Lemonade Day registration information for your child

All of us have heard of lemonade stands that kids set up in the neighborhood. They range in how successful they are, but it can be hard for kids to truly grasp the ideas of a small business if they simply make a pitcher of lemonade and sell a few cups to neighbors for a $2 profit at the end of the day. Even that, however, is better than no entrepreneurial experience at all. Fewer and fewer kids today are engaging in their own small businesses. There are fewer paper routes, lawn mowing jobs, and lemonade stands than there used to be. This could be a scary prospect years from now when the young generation grows up, but it’s also a great chance to give your children experience now that will greatly help them later in life.

For that reason, local entrepreneur Scott Jones brought a unique program to the Indianapolis area. The program, Lemonade Day, teaches kids how to start, own, and operate their own lemonade stand. This year’s Lemonade Day is on Saturday, May 18, but you can register now to get started. Here are the steps to follow with your kids:

Step One – Sign up for Lemonade Day. You can do at most Greater Indianapolis area libraries, but it’s probably simpler just to do it online (click here to be taken to the website).

Step Two – Get your Lemonade Day backpack. After you sign up, you’ll receive a backpack with two workbooks. One is the Entrepreneur’s Workbook for the child and the other is the Caring Adult guide for the adult who will be helping the child prepare (presumably, you). The reason to sign up early is so you have time to go through these 10 lessons together at your own pace. That way, you will be ready to make a big profit.

Step Three – Participate in one or more of the upcoming workshops and contests. You don’t have to participate in these events throughout March and April if you don’t want to, but you could win great prizes and have a fun time in the process. Check the website for dates, times, and locations.

Step Four – Check email along the way. You will be sent emails approximately every two weeks with tips and hints for your lemonade stand.

Step Five – Set up your business on Lemonade Day. By the time the big day arrives, you should be well prepared to set up shop in your driveway or at one of the local approved parks. You set your own hours and you keep all the profits you earn. Your child’s hard work should pay off with a healthy pay day.

Your child will enjoy the big payout at the end, and you’ll be happy knowing that your child will remember the lessons learned about how to operate a business. That knowledge will likely prove far more valuable than the sales from Lemonade Day, itself. Finally, click here for a short video that can explain Lemonade Day further.