid has what it takes:

Do they like to be creative and try things their way?

A big part of being an entrepreneur is thinking about a problem, coming up with creative solutions and trying new approaches.  We teach kids the fundamentals of starting and running their own business: their own lemonade stand. As they build on these principles kids have the autonomy and freedom to make their own decisions as they create their business plan.  This ranges from naming and branding their lemonade stand, developing a special lemonade recipe, determining pricing and even choosing the best stand location.  Kids get to choose what their stand looks like and how they advertise.  There are tons of decisions to be made that shape their business.  And there isn’t one right way to get it done.

Do they want their own money?

Most kids have a very long wish list of things they want.  By learning how to start their own business, kids learn what goes into making money to buy those things. This leads to a greater appreciation for a dollar.  It also empowers children so that they can independently earn money when they need it.  Knowing how to generate income is a very powerful skill.

Would they benefit from learning about what to do with money?

Part of the Lemonade Day program is that children are encouraged to take their earnings and save some, spend some and share some.  Learning to take a balanced, responsible approach with their earnings is an important lesson that can stay with them for a lifetime.  They’ve worked hard to make a profit, and should feel good about taking a portion of their earnings and spending it on something they want like a new toy or game: a reward for their hard work.  

Additionally, we encourage children to save part of their earnings.  This is a great opportunity for kids to open their own saving account at a bank—a first for many. Setting aside some of their income for savings is an important habit and overall mentality, and the earlier they internalize this the better.  Sharing is another part of the equation that children are introduced to through Lemonade Day.  Giving back feels good and is an important part of being a good community member.  We encourage our kid entrepreneurs to incorporate this into their goals.

Do they want to have fun?

Let’s face it, kids spend a lot of time sitting at school.  Kid entrepeneurs get out of their chairs and are making stuff happen by their own volition—and it’s so fun!  In fact, it’s kind of a rush.  They are the boss of their own business, making their own money and determining how they spend that money.  The process of setting up a business is a lot of work, but it’s fun work.  And once their business is up and running, watching their earnings add up is very rewarding.  When it’s all said and done the sense of accomplishment kid business owners feel is unmatched.

Do you want to participate in next year’s Lemonade Day? Contact your local city to find out how your child can learn to be an entrepreneur, or learn how you can volunteer in your community.

About Lemonade Day

Lemonade Day is a non-profit dedicated to teaching every child across North America the business and financial skills that are the key ingredients of entrepreneurship. By learning these skills early in life, children will be better prepared to be successful, financially healthy adults. Through our fun, hands-on program Kids K-5 are empowered to start their very own business—a lemonade stand—and experience the feeling of earning real money, using 100% of their profit to spend, save and share based on their own goals.

Lemonade Day is in 62 cities throughout the United States. Over the past 10 years, we have served more than 1 million kids in our kid entrepreneur programs and in 2016 alone, 101,000 kids participated in Lemonade Day.

Visit LemonadeDay.org to learn how to participate in Lemonade Day in your city.