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Homeschooling is all about giving our kids the freedom to learn creatively, right? So, if you’re looking for a way to teach some hands-on skills while watching your kids have a blast, let me introduce you to the magic of entrepreneur fairs. These fairs are a total win-win: your child gets to play “mini business owner” for the day, and you get to watch them learn real-life skills like budgeting, marketing, and… how to not spend all their profits on candy during the fair.
What Exactly Is an Entrepreneur Fair?
Think of an entrepreneur fair like a farmers’ market, but instead of adults selling veggies and habanero garlic honey, it’s kids hustling their handmade wares and homegrown plants. At these events, kids create products, market them, and then (hopefully) sell out to an adoring crowd of supportive parents and curious shoppers.
Awesome Business Ideas for Your Kid
The beauty of an entrepreneur fair is that your kids can sell just about anything (within reason, of course—no live goats, please). Here are a few ideas to spark your budding tycoon’s imagination:
- Homegrown Plants: Got a green thumb in the family? Kids can grow and sell small potted plants, succulents, or herbs. Bonus points if they throw in a hand-drawn care guide—people love a cute, personal touch.
- Socks!: This might sound strange, but hear me out. Fun, mismatched, colorful socks are all the rage. Your kids could create “Sock Bundles” or even design their own sock line using fabric paint or tie-dye. Everyone loves socks, right?
- Slime: It’s the classic kid-entrepreneur product that just won’t go away. Sure, it’s messy, but kids love it, and it’s easy to customize with glitter, colors, and even little plastic toys inside. Plus, you can teach them the fine art of upcharging for “premium slime” with extra sparkle!
- Baked Goods: Who can resist a cookie made by a cute, ambitious kid? If your children love to bake, encourage them to whip up some treats to sell. Just make sure that your entrepreneur fair allows homemade baked goods, because some do not.
- Handmade Crafts: Jewelry, friendship bracelets, painted rocks, or even handmade bookmarks. If your kids are crafty, the possibilities are endless. Plus, it teaches them patience (you’d need some too after the 100th bracelet).
What Kids Learn from Entrepreneur Fairs
It might look like just a fun day of selling stuff, but entrepreneur fairs sneakily teach kids a ton of important life skills:
- Money Management: There’s nothing like watching your child debate whether to spend their hard-earned $5 on a new toy or save it for future investments. Entrepreneur fairs give kids real-world experience with handling cash, making change, and learning the value of a dollar.
- Marketing Skills: You’ll be amazed at how creative your kids can get when they need to attract customers. From handmade signs to catchy slogans (“Buy my slime, it’s not a crime!”), your kids will learn how to pitch their product and make it stand out.
- Customer Service: Learning how to interact with potential buyers, answer questions, and maybe even handle complaints (like “This slime is too sticky!”) teaches kids the importance of good customer service. Plus, they’ll get practice with their people skills—something every homeschool parent knows can be a little hit or miss some days!
- Problem Solving: What happens when they run out of product halfway through the fair? Or when their pricing strategy isn’t working? Entrepreneur fairs force kids to think on their feet and adapt to unexpected challenges.
- Confidence: There’s something really special about watching your kids beam with pride after making their first sale. Entrepreneur fairs help kids build confidence in their abilities, creativity, and hard work.
Ready to Get Started?
Entrepreneur fairs are popping up everywhere. If you can’t find one yourself locally, a great way to find an entrepreneur fair near you is to talk to other parents in your homeschool community. These other parents are your own personal tentacles of the homeschool octopus that reach out and gather information from all over for you! If that doesn’t work, you can organize one yourself. All you need is a few tables, some enthusiastic kids, and maybe a coffee station for the parents.
One of the coolest ones out there is the Tuttle Twins Children’s Entrepreneur Market. If you haven’t heard of it, be sure to at least check it out. Apart from talking about entrepreneurship in their “Spectactular Show Business” book, the Tuttle Twins have a “Children’s Entrepreneur Market Curriculum (PDF)” as well as “The Tuttle Twins Guide to Inspiring Entrepreneurs” that you can purchase to help guide you in the process. Kids from all over set up shop to sell their creations, learn about customer service, and maybe even pick up a few sales tactics. Plus, it’s all based on the values of entrepreneurship and individual freedom, which makes it a great educational opportunity on top of being just plain fun!
So, encourage your little entrepreneur to dream big, hustle hard, and always keep an eye on their profits (and their slime supply). Who knows? You might be raising the next big business mogul. Just don’t forget to keep some extra cash on hand—you’ll probably be buying a few pots of glitter slime yourself!
