by Carissa Johnson

Created on: January 03, 2011   Last Updated: January 06, 2011

Lemonade stands are a fun summer activity for everyone. You get to have fun running it, and your customers get to enjoy the delicious, cold drink on a hot day. Not to mention the money you will earn! However, it is important to be safe and sanitary, as well as strategic, in order to be successful with your lemonade stand. Here's some advice on how to do it.

First, you will need a place to host the lemonade stand. Find something to use as a counter. A card table, a box, or a picnic table at a park are all acceptable. Get some large pieces of used cardboard and decorate them to promote your stand. You should attach one to the counter and, if you have enough people, have some people wave the signs in a place where there are a lot of people passing by.

Next, you need the product itself! Fresh lemonade is easy to make. The easiest way to remember how much of each ingredient to put in is this: one cup of lemon juice, one cup of water, and one cup of sugar. If you have fresh lemons, juice them with a juicing machine or a fork. Make sure to use a strainer to get all the chunks and seeds out! A secret to making sure that the sugar does not sink to the bottom is boiling the sugar in the water until it dissolves, then add the lemon juice. Make sure to refrigerate your lemonade for 45 minutes before serving.

Make a few pitchers of lemonade so that you don't run out. If you feel like mixing it up a little bit, make pink lemonade from a packaged mix. You might also want to offer other goodies, such as baked goods. Homemade brownies or cookies, or some frozen popsicles, are sure to attract customers!

Now, it's time to get to business. Set up your stand in an area where many people will pass by and see your stand. Check the weather beforehand to make sure you have nice, hot temperatures to persuade people to buy some ice-cold lemonade.

Decide on a price that is reasonable for you. Be sure the profits you will make per cup will at least cover the cost of making the lemonade. You don't want to set a low price and make no money! However, don't make it outrageously expensive either. Have an adult help you do some math and make a reasonable decision based on portion sizes and ingredient cost. You do want to walk away with a little money from your efforts! Try making deals. For example, one cup costs 25 cents, but 5 cups only costs a dollar.

When you get a customer, put their money in a cash box or a jar with small bills and coins as change prepared beforehand, and give them accurate change if they need it. Use tongs to put ice in a plastic or paper cup, then pour in a generous helping of lemonade - but not too full, or they will spill, creating a rather unhappy experience. Thank them for stopping by, and have a trash can next to your stand so that when they finish, they have somewhere to dispose of the cup. Serve baked goodies or other food items in a small square of parchment paper or a napkin. It wouldn't be a bad idea for the person serving the products to wear sanitary gloves.

Remember that safety is your number one priority in this lemonade stand. Always make sure you have an adult present to supervise. If anything suspicious happens, let them know and allow them to deal with it.

Above all, making a lemonade stand is supposed to be a fun activity for you! Enjoy yourself and good luck!

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