Summertime Fun – A Lemonade Stand

Posted on August 22, 2009 by Kate

A lemonade stand is a good way to teach your kids the basics of business, by letting them run it. All you need is a small table and some chairs for the kids to sit in. You don’t really have to have an actual stand. When the days are sunny and hot, provide a beach umbrella for them to help keep them and their customers out of the sun.

The supplies that you will need for opening up a lemonade stand are as follows:

•    Actual lemonade or some other juice mix will do
•    Some juice containers to put the juice in
•    Cups, paper works best
•    Ice to keep the juice cold
•    Coins for the kids to make change for customers, along with a place for them to keep the money
•    A sign for them to advertise their prices and stand
•    A bag or garbage can for the cups that people use

Usually depending on the location of the stand, there is a chance for your children to have exposure to strangers. Due to this, an adult should always supervise them. If the location of your house happens to be close to the street in a busy neighborhood, then the best place would be your front yard. If not, then think about taking them to a local ball game at the park, or any other location that tends to get busy with people. The kids are sure to draw some clientele and people will enjoy this kind of thing.

At the end of the day after the kids are done, have them count all their earnings from selling the juice. Have them share it equally with each person that participated. It’s always a good idea to let them spend half of the money, while making them put have away into a savings.

Having a lemonade stand promotes social skills, while introducing them to the basics of business. They can learn so much, while they make money. Giving change to customers promotes their math skills and so does counting the money at the end of the day. They also learn some independence and responsibility, especially when at the end of the day they have to clean up what they set up.

With supervision of their stand, your kids are sure to have a fun and safe summer that gives them a little extra cash. All of this, while they learn some great skills they don’t even realize they are learning. If its nice out today, why not start putting together a lemonade stand and watch your children’s skills grow, while they make some money too.