Mansfield Mothers' Club: Making Lemonade

Whether too hot or too cold, when summer weather hands you lemons, make lemonade.

Get the neighborhood kids together and have a summer lemonade stand to bust through some boredom. Here are some age-appropriate ideas to involve everyone in the sweet adventure. (We shared these in The Mansfield Mothers’ Club July newsletter. What to join the Club get on the newsletter mailing list? Email mansfieldmothersclub@gmail.com.)

Kids 0 to 2 years old

• Is it cruel that we love pictures of babies when they first taste a tart lemon? Pour a tiny bit of lemon juice & water in a cup, and get your camera ready for a photo op!
• Then, have fun with this song:

• Sing a Song of Lemonade Sing a song of lemonade.
• We’ll pour it in a cup. (pouring motion)
• We’ll stir it with a straw (pretend to stir)
• And then we’ll sip it up. (pretend to sip the drink twice)
• It will be so refreshing (rub tummy)
• We’ll have to have some more, (raise hands up)
• And we’ll be drinking lemon- ade forever, ever more! (pretend to sip many times and then - big finale - wiggle your fingers.)

Kids 2 to 3 years old

• Let toddlers help decorate signs. Print letters in heavy outline and let the kids color, willy nilly, inside (or outside of) the lines. Cut out the letters and glue to a poster board.
• Let them help pour ingredients and.or help squeeze the lemons. (Check out a simple recipe for kids by clicking here.)
• Have toddlers sort all the coins according to size.
• Read a Book: Counting in the Garden by Patrick Hruby. Celebrate the joy of growing flowers, fruits, and vegetables in one's very own garden.

Kids 4 to 5 years old

• You might not make a profit, but set your price to something kids can work with easily. (A quarter and a dollar are usually simple.)
• Create a quick money guide by taping money to a sheet of paper to help them sort and make change.
• Or, let the customer set the price and have your kids sort the money after it has been given.
• Talk about polite responses and “business etiquette.”
• Read a Book: Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins. A parable about persistence, with a little easy math thrown in.

School age kids

• It’s not just lemonade, have your older kids paint garden rocks or create crafts to sell.
• Encourage older kids to develop adjectives - “lovely!” “delicious!” “scrumptious!” to describe their concoctions.
• Assign tasks so that each child takes turns: Lemonade Pourer, the Marketing Voice, the Money Handler, etc.
• Suggest raising money for a local charity.
• Read a Book: Matthew and Tilly by Rebecca C. Jones. Two friends learn that compromising and playing together is more fun than playing alone.

Theresa Freeman is president of the Mansfield Mothers' Club, a non-profit organization aimed at providing support for local parents. For more information visit http://mansfieldmothersclub.com, email mansfieldmothersclub@gmail.com or write to Mansfield Mothers' Club, P.O. Box 831, Mansfield, MA 02048.