Photo from hillcrestschool.ca
While they are still young, kids can already learn the concept of using their talents and interests to earn profit and manage their earnings. Yeng Remulla, entrepreneur and author of Productive Pinoy and Start Something, says, “Everyone can learn money management and business at any age in life, but those who start early will have an advantage over those who [start] much later.”
Why don’t you give your kids a head start this summer? Here are 10 kiddie summer business ideas.
1. Sago‘t Gulaman stand (For ages 3 to 5)
Help your child set up a refreshments stand at the park where many people hang out in the afternoon, or during a village sports event usually hosted by the homeowners’ association.
2. The little gardener (For ages 4 to 6)
Let your child offer to water your neighbors’ plants when they go on vacation or simply just to take the chore off their hands.
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3. Bake sale (For ages 4 and up)
Milona Barraca, a coach in personal-finance literacy for parents and kids, cites baking and selling as a way to encourage kids to monetize their skills. Teach your kids how to bake cookies and cupcakes or to make other goodies such as chocolates and polvoron, and then give them an avenue to sell their tasty creations. Barraca suggests letting kids participate in kiddie bazaars and allowing them some room for mistakes. “These are mistakes they can afford now,” she says, “[so they can] avoid costly errors later on in their lives.”
4. Pet daycare (For ages 3 to 8)
Invite your family and friends to leave their little pets such as fish and turtles in your child’s care for a few hours. Help her create a schedule for feeding them. She won’t only have a lot of fun—she will also learn a thing or two about animals firsthand.
5. Party assistant (For ages 3 to 5)
Kids love parties! Organize kiddie parties and assign to your child simple tasks such as giving out the prizes during the games or distributing the loot bags. You can even ask her to lead the guests in singing the birthday song for the celebrator.
6. Fun science and art workshops (For ages 8 and up)
Is your child a science geek? Help him put together an arts-and-science workshop for preschoolers. He can teach them how to make homemade clay, finger-paint, or tie-dye shirts.
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ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW7. App creator (For ages 8 and up)
Some children as young as eight years old can already make gaming apps and sell them online. If your child is a programming whiz, encourage him to create his own apps and to upload them on kid-safe sites where users can download them for a fee.
8. Junior coach (For ages 10 and up)
If your kids are varsity players, encourage them to teach beginners the rudiments of sports such as soccer and basketball. They can do one-on-one mentoring, teaching little kids and newbies the right way to kick a soccer ball or follow through when they shoot hoops.
9. Real estate assistant (For ages and up)
Marwena Anewor, former corporate accounts officer for a bank and mom of two, says that she gives her eldest daughter a 10-percent commission for helping her in cleaning and managing some of the condominium units that she leases out. Letting your kids tag along when you work and giving them tasks is a good way of passing on your knowledge of the business to them.
10. Garage sale (For ages 5 and up)
Give your kids boxes and ask them to sort through their things for old toys or clothes they no longer use. Cherie Co, co-founder of 360 Studio School, a center for progressive learning in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, says that she and her husband give their daughters opportunities to test their business skills. “Sometimes they earn, but other times they don’t,” she says. “What really matters is the experience.”
This article first appeared in the April 2015 issue of Smart Parenting magazine.
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