Did you know Richard Branson started his first business – a student magazine – when he was sixteen? Branson says the lessons he learnt from running the magazine sparked the beginning of his business empire. Would your child like to start their own business? Here we discuss business ideas for children and how to nurture valuable life skills.
What skills do children learn from starting a business?
To start a business, your child needs to be sufficiently inspired by an idea to want to turn it into a business.
Starting a business is one thing, but keeping it going is another. It requires organization and perseverance. Your child will need to keep going even when there are challenges and find ways to solve problems.
There are so many skills and qualities children develop by running a business, including self-confidence, tenacity, communication skills and financial management.
Business ideas for children
When considering business ideas, it is best for your child to start with their interests. What do they like doing the most? Could their hobby spark a business? They will need to love what they are doing enough to stick with it when the initial excitement wears off.
These are some business ideas for children. For more suggestions see, Summer projects for children.
Framed art
Your child could draw or paint their own art to sell. Beautiful frames can be bought for a reasonable price online.
If your child needs some artistic inspiration, they could have a look at The Best Art Ideas for Kids.
Biscuits, cakes and sweets
Having a cake or sweet stall is a great way to make some pocket money.
If your child needs ideas, encourage them to look through cookbooks you have at home. If you want to invest in a great children’s cookbook, we recommend I Can Cook by Sally Brown & Kate Morris as it is full of quick and easy recipes.
Herbs and vegetables
You might have noticed that quite a few people sell home grown produce. There is a huge demand for fresh, organic food that is grown with love, and that’s why farm shops are still thriving despite the credit crunch.
If you don’t have any books at home about growing herbs and vegetables, you will probably find plenty in the children’s section of your local library. The Kids in the Garden website is also packed with tips and ideas.
Flowers
Another idea is to grow and sell flowers in pots. See Thomson’s website for suggestions of flowers to plant.
To make the flowers really special, your child could decorate their own plant pots. Check out these fabulous yoghurt pot ideas from Red Ted Art.
Beauty products and beauty treatments
Making beauty products is lots of fun. Have a look at these simple DIY cosmetics children can make at home. Your child could also offer beauty treatments to friends and family so they can ‘try before they buy’.
Crafts
There are so many easy crafts your child could make and sell:
- Bags made from old jeans
- Bunting
- T-shirts they have designed and printed
- Greetings cards
- Jewellery
- Model boats
- Pottery
- Puppets
Find ideas by researching the internet or browsing through craft books at home or the library.
Car washing and bicycle washing
Your child could offer to wash cars and bikes for friends and family. Obviously nobody wants their car or bike scratched, so it is important your child knows what to do and uses the right equipment.
Pop-up café
Your child could run their own pop-up café from your front garden. Perhaps they could even make their own lemonade?
Hair braiding and face painting
Your child could run a salon for family and friends, offering face painting or hair braiding.
There are lots of face painting tutorials on YouTube. Braiding hair is easy – simply plait embroidery thread through three strands of hair.
Marketing
A successful business is built on a solid marketing strategy. Designing a logo, making flyers and posters and telling everyone where to find your product or service are just some aspects of marketing.
For further tips, type ‘How to market a lemonade business’ into a search engine. No matter what business your child wants to start, the information is still relevant. Also see, Top ways to advertise your business as a kid or teen.
Safety and the law
If your child is selling food or drink to members of the public there are food hygiene and laws to consider.
For your child’s personal safety, their entrepreneurial activities must be supervised by a responsible adult. Whether they are selling to the public outside your house or trading on the internet, they need to understand how to keep themselves safe.
TutorMyKids – inspiring the next generation
We hope you have enjoyed our business ideas for children. Whether your child is a budding entrepreneur, or they need a little extra motivation, our dedicated tutors are here to help.
We offer tuition in English, maths, sciences, humanities and languages to children in Cambridge, Ely, Huntingdon, Newmarket and the surrounding areas.
To find out more, please get in touch for a chat: hello@tutormykids.co.uk.