How to Host a Lemonade Stand for Kids
Want to host a lemonade stand this summer? We’ve got all our tips and tricks for how to host the best lemonade stand here!
It’s lemonade season, which means if you’ve got kids in your life, they might consider selling some lemonade in your neighborhood.
My girls love, love, love selling lemonade, and I have enlisted them to help write this article about lemonade stand ideas so that you and the kids in your life can have a successful one… unlike our first one, which was a bit of a bust. 😉
Not only is this a great activity for the summer months, when a lot of people have more downtime, but it’s a great learning experience chock full of valuable lessons.
- You can teach kids about entrepreneurship and money management, as well as have some fun with your creativity.
- You can also talk about math (because that’s what measurements in recipes are!), as well as give them some independence in the kitchen.
For all intents and purposes, this is a guide for how to make a pop-up lemonade stand for fun. It’s not a guide on how to create a lemonade business, so if you’re looking for that, you need to go elsewhere…
First thing’s first…
Decide where you’re going to host your stand.
If you’re going to have a successful lemonade stand, you need some foot traffic… or at least slow driving traffic that can easily stop and support your business.
Obviously, you want to comply with local laws, so please know what you are (or at not) allowed to do where you live. (I am not an attorney, nor am I versed in the laws and regulations of places that I do not live, so I cannot offer you any advice.)
For us, we have set up our lemonade stands on our personal property, as well as on the corner of our street on the sidewalk in front of a neighbor’s house with their permission.
My girls recommend not hosting a stand in a cul de sac or a cove. Unless you have very visible signage or you know people will be coming down your street, you will have less traffic, and you might not sell all your lemonade. This happened to us when we hosted our first stand here.
Decide your business hours.
This is just as important as where your stand goes.
What day and time will bring the most business? What day and time are best for you and your people?
Consider the time of day you’ll be selling lemonade. If it is extremely hot outside, will people be outdoors to patronize your stand?
For example, people did not visit ours when we had one on a summer afternoon where the temperature climbed above 100.
For us, a weekend morning is the best because our neighbors are more likely to be outside than they will be in the afternoon.
Make a budget.
Some things to consider:
- How much lemonade do you want to make and sell?
- Are you making homemade lemonade? Or are you making pre-made lemonade? If you’re concerned about the cost, price it out to see which might be cheaper and easier for you.
- What will you charge per glass of lemonade?
- Will you offer a discount to anyone who purchases multiple cups? My girls recommend offering a “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” promotion to bring in more guests.
- Do you need to purchase stand items, like a table, cups, decorations, etc.?
Set out a budget so that you do not overspend at the grocery store.
Also, keep track of your expenses! Relatedly, decide who is going to be managing money at the stand. Depending on the age of the kids involved, you might need an adult to make sure things are the way they need to be, but if you’ve got an older kid or one who loves numbers, this is a GREAT job!
Make a marketing plan.
The success of your stand depends on if people know about it. After all, if they don’t know about your business, they can’t support it.
Having a promotion plan in place is important. (That said, this is a lot more challenging if you decide to do your stand the same day that you put it together.)
My girls recommend making posters and signs to post in your neighborhood. You could also make digital signage to message to neighbors and friends or even share on social media, if you are comfortable with that.
Word-of-mouth marketing might also happen once your stand is in place, so be prepared for people to talk about it.
Choose the lemonade recipe you will serve.
An essential part of a lemonade stand is the lemonade!
You can make your own with freshly squeezed lemon juice or you can use a pre-made lemonade mix. It all depends on what is easiest and best for you.
I’ve listed some of our favorite lemonade recipes in The BEST Lemonade Recipes for Kids.
My girls recommend thinking about anything else you’d like to sell at your stand, too. They’re big fans of offering homemade popsicles, like these creamy Blackberry Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles.
What do you actually need to have a lemonade stand?
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While a cute rolling lemonade stand is certainly lovely, you do not need that.
Here are some items we’ve kept with us for our lemonade stands:
- Pop-up table
- Tailgate tent (to provide some shade if it’s an extremely hot day)
- Pop-up tailgating chairs to sit in
- A rolling cooler filled with ice cubes
- Dry erase board or a chalkboard for signage
- Cups and straws
- Any additional decorations and signage you feel appropriate
Make it happen!
Give yourself extra time to make the lemonade and anything else you might offer at your lemonade stand.
When it’s time, go set up your stand! Depending on where you place the stand, you might need a large cooler to keep the lemonade cold. (We’ve also kept a bonus pitcher of lemonade in our fridge and run home to grab that when we sold out of the first pitcher.)
And don’t forget… have fun!
The point of hosting a lemonade stand isn’t to impress people or to earn all the money. It’s about making connections and enjoying yourself and the experience.
Your people aren’t going to remember how perfect your stand was, but they will remember the interactions and conversation you shared. They’ll remember how they felt, too.
Now… go forth and host the best lemonade stand!
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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