When your kids propose a lemonade stand, say yes!
All summer, my kids have been begging to hold a lemonade stand, so when the mercury hit 90 degrees the other day I told them it was go time. Who can resist an icy glass of lemonade on a scorching hot day?
While today’s youngsters are the first to grow up watching YouTube videos on tablets and taking selfies with Mommy’s smartphone, generations of kids have found summer fun and extra spending money via a lemonade stand. Seeing one on your block is a reminder that technology may change, but certain cherished parts of childhood stick around.
I also was gleefully reminded that our little venture was not just fun, but also an excellent venue for summer learning. From finance to customer service, a lemonade stand provides teachable moments with every pour:
Planning
My kids were eager to start squeezing lemons and making signs, but our first lesson was in planning. We discussed location options, settling on the intersection one house down from us that gets decent car and bike traffic on all sides.
We listed the supplies we needed, took inventory and sent my husband out for more cups.
The kids watched me research a few recipes — yes, we were squeezing our own lemons and making the stuff fresh; anyone who takes the time to pull over or stop in the middle of a bike ride to support a lemonade stand deserves a quality glassful.
Cooking and chemistry
Whether you’re mixing lemonade from powder or squeezing fresh lemons, there are cooking lessons to impart: how to read recipe instructions, how to measure lemonade powder or sugar and lemon juice, how to dissolve sugar in water (either stir forever, or heat and stir for a minute), how to juice lemons, how melting ice affects a drink.
Profit margin
I had my 7-year-old add up how much we spent on lemons, sugar and cups, and reminded him before we started that before they raked in any profit for themselves, they would have to pay for their supplies. This helped us set the price at $1, which is also just an easy round number.
Marketing
We kept it old school with signs on large, yellow pieces of foam I happened to have on hand. The kids were in charge of rounding up customers by strategically holding the signs when cars drove by and calling out to bikers and walkers (“Fresh-squeezed lemonade! One dollar!”).
Design
My 5-year-old wanted to write in pink magic marker on her yellow sign, so we had a chat about color choices when you want something to be visible from a distance.
We also practiced sketching out our letters beforehand instead of diving right in with a Sharpie, and spacing them so they all fit on the sign.
After a quick lesson on what customer service is and why it’s important, I reminded my kids to be extra-friendly. My oldest son tends to clam up around adults, so this was good practice for him.
Math
Counting money and making change is a fun form of math. Even my youngest got some counting practice when a guy driving by gave us all the change in his car, including more than a dollar in pennies. (The kids thought they really hit the jackpot with this one.)
Budgeting
In the end, we totaled the cash and separated it into piles: expenses, wages for my daughter’s friend next door who helped out for a while, 10% of the profit to give to church and one third of the remainder for each kid. Thanks to the generosity of neighbors and passers-by, they ended up with a satisfying chunk for their piggy banks.
When my oldest suggested I take them to the dollar store to blow it all on toys, we had a little conversation about saving and being intentional with spending.
Neighboring
Probably the best part of this whole endeavor was the time spent chatting with friends and neighbors who stopped. In an age when most of us pull into our driveways with little more than a wave to anyone nearby, this face-to-face interaction is just as refreshing as the lemonade.
Alison Sherwood is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, a mother of three and freelance writer. Email her at alison.sherwood@gmail.com. Find her on Instagram @alisherwood.