Issue link: https://www.cominghomemag.com/i/1499105
Nothing beats an ice-cold glass of homemade lemonade on a hot summer's day—and it's even better when it comes from an adorable entrepreneur! Having a lemonade stand is a beloved seasonal pastime that not only keeps our sweet angels busy, but also teaches them valuable life lessons, like critical thinking, problem-solving, and customer service. Follow these eight tips to make running your lemonade stand easy peasy lemon squeezy. 1. Remember: location, location, location. Host your stand in a visible location with a decent amount of activity. A busy corner or a spot near your community's pool, playground, or clubhouse are excellent places to set up shop. The day and time are also crucial to keep in mind; you'll get the most traffic mid-morning to early afternoon on the weekends. 2. Spread the word. A lemonade stand can't be successful without customers. You shouldn't rely on those passing by—announce it to the world! If your community allows, post signs around the neighborhood and share the details on your social media page to gather a crowd. 3. Create curb appeal. Your stand doesn't need to be fancy—a card table with a tablecloth and a few chairs will work just fine—but there are things you can do to zest it up. Get the creative juices flowing and encourage your kids to have fun decorating the stand. Let them hand-craft signage with paint, markers, and bright poster boards, and add balloons and streamers for a little extra pizzazz. 4. Train the crew. Have a discussion and lay some ground rules with your crew before getting started. Decide on a fair price for each cup—.25 cents to $1—and show them how to make change. Practice doing sales pitches and pouring cups of lemonade, too. And don't forget to highlight the significance of safety. Tell them what to do in an emergency and chat about the dangers of giving personal information to strangers. 5. Stock the stand appropriately. While the most important part of the lemonade stand is, of course, the lemonade, it's good to keep the stand well-stocked with supplies so you aren't constantly going back to your home or the store. Necessary items to have on hand include: • Cups • Pitcher • Cooler with ice • Gloves • Tongs • Paper straws • Trash can and bags • Cookies or other sweet treats to sell • Chairs • Small bills and quarters • Zip-top bag or lockbox • Notebook to tally sales • Speaker 6. Offer multiple ways to pay. Cash is king, but it isn't always convenient. Consider using a digital banking platform, like Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal, to collect money. Use an online QR code generator to link to your profile, and print the barcode off for simple scanning, paying, and tracking. 7. Sell for a cause. Your kids will already glean many new life skills during this business venture, so why not enrich the learning even more by donating proceeds to a charity? Fundraising is a priceless activity that teaches kids the value of humanitarianism and hard work. Talk about the benefits of helping those in need and let your kids choose the charity they want to donate some of their earnings to. 8. Have fun! Having a lemonade stand is a great educational opportunity for your kiddos. Let them run the show as much as possible, but remember, after all the planning, setting up, and selling, the ultimate reward is the experience. As long as everyone is safe and having fun, your lemonade stand will be a success! hard work. Talk about the hard work. Talk about the benefits of helping those benefits of helping those in need and let your kids in need and let your kids choose the charity they choose the charity they want to donate some of want to donate some of their earnings to. their earnings to. 8. Have fun! 8. Have fun! aving a lemonade stand aving a lemonade stand is a great educational is a great educational opportunity for your opportunity for your kiddos. Let them run the kiddos. Let them run the show as much as possible, show as much as possible, but remember, after all the but remember, after all the planning, setting up, and planning, setting up, and selling, the ultimate reward selling, the ultimate reward is the experience. As long is the experience. As long as everyone is safe and as everyone is safe and having fun, your lemonade having fun, your lemonade stand will be a success! stand will be a success! Fresh Lemonade for a Crowd S E R V E S 24 INGREDIENTS 18 cups water, divided 3 cups sugar 3 cups lemon juice ice DIRECTIONS 1. In a saucepan on medium heat, make a simple syrup by combining three cups of water and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. 2. Remove simple syrup from the heat and let it cool. 3. Add cooled simple syrup, lemon juice, and remaining water to a large pitcher or beverage dispenser and stir well. 4. Let chill in the refrigerator for a few hours and serve over ice. Fresh Lemonade 29