10 Tips for Hosting a Successful Lemonade Stand
One hot summer day, when I was no more than 9 years old, the neighborhood kids and I decided we could help find a cure for AIDS by selling lemonade in the front yard of my house in my tiny town. A boy named Ryan White was our age too, and was fighting for his rights and his life in our own state. We thought our dollars and pennies would help the children’s hospital find a cure and save Ryan’s life and other’s in the future.
Sure our ambition and naivety is a little silly to look back on, but we were kids, and we could do something. We came together that day and our something made a difference, even if it didn’t save any lives. And now I have these four boys who can do something too. They have hearts that want to help others, and there’s no one telling them that their small isn’t enough. Because we all know that when we bring our small somethings together they can make a deep impact.
The boys have been begging since last summer to do a lemonade stand, and we were excited to set up camp at the entrance of our subdivision. It was a great opportunity for the boys to earn a little money, save a little money, and give to something their passionate about.
So what are some tips we learned about making a successful lemonade stand?
10 Tips for Hosting a Successful Lemonade Stand:
1. Plan Ahead. Make signs, shop for your ingredients, collect your table materials and then spread the word! We loved using Country Time Lemonade’s “Stand Plan” to help us make a checklist of must-haves!
2.Set a Goal. What would you like to accomplish in a day? 100 cups of lemonade sold? $50? Dream big!
3. Location. Location. Location. In front of your house may not be the best/busiest location for your stand. Find an area where lots of kids will be passing by and that gets steady traffic. We picked a shady spot in the front of our subdivision near the park.
4. Give it Some Curb Appeal. Give it your own flavor and creative style. We went simple with a folding table, but we used a chalkboard sign, tablecloth, lemons, striped paper straws, colorful lemonade, and cute boys to lure the crowds. 😉
5. Find a “Something” to Support and Share. We put aside a portion of our profits to support our Compassion International child, Jamali, someone we already care for greatly and find ways to encourage.
6. Make a Signature Glass of Lemonade. We put a Lemonhead in the bottom of the cup just for fun – and people seemed to love it. They also seemed to like having choices. We had Country Time Pink Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Tea Lemonade, and traditional Lemonade throughout the day.
7. Be Friendly and Polite. Lemonade stands are a perfect opportunity to practice good manners, and social skills with kids and adults.
8. Let the Kids Do The Work. If at all possible, sit back and let the kids run the business. Help with giving change when needed or small reminders along the way, but make it easy for them to run by using drink dispenser containers, an ice bucket, money box, etc. It’s amazing the ownership they will gain from earning their own money.
9. Use the Opportunity to Teach Kids Economics. Who knew expense reports, revenue vs. profit, and counting money could be so fun?!!!
10. Allot some of the profits for spending and saving. This is another great tool to show kids how money works and how far it can go. Our boys even got to understand the value of a “bargain” by finding toys in the clearance section of Target.
I love how Country Time Lemonade’s Great American Stand-tacular program is encouraging kids to learn these valuable lessons of entrepreneurship and helping those in need. In turn, they are offering their Facebook fans a “Stand Plan” {awesome printables, recipes, “Lemonenomics”, tips, etc.} that is an awesome resource for hosting your own lemonade stand, and each fan who posts a photo of their stand can trigger a $5 donation to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer.
Because, really how easy is it to simply post a picture to Facebook?!!!
{I’d LOVE to see your pictures of your adorable kid’s lemonade stands too – so post them to the 4tunate Facebook Page while you’re at it!}
This is great! My husband and I never pass a lemonade stand without making a purchase!
I wonder if this is a tradition in the UK, too?
I love this! What a great way to start teaching them about money at an early age. Good work! I hope you met your goal. 🙂
GREAT tips!! I’ve seen many lemonade stand posts, but this was the most helpful. Love the idea about sharing a cause too, not only to get people motivated to buy a drink, but also for the kids to learn how to donate their own money and time.