In order to become a successful entrepreneur, one thing that you will need in abundance is imagination. Some of the most successful companies in the world were created based on the ambitious ideas of a single person. If there is one thing that children have in bounds, it is imagination, and that is why it is a good idea to instill entrepreneurial skills in your children from a young age.
When your child is young, it isn’t always easy to teach them about business. There is no denying that business can be pretty complex at the best of times, and this can be a lot for young minds to understand. That being said, there are lots of ways that you can introduce entrepreneurial skills to children from a young age. One of the easiest ways is through books.
Most children’s books are filled with hidden meanings and teachings, and there are quite a lot out there that are perfect for teaching kids all about business. In this guide, we’re taking a look at 5 of the best books on entrepreneurship for kids to shape young readers into successful business owners. Read on to find out more!
On Your Mark, Get Set, Invest! by Luke Villerman
It is a great idea to introduce financial literacy to your children from a young age, and On Your Mark, Get Set, INVEST by Luke Villerman is a great book for doing this. Written with a target audience of 8 to 12 year olds, this book is perfect for setting the foundations that will allow your child to become a successful entrepreneur.
Basing its plot on Aesop’s famous fable – The Tortoise and the Hare – Villerman’s book tells the story of Thrifty Tortoise and Ritzy Rabbit who set off on a race towards the finish line where a brand-new bike awaits. On their way to the finish line, the two characters must earn, save, and invest in order to win. This is where the big money lessons really come into the plot. Along the way, the characters make good and bad decisions allowing your young entrepreneur to learn all about money management in a fun way.
With interactive worksheets, kid-friendly examples, and super fun illustrations, this book is filled with everything that a young kid could probably want. Behind the fun plot are important money lessons children need to learn in order to become successful businessmen and women in adulthood. So, it is definitely a must-read for any business-savvy children.
Reach For The Stars by Michele Cho-Dorado and Kaori Hamura-Long
Another brilliant children’s book that is perfect for teaching kids all about finance and entrepreneurship is Reach For The Stars by Michele Cho-Dorado and Kaori Hamura-Long. This book was written with grade school children in mind, so it is appropriate for all ages between 3 and 10. That is why it is a great book for your young aspiring entrepreneur.
Reach For The Stars tells the story of Mimi, a young girl who is on a journey as she tries to find a way to be able to purchase something that she desperately wants. With her financial goal in mind, Mimi comes up with a big idea to make her dream a reality with a business plan.
The novel introduces your child to key financial literacy terms such as “earning”, “saving”, “giving”, “investing”, and lots more. Throughout the story, they will be encouraged to come up with their own business idea and taught all about how to make their ideas a reality. The story is light-hearted and fun, but it will really instill entrepreneurial skills in your child that they will carry through to adulthood. That is why it is a must-read for any youngsters with an entrepreneurial mindset.
Kids Start-Up: How You Can Become an Entrepreneur by Mark Cuban, Shaan Patel et al
Alternatively, for any children aged 9-12 years, Kids Start-Up: How You Can Become an Entrepreneur by Mark Cuban, Shaan Patel et al is a great book. This young entrepreneur’s guide will teach your pre-teen everything they need to know about business and finance as an aspiring entrepreneur.
Unlike the previous two books that we have looked at which focused on fictional plot lines with hidden meanings, this book is essentially a step-by-step guide for any young child who wants to start their own business. Pre-adolescence is always an awkward age as your child starts to develop into a teenager, but this book is great as it teaches your youngster important money management skills in an age-appropriate fashion.
Some of the most successful businesses across the globe were founded based on ideas developed in childhood. Kids Start-Up is a great book as it teaches your child that they don’t have to wait until adulthood to set up a successful business. This novel gives young readers the confidence they need to become a kid entrepreneur and a successful business owner before they even reach adulthood.
If your child is ready to start building their brand alongside their business idea, check out these tips on branding for young entrepreneurs.
Kidpreneurs: Young Entrepreneurs With Big Ideas by Adam Toren and Matthew Toren
A slightly older book on entrepreneurship for kids that has become a real classic over the years is Kidpreneurs: Young Entrepreneurs With Big Ideas by Adam Toren and Matthew Toren. First published in 2009, this book has been around for quite a while and has sold over 250,000 copies in the time it has been in print. Aimed at 6 to 11 year olds, it is perfect for teaching youngsters all about how to become a successful entrepreneur.
Kidpreneurs sets out to teach your kids all about the basic principles and rewards of being an entrepreneur from a young age. Children often have big ideas while they are in grade school, middle school, and high school, this book teaches them how to turn these ideas into a successful business. Just like Kids Start Up, Young Entrepreneurs is a young entrepreneur’s guide teaching your young child everything they need to know in order to run a successful business.
For young readers who dream of being the next Steve Jobs or Mikaila Ulmer, Young Entrepreneurs teaches them everything they need to know before they even reach adulthood. In addition to understanding entrepreneurial principles, it’s crucial for young business enthusiasts to learn about effective sales for entrepreneurs, which will be essential for growing their ventures.
Millionaire Kids by Emily Lin
Finally, if your young child is eager to learn more about the entrepreneurs that came before them, then Millionaire Kids by Emily Lin is the perfect book. This kid’s guide teaches your little one everything they need to know to transform from a dreamer into a doer. It’ll put them into the right mindset to run their own successful business and create a business plan from the big ideas they have thought of in childhood.
Millionaire Kids is aimed at readers in high school who want to set the foundations for financial success during their teen years. The book is perfect for any aspiring young entrepreneur as it provides lots of information on young minds who have successfully created their own businesses. It teaches your child that nothing is impossible if you set your mind to it, making it the perfect business book if you want to inspire your imaginative child.
Including stories of successful young business owners from across the globe, this really is a great book for any youngster with an entrepreneurial mindset. Starting your own business is scary at any age, but this guide will give any young kid the confidence to take the leap. That is why it is a must-read if you’re on the search for books on entrepreneurship for kids.
And if your child is looking for inspiration to start their first venture, you can explore a variety of small business ideas for kids to kickstart their entrepreneurial journey.
Buyer’s Guide
The books and guides we’ve looked at in this guide are perfect for any parent who wants to inspire their young kid to follow their business dreams.
However, if you’re still struggling to decide which books on entrepreneurship to buy your child, we’ve thrown together this quick buyer’s guide to help. There are a handful of things that we would recommend considering before buying a business book for your child, including the following.
Age
One of the most important things to consider when buying a young entrepreneur’s guide for your youngster is their age. As we have seen in this guide, there are lots of different books out there all targeted at children of different ages, so it is very important that you purchase one that is appropriate for your child’s age.
You can get books that are perfect for teaching kids about finance and business for children aged as young as 3 all the way up to teenagers. So, in order to ensure your child enjoys the money lessons the book teaches them, make sure you purchase an age-appropriate novel.
Fiction vs Nonfiction
Another important thing to consider before purchasing any books for your kids is whether you want to buy them a fiction or a nonfiction novel. We’ve taken a look at both styles in this guide, and the best option for you will depend on how subtle you want the money lessons children learn from the book to be.
A lot of fictional financial and business books will tell a story and be filled with hidden meaning. They will teach your child important skills without your kid even realizing they are learning them. In contrast, most non-fiction books will clearly teach your youngster all about financial literacy, business skills, and lots more. Again, whether a fiction or non-fiction book will be more appropriate will be influenced by the age of your child.
Business Skills
Finally, you should consider the business skills that you want your child to learn from the book that they read. Some of the books in this guide were written to teach young minds about finance and investing, others were written to teach your child about business plans and owners. So, consider which areas of business you are eager for your child to learn about before purchasing any books. Ultimately, however, all business skills will help to get your child into an entrepreneurial mindset.
No matter whether your child dreams of setting up their own small business, aspires to become one of the richest kids in the world, or simply wants to set up their own lemonade stand, an entrepreneurial book is a great way to get them started. Just consider which business skills may be most important to their dreams before purchasing them a book.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Teach My Child Entrepreneurship?
You can teach your child all about entrepreneurship from a young age. Encouraging your child to problem-solve, teaching them financial literacy, and supporting their dreams and curiosity are great places to start. All of this combined with books on entrepreneurship will help your child get into a business mindset from a young age.
Can You Become an Entrepreneur As a Kid?
If your child wants to become an entrepreneur when they are a kid, then this is definitely something that you can encourage. Being a business owner isn’t easy, but there are lots of small business ventures that children can take on with the support of their parents. So if your child has a big idea for their business, be sure to support and encourage them as that big idea could turn into a successful business by the time they reach adulthood.
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