Entrepreneurship for kids means turning an idea into something useful for other people: noticing a need, testing a solution and finding out whether anyone wants it. For children aged 10 to 13, small supervised projects build real skills in problem solving, money and communication, whether or not the idea becomes a business.
Your 11-year-old is at the kitchen bench with a pile of beads. "I could sell these at school," she says. Part of you is proud. Part of you pictures another half-finished project in the cupboard.
So ask one question:
"Who would want this, and why?"
This guide shows you how to build on that question at home, without it becoming your project.
It is a small project with a real purpose: make something, find out who it helps and decide how to offer it.
A child making bag tags might ask three people what annoys them about labelling bags, make one sample and change the design after feedback. This is an illustrative example, not a JuniorCEO Lab student case study.
It gives children a real reason to use maths, writing and listening. ASIC's Moneysmart notes that children learn about money best through real decisions about earning, spending and saving.
| Part of the project | What your child practises |
|---|---|
| Asking about a problem | Listening and asking good questions |
| Working within a budget | Costs and trade-offs |
| Explaining the idea | Clear communication |
| Changing it after feedback | Reviewing and improving |
It also links to school: Year 7 Economics and Business covers the characteristics of entrepreneurs, as shown in ACARA's Year 7 work sample.
No. A familiar product works if it suits a particular person better. Ask your child to fill in:
"This is for ___, who wants ___, and it helps by ___."
If a blank is hard to fill, that is their next thing to find out.
Try the JuniorCEO Lab starter activity: Notice, Ask, Try, Improve. The first three steps cost nothing.
List three things people find annoying, like forgotten sports gear. Your child picks one.
Your child asks two or three people you know: "What do you do about this now? What is the worst part?"
Make a sketch, paper model or one sample from things at home, and let someone try it.
Ask: "What did you learn, and what would you change?" Then change one thing.
You set the boundaries and keep things safe. The choices belong to your child. Agree on time, money, responsibilities and what success looks like before starting.
Keep an adult involved in anything online or involving payments. Since 10 December 2025, Australia's social media age restrictions require many platforms to stop under-16s having accounts.
When your child gets stuck, ask "What do you think the next step should be?" before offering an answer.
JuniorCEO Lab teaches 10 to 13-year-olds in six stages: exploring products, researching customers, shaping an idea, building a brand, understanding money, and marketing and selling. Each stage gives the next one its meaning.
An entrepreneur is someone who turns an idea into a business, offering something people value and taking responsibility for the decisions and risks. Children can explore this through small, supervised projects.
Yes. Asking people about a problem, making a prototype and working out costs all build skills before any sale. Your child learns from these steps even if nothing is ever sold.
Yes. Some children prefer designing, numbers or research. Conversations can start with someone they know, using a few questions written in advance.
Check the school's policy first. Many schools don't allow students to sell to each other, but some run market days where it is encouraged.
This week, ask your child: "What is something you wish worked better?" Then try Notice, Ask, Try, Improve together. When they are ready to test whether others share the problem, read how kids do market research.
Su Stanyer is the founder of JuniorCEO Lab, an Australian program that teaches children aged 10 to 13 how a business works, from exploring products and researching customers to branding, money, marketing and sales.
Government and curriculum references are general information and do not imply endorsement of JuniorCEO Lab.
In just 6 weeks, your teen will launch a real product, build their brand, and start selling.
Get Started
Kids design good packaging by deciding what it needs to do, testing three cheap versions with customers and adding an honest label. Includes a free packaging plan card.
Ten simple, low-cost Christmas business ideas for 10 to 13-year-olds, from handmade cards to holiday pet-sitting, plus a free Christmas stall planning sheet.
Kids design a strong logo by sketching first: choosing three brand words, drawing quick thumbnails, then testing the best one small, in one colour and with real customers. Includes a...
0 comments