This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This post is sponsored by our friends at Acton Children’s Business Fair and includes tracking links. For more information about tracking links and how to opt out, please visit All About Do Not Track (https://allaboutdnt.com/) prior to clicking any links found in this post.
BUSINESS IDEAS FOR CHILDREN
Do you remember your first attempt at making money as a child? My friends and I tried selling everything from lemonade and snow cones to painted rocks and friendship bracelets. We’d set up our stand in our neighborhood and just wait for people to walk by.
I read a quote by Walt Disney once that said, “The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.” I think that’s one of the main differences between children and adults. Children think of something and they want to get started right away. They don’t worry about the what-ifs… they have a spark of wonder, hope, and creativity… and they run with it!
Entrepreneurship is a natural expression of a child’s gifts
These creative children are our future and it is up to us to show them how to turn that hope into a reality. Our children will be the ones running our country, teaching their children, growing their food, and taking care of the earth.
We have the important role of being their role models, their first teachers, and their mentor by giving them opportunities for success… Opportunities that will guide them to become exactly who they are meant to be.
Every child is a hero with gifts and capable of changing the world
As I mentioned before, I did my fair share of sales when I was younger. We found things that we were passionate about and we wanted to share them with others. Our children are doing the same thing now, thirty years later. They are so creative and they love sharing their ideas and products with others.
How Can We Help Our Children Become Young Entrepreneurs
Easy! You can host a local Acton Children’s Business Fair – it is an excellent way for children to experience entrepreneurship in a safe environment. It is easy, you can start small, and it’s free for everyone (the hosts, the guests, and the children selling their products.)
What is Acton Children’s Business Fair?
Acton Children’s Business Fairs are a gift from the Sandefer family and Acton’s founders, Charlie and Sam Sandefer. They offer this gift of entrepreneurship to as many young entrepreneurs as possible.
The locally hosted Acton Children’s Business Fairs are such a wonderful way that the Sandefer family has been able to celebrate young entrepreneurs all over the world!
When I first heard about the Acton Children’s Business Fair, I knew that it was the perfect opportunity to help children to become the entrepreneurs that they know they can be. I also knew that it needed to be shared. 🙂
Ideas + Hard work = Entrepreneurs
The Acton Children’s Business Fair is a culmination of ideas and hard work from great young minds. It is a one-day marketplace in their community.
The Acton Children’s Business Fair is a free program offered to entrepreneurial families by the growing network of Acton Academy schools and the Acton Next Great Adventure program. It is the largest entrepreneurship event for children all around the globe.
At Acton Children’s Business Fair, they believe that principled entrepreneurs are role models that can lead the next generation. These men & women make sacrifices to create jobs and serve their communities.
How does the Acton Children’s Business Fair Work?
The Acton Children’s Business Fair is a free one-day fair to showcase businesses created & launched by children.
Children can find fair locations here.
Children will…
1. Develop a brand.
2. Create a product or service that they want to sell.
3. Build a marketing strategy.
4. Open for customers at a one-day marketplace.
These fairs help children in so many ways!
How Do I Host One?
Don’t worry – If you can put together a lemonade stand, you can host a fair! It is that easy! It’s also free. 🙂
1. Once you decide that you want to host an event, you can fill out the short questionnaire by clicking “Start Your Own” on this page.
2. Next, you will submit an introductory video clip.
This is done to ensure the safety of the children by checking that the host will be able to recognize the energy, talent and longing of these young entrepreneurs as people who want to change the world.
The host needs to be someone that can be looked upon for wisdom, direction, or a word of encouragement. My guess is that if you are reading this post, you are going to be a great host because you care about your child!
3. Once you are approved, you’ll start planning!
No matter where you are in the world, Acton Children’s Business Fair is there for you! They will provide all the tools a host needs to plan, recruit, promote, execute and evaluate their sales and business.
This includes:
- Access to forums full of resources, tips and best practices from over 400 hosts worldwide
- Your own custom website to make registration a breeze
- Step-by-Step Guidebook
- Pre-Made Marketing Templates
- Up to $500 in prize money after your fair ($10/booth for the first 25 booths and $5/booth thereafter)
It really is that easy to host your own Acton Children’s Business Fair event for the children in your community and neighborhood!
Where Should I Host An Event?
Don’t worry! You can host it in your own front yard if that’s what you’d like to do. Other options include neighborhood gathering areas, parks, churches, parking lots, schools, or anywhere else that your creative mind comes up with! If you aren’t sure… as your children – they’ll definitely have some ideas and I’m sure they’d love to be involved. 🙂
The thing to keep in mind is that all you really need is a small yard or some green space with a few donated card tables. The excited young entrepreneurs from your neighborhood will be ready to sell!
By hosting an event, you are giving these children a chance to use their creativity & hard work. They will gain confidence, learn business skills, earn money, and help others.
Plus, you are equipping them with an opportunity to be courageous and believe in themselves!
Child Entrepreneurs use their ideas, creativity, and drive to create something great! While some children may seem to have a God-given talent, we know that we can nurture our children to have a growth mindset so they can realize that they can achieve great things with hard work and determination.
We can teach our children to not only use their talent but to work hard to
reach their goals by teaching them to have a growth mindset.
Specific Business Ideas for Children
If you’re wondering what kinds of things your children can make for the Acton Children’s Business Fair, or if your child is looking for inspiration, check out these great brands! These images are from previous Acton Children’s Business Fairs in many different locations. Take a look at some of these amazing child-created products & ideas. Maybe you’ll find one that inspires you to create your next big thing!
1. Make Bags (or t-shirts, book covers, bookmarks, etc…
2. Have a snow cone station.
3. Rock Painting (or let your customers paint their own rocks).
4. Drawing!
5. Make beauty products (lipgloss, chapsticks, lotions) 
6. Woodworking 
7. Let your customers make their own jewelry 
8 Make candles! 
9. Use what you know to answer questions or give advice!
10. Make a book!
11. Make handmade dog toys. 
12. Make bracelets or rings to sell.
13. Make necklaces and lays.
14. Bake something delicious!
15. Make Soy Candles or all-natural cleaning products.
16. Make cat toys!
16. Use charms to make long necklaces.
17. Create something great with paper-like these origami shapes or a painted picture.
18. Bake cookies.
19. Sell Candy Bouquets (so adorable & creative)
20. Use LEGO blocks & make accessories.
21. Use what nature gives you to create a great product.
By hosting an event, you are helping the children in your community in more ways than you know. The Acton Children’s Business Fair is so much more than just a way to sell something. It is a way to teach our children that they can do anything they put their minds to!
