“To often we give children answer to remember rather than a problem to solve” Roger Lewin
Nowadays the world is getting increasingly complex. What parents can do is encourage their children to think outside of the box. It doesn’t have to be related only with business. It’s important to make every child use their initiative to find solutions. Curious, adventurous and fearless, having an entrepreneurial spirit at an early age will make them see the world differently.
The concept of entrepreneurship fades away despite the importance it has in schools or at home. We notice that kids lack the knowledge of entrepreneurship from the beginning. That is one primary reason for kids not having an entrepreneurial spirit. Whatever your role in a child’s life (teacher, parent, or another caregiver), there are some tips to inspire kids to have an entrepreneurial spirit.
1. Inspire creativity will build marketing skills
Inspire them to be creative. Make something and own every part of the process from brainstorming to product development to presentation. For example, it could be creating artwork. This activity can be less than 10 min. But it builds the creativity of the child and helps them to express it and manage different stages. What is more motivated your children to start observing marketing materials. Billboards, promotional banners in front of businesses, printed advertisements in magazines, and television/radio commercials. Ask them what catches their attention about the message and also quiz them on how to identify things like the headline, subheadline, and “call to action.”
2. Create a game versus just a play game
In creating a game, they activate leadership skills on a very manageable scale. Someone will inevitably need to step up to create the game and the object of the game. Collaborate with others over reasonable rules that pull from previous experiences or games, and then just to freak’ play and see if it works. What’s great about this is this can happen indoors or outdoors.
3. Work with your child to create safe but impactful challenges
One of our favourites challenges includes building obstacle courses with lily pads to jump across, ground-level balance beams, jumps, or specific physical tasks. This above works for two reasons: we encourage you to use resources you already own versus buying new toys or supplies. You’re working together to create a new, unique opportunity that’s built to challenge someone else. A natural by-product of this is, of course, evaluation and feedback: Why did it work or not work? Was it too challenging? What would make it easier? What would make it a more memorable or more unique challenge?
4. Online resources
Online resources can be an excellent way to get kids started and teaching them some of the essential skills that entrepreneurs possess to get them familiar with this art. One such tool is Bizworld.org, an online platform that inspires children to be innovative leaders through the teaching of entrepreneurship, business and finance. With an aim to prepare children for bright futures that support global economic growth and vibrancy. Bizworld connects third to eighth-grade students to the real world by providing curricula, training educators and fostering collaboration between education and business.
With their three different types of courses, namely, Bizworld, Bizmovie, and Bizwiz. Kids across the globe can learn the skills for entrepreneurship.
5. Kids must learn how to recognise opportunities
Teaching your children to seek out opportunities and take action on them, will directly contribute to their level of future success. How to prepare: Praise your children for pointing out small problems or setbacks in their lives. Those that cause them distress such as soggy sandwiches at lunchtime or not being able to reach items on a high shelf. Brainstorm solutions on how to resolve their troubles. This will teach them to focus on creating positive solutions, instead of focusing on the problem itself. This habit will allow them to create profitable ideas in their future businesses.
6. Independence builds confidence
The entrepreneurial mindset causes kids to depend on themselves for their success. This leads to well-rounded adults and future leaders.
