Kids Markets is an award-winning nonprofit that teaches kids entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership by giving them the opportunity to run their own businesses. We partner with established events that already have a lot of foot traffic, so kids can focus on their product and their sales pitch not to worry about flagging down cars. The experience teaches real business skills — creating a product, pricing it, marketing it — but also basic life skills like the value of money, communication, time management, and confidence. These are things kids will carry with them for life, regardless of whether they go on to start a business. I have seen all kinds of products at the Kids Markets such as handmade jewelry, baked goods, plants, face painting, crocheted animals, and of course, lemonade. The variety is one of the best parts — every market is different. If you want your kids to build these skills, then Kids Markets is the best place.
My family first started with Kids Markets because my oldest son had a passion for dinosaurs and really wanted to participate in an event at his homeschool program that encouraged entrepreneurship. He noticed at a dollar store that coloring books were very popular, so he drew his own pages to be colored and added some fun facts and started selling them at the markets. My daughter was inspired by this creativity and started teaching herself how to make beaded bracelets, charms, and keychains. She then learned how to crochet and started making little animals and started selling. It teaches them about budgeting, pricing a product and then marketing it. They have both learned about advertising, communication, and starting a conversation with a potential customer. They have built confidence in the process.
