Did you know PopUp Play is in the middle of a huge celebration of today’s entrepreneurial kiddos?
We’re not the only ones that love mini makers, though. This month, we’re featuring the founders behind the Acton Children’s Business Fair, Laura and Jeff Sandefer, in our Maker Spotlight series.
Just what is the Children’s Business Fair? We’ll give you the quick version: it’s an event where kids from all over can showcase their budding businesses to a panel of judges and audience members. The Business Fair is currently in over 10 states, and a number of new cities are in the process of launching their own fairs, so be sure to check if there’s one in your area for your child to participate!
Photo by Acton Children’s Business Fair
PopUp Play’s hometown of Austin, Texas, held its annual Children’s Business Fair this past weekend to celebrate the entrepreneurial minds of Austin’s youngest and brightest, and we wanted to highlight the inventors of it.
Husband-and-wife duo Jeff and Laura say their own young boys were the inspiration behind Children’s Business Fair. Similar to many creative young children, the Sandefer boys had their own business ideas. So, with the help of Jeff and Laura, they launched their very own neighborhood business fair.
What started as a small neighborhood event of 10 booths quickly multiplied, though. This year, according to the Sandefers, over 30 schools and 100 kidpreneurs participated in Austin’s fair, with an audience of over 2,000 members.
Photo by Acton Children’s Business Fair
“Children worked for months on their businesses and learned life-changing lessons from experiencing the power of freedom and earning a little spare change,” Jeff said about this year’s fair.
And that they did. Kids showcased creative ideas from board games with professionally printed game cards to arcade-style relay races complete with a leaderboard of the fastest competitors of the day.
Photo by Acton Children’s Business Fair
Jeff and Laura share a similar vision with us: that every future entrepreneur can experience firsthand that they are capable of remarkable things from a young age. Whether that’s through the experience of broadcasting their business ideas or building their own playscapes, our kids truly have a unique opportunity to realize and achieve their aspirations from a young age.
We always love to see creative kids pursuing their dreams and are looking to feature a special few on our blog and social media in the future! All you have to do is tag us @PopUpPlayToy on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram or include #MiniMaker with a quick description or photo of your child with their special creation to participate!