Just imagine your kids deciding to put their gifts to good use or follow in your footsteps by starting their own business. That’s what happened to Rebecca from Utah, whose son did exactly that! After asking for simple craft items and craft kits for Christmas, he built picture frames and birdhouses and made jewelry to sell, even recruiting neighbor children to help sell some of his items. And guess what cultivated his interest in entrepreneurship. It was books, specifically, the Tuttle Twins series!
Nurturing Entrepreneurship in Your Kids
To really cultivate a sense of business ownership in your kids, you’ll need to encourage a growth mindset and creativity while teaching them about the free market and other aspects of financial literacy through hands-on activities. Other skills kids will need include critical thinking and independence.
The best way to nurture these skills in your kids is to start with books. Some must-have kids’ books about entrepreneurship that every family bookshelf needs include The Tuttle Twins and
the Messed-Up Market and The Tuttle Twins and Their Spectacular Show Business. Both Tuttle Twins books have Ethan and Emily starting their own businesses.
In the first one, the twins set up a Children’s Entrepreneur Market to loan out the money they’ve earned to kids who want to start or grow their business. Meanwhile, they learn about incentives and ways the market can become messed up.
The second of the two Tuttle Twins books shares the story of how the twins started a business, learned about making profits, did planning for their business, experienced competition, and discovered investing.
Teaching Kids Free Market Economics Through Entrepreneurship
You’ll also want to start teaching your kids free market economics through books like The Tuttle Twins and the Miraculous Pencil, in which the twins learn how everyday products are made from multiple components that come from all over the world.
In addition to books, try out some activities like a lemonade stand, service-oriented business, or craft-related business. Take your kids step by step through the process, starting with your own
investment in their business. Or do what Rebecca did and buy your kids kits or other things they could use to make items to sell.
Teach your kids about profit and loss, starting with buying the ingredients they need to make their lemonade or whatever else they want to sell. Show how service-oriented businesses may require little to no startup cash, depending on what they involve.
It’s Those Little Moments That Matter
No matter how you decide to cultivate entrepreneurship in your kids and start teaching your kids free market economics, establishing special times to spend with them doing something constructive will change their lives forever.
Reading books like the Tuttle Twins series before bed will create opportunities for dinner-time conversations about entrepreneurship and the free market. These are the memories your kids will remember most when they grow up and become the amazing adults you know they can be!
