Making Lemonade Out Of Lemons - How To Host A Virtual Lemonade Stand

Since 2007, more than 1.5 million children and thousands of adult mentors have participated across the world in Lemonade Day. Typically starting in April each year, the organization has inspired young people with a desire to learn business skills and financial literacy by encouraging them to launch a lemonade business in their own community.

This year the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unthinkable business and personal challenges to all, and kids who were looking forward to hosting a lemonade stand are now put on hold indefinitely. These lemonade stands not only help them earn money, but gives them valuable real world business experience, encourages creativity, adaptability and resourcefulness.

So in the true spirit of entrepreneurialism, Lemonade Day National is making lemonade out of lemons. It is adapting to this crisis by providing local cities with online resources, tools, education and alternative approaches so kids who planned to host a lemonade stand this year can still have the experience even if they can’t set up an actual stand.

For those kids who want to host a lemonade stand this year, they provided several alternative ways to host a lemonade stand:

1. Lemonopolis: Kids can use Lemonopolis to host a virtual lemonade stand or start another business/moneymaking venture. Lemonopolis, the digital platform of the Lemonade Day program, is designed to teach kids business and character-building skills that will help them navigate through adversity with an entrepreneurial mindset. The program includes videos, lessons and interactions related to goal setting, business planning, product development, budgeting, marketing and promotion and other considerations for launching any type of business.
2. Virtual Contests: Lemonade Day city directors can host virtual contests with virtual judges, with rules and prizes announced in advance. Examples are best recipe contest, best business plan, best marketing and promotional plan and/or best stand.
3. Virtual lemonade stand: Post and share photos and videos making lemonade and serving lemonade; take orders from family, friends and neighbors; collect funds via PayPal, Zelle or Venmo; track orders; explain how funds earned will be used and how product will be delivered in the future when coronavirus threats have diminished
4. Lemonade-to-go: Host a lemonade stand without making homemade lemonade and instead use pre-packaged single serve lemonade mixes with bottle of waters. Package the lemonade-to-go in a creative way (small brown paper bag with ribbons, a note or a cute and fun kid-friendly sticker (like an “I Voted” sticker). Heed all health and safety precautions in handling the product and packaging.

Additionally, Lemonade Day encourages kids to apply the lemonade stand lessons and planning process to any other business venture of their choosing. So this year instead of a lemonade stand, maybe your child could make jewelry or art projects and ship it to customers.

Whatever your child does, the business and finance skills learned is invaluable, but the most important lesson they will learn is how to push through and overcome obstacles and adversity.