Are you wondering what your children can do over the summer break? Do you want your kids to be productive, but don’t have the budget to enrol them in summer workshops?
The good news is you don’t have to spend that much to keep your little ones busy this summer. In fact, summer is an opportune time to earn money with your kids!
Letting your child start a small business or work is not just a great way to keep them from wasting their time; it’s also an incredible tool in teaching them basic business concepts, as well as the values of hard work and good stewardship.
Getting them involved in business and encouraging them to work will also teach them to be more responsible, allowing them to experience first-hand, the hard work that goes into earning money.
Read: Take the 52-week money challenge and save over Php 130,000!
Here are some business ideas for you and your kids to try this summer:
Sell street snacks
Take advantage of the Pinoy’s fondness for snacks by serving up some street food! If you live on a busy street with lots of passers-by, you can set up a small booth right outside your gate and sell fishball and kikiam. Or perhaps you can set up a grill and roast some isaw. Banana cue is also an all-time Filipino favorite snack that's easy to whip up in one's home kitchen.
Put up a beat-the-summer-heat pitstop
If the idea of spending time outside to sell fishball, isaw, and banana cue doesn’t appeal to you, how about selling from the comfort of your own home instead? You will need to make an eye-catching sign advertising your product. Post this sign in a conspicuous area still on your property, such as your fence or gate.
You can sell ice candy, halo-halo, popsicle, mais con yelo, and calamansi juice, to name a few.
Organize a bake sale
Baking with your kids gives your children an opportunity to bond with you, and learn important math skills like measuring and conversion. Start with simple recipes, such as brownies and chocolate chip cookies. You can then sell your baked products to relatives or friends.
On the next page: Put your kids to work AND get a clean house in the process
Get a lot more housework done
Get your children involved in housework. Let them do the laundry, sweep the living room, dust the bookshelves, wash the car, or babysit their younger siblings.
Pay them for each chore they complete. However, make sure that shoddy work is not rewarded. Instead, make them do the chore over again. This teaches them that keeping a house tidy is not as easy as it looks, and they will think twice before making a mess in the future.
Pet sit!
Ask around your neighborhood and scout for neighbors who need help taking care of their pets. You can offer to feed their pets when they are not home, or take their dogs on walks.
Make sure that the pets you take care of have up-to-date vaccines and have had their rabies shots. Ideally, your child should also have his or her pre-exposure rabies vaccine. And remember to always supervise your children when they are around animals.
Have a garage sale
Sort through your things and segregate items that are of no more use to you. Set these aside and organize a garage sale. You can sell pre-loved toys, clothes, books, uniforms, shoes, and so much more.
Stage a show
A puppet show is a great way to get those creative juices flowing, bond as a family, and let the kids earn money too!
You can use recycled brown paper bags or old socks for your puppets, and convert an old carton box into a stage. If you don’t have a carton box, a table covered with black cloth will do just fine. Invite friends and family to watch your show and charge for tickets!
You can even sell your baked goods and iced treats to the audience after the show.
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