Children of all ages can enjoy and benefit from entrepreneurial activities. Help your child use their creativity and skills to make money and learn valuable life skills at the same time!
Entrepreneurial Ideas for Ages 3-5
- Greeting Card-Making—Making and selling cards is a great way for children to make a little money while using their artistic abilities.You can find affordable blank greeting cards at your local craft supplies store, and you likely already have the paint, pencils, and other materials your child needs.
- Art Sales—Another creative idea is for your child to host an art sale of her own painted canvases, jewelry, or other types of art. Your child can also make single designs and have them printed professionally. Perhaps, you could even start an online store under your name to sell their work.
- Lemonade Stand—This is a very simple way for your children to start their entrepreneurial journey. All your child needs is a good lemonade recipe, a table, cups, and a large sign to set up in your yard or a nearby corner. One tip for gaining more customers is to set up the lemonade stand when your neighborhood is holding a garage sale.
Entrepreneurial Ideas for Ages 6-9
- Bake Sale—Partner with your youngster in the kitchen to bake treats that can be sold later. This is a great way to spend time with your daughter, to teach her how to bake, and to include some business lessons at the same time. Similar to a lemonade stand, you could set up a bake sale in your yard or neighborhood. To take this to the next level, you can even accept orders and deliver them.
- Dog Treats—In addition to making cookies for humans, your child can make dog treats. It’s easy to find recipes for dog treats, and many of the supplies are probably already in your home. Your child can create flyers or ask neighbors who have dogs if they would like a sample to get started.
- Gardening—With your help, your child can make her own garden in your backyard. She can then sell the plants, fruits, and vegetables to neighbors. Your child might even be able to set up a garden stand at a local farmers market.
Entrepreneurial Ideas for Ages 9-12
- Computer Repair Service—If your child is into technology, this may be the perfect entrepreneurial opportunity for her. There are many courses available online that can help to boost your child’s knowledge.
- Computer or Device Lessons—In addition, your child may be able to help less tech-savvy individuals in your community learn how to use their smartphones, tablets, and computers more effectively. This could be done remotely, too, via phone calls or Skype. Your smart girl should make others area of her tech skills and services by putting flyers in mailboxes.
- Pet Sitting—Is your child an animal-lover? People are often looking for pet-sitters as they head out of town. Summertime is a very popular vacation time, which means this is the perfect summer hustle. Encourage your child to talk to neighbors about her pet-sitting abilities.
Benefits of Young Entrepreneurship
Keep in mind that your daughters are observing your work ethic and will model that in their own business.
When children explore entrepreneurship from a young age, they receive several benefits, including:
- Improved work ethic—When children are learning how to work for the first time, they will also learn how to work efficiently and effectively. If they do not do the work their customers expect them to do, they may lose customers. Keep in mind that your daughters are observing your work ethic and will model that in their own business.
- Creativity—Children will need to come up with new, fresh ideas from the start of this entrepreneurial adventure. They will also need to be prepared to problem-solve; over time, you’ll be amazed at how much their creativity will grow.
- Social skills—Though your child may be social and comfortable with other children, they may not spend a lot of time socializing with adults. If your child starts her own small business, she will need to communicate with adults as she works, which will allow her to build important social skills.
- Resilience—Your child’s plans aren’t always going to go smoothly. She will run into roadblocks that she’ll have to figure out how to navigate. When children become entrepreneurs at a young age, they’ll learn how to bounce back from obstacles more easily, which is beneficial later in life, as well.
- Goal-setting skills—Some children start out with lofty goals, like growing up to become an astronaut or someday solving world hunger. Having big dreams is a crucial part of being a kid. However, entrepreneurial activities will give her the chance to create more realistic and achievable goals that will help guide her throughout her life.
Having big dreams is a crucial part of being a kid. However, entrepreneurial activities will give her the chance to create more realistic and achievable goals that will help guide her throughout her life.
Giving your child these entrepreneurial experiences helps to shape her life as she grows and learns. As your child starts her entrepreneurial journey, make sure you are providing plenty of support, while allowing her to be at the helm. Who knows, you just could be raising a future CEO.