Kid Business Ideas

Business Idea for a Kid

A business idea for a kid can be many things. Of course we all remember having a lemonade stand when we were young. But that doesn’t mean it’s a silly idea in this day and age.

Kids running their own business and earning their own money can do more than give them cash to blow on candy, game rentals  and cell phones.

Kids can learn how to prepare for the future by running their own business. It can also help build their confidence. I can remember selling Girl Scout cookies to earn prizes, but also to help pay for a trip I wanted to take. Learning to approach prospective buyers in a helpful, confident way increased my sales and my own personal worth. That’s a lot to walk away with when all you’re doing is selling cookies!

There are kids in your neighborhood and mine right now that mow lawns, baby sit and tutor. There are also kids that help prepare for the family yard sale. The learn to price things, not by what they want for it–but by the worth of the item and how it’s depreciated or how the shape it’s in effects it’s worth.

I know a mother whose 13 year old son makes over $200 a month on eBay! Yes–legally. He takes his allowance each month ($20), and goes to yard sales finding things to sell on eBay. He uses his moms eBay account and the family digital camera to put his listing online. He prices everything fairly and after his minimal fee, he always makes a profit. Talk about an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age!

Kid businesses are growing. And kids getting involved in their parents business can be just as wonderful experience for the child and the family.

For instance…

My good friend Jenny has a 9-year-old daughter. Jenny runs her own candy wrapping business. Jenny’s business has grown wildly popular through word of mouth with real estate agents and insurance agents. “Every time there’s a parade in our town…whether it’s Winter Holiday, 4th of July or homecoming, the orders come out of the woodwork. People want candy with THEIR logo and info on it tossed out to the parade watchers,” Jenny said.

Jenny’s daughter helps her prepare all of these orders (after her homework and dance classes). Her daughter earns for every bit of help she puts in. “She’s not only learning to earn her own money, she’s learning patience, time planning and the art of doing something right and neatly,” Jenny continued.

Candy wrapping sound like a business for you and you kid(s)? There’s many ways to get started:

The Dapper Wrapper

Wrap Candy

Maybe you’re family business is kid friendly? Or maybe a home business idea you have for yourself could be something for you and your child! Crafts, party rentals, clowns or cake decorating.

Kids are so computer savvy now–some are building websites for others and charging for their expertise! Trust me–I know of several!

Kids just need the opportunity and the room to imagine and find what fits “them”. Not YOU, Mom and Dad!
Encourage them to “want” their own spending money and savings account. Cultivate and nurture their respect
for money and how not to be consumed by society’s pressure to BUY NOW. We all struggle with thinking our car defines us, or our clothes define us. It simply doesn’t. NO magazine or notion of how celebrities live is going to pressure me into living beyond my means. I certainly don’t want my kids, who are SO impressionable anyway to think they HAVE to dress this way, or drive this car, or have that latest gadget in order to be cool.

A kid business can help them in a long way to understand how hard money is to come by and how far money goes when you spend it. (Sometimes it hurts to know 20 hours of work doesn’t get you everything you want.) Money doesn’t just fall out of the ATM, someone had to work for it. I preach this to my two kids daily!

The lesson of learning the link  between working for money and spending money is a valuable one. A kid business just might be the way to go for your child. Create the atmosphere to foster such thinking, you won’t regret it.

No kid is too young. My 4-year-old helped bake cookies and sell them with her little friend during our recent yard sale. The sold cookies, cupcakes, banana bread and lemonade. (Sales were easy to come by since it was A. How outside and B. Both girls were adorable salespeople!)

Give your child some food for thought when it comes to deciding on their kid business idea:

-What are their interests
-Do they like to work alone, with other kids, adults
-Do they like work outside (like at the pool?)
-Do they have any interests in sales
-Is there a best friend they want to partner with
-Can they help with your own family business

With gentle guidance and reassuring help, your child just might turn out to be the next Bill Gates! How bad would that be??

At the very least, they can learn some hands on experience that can help them become more prepared for their future.

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