If you're deciding between selling slime or cookies to teach your child business skills, here's what you need to know:
- Slime businesses focus on creativity, digital marketing, and online sales. Kids learn social media strategies, product customization, and inventory planning. Popular on TikTok, slime offers endless ways to innovate with colors, textures, and scents.
- Cookie businesses emphasize hands-on skills like baking, face-to-face customer service, and managing perishable goods. Kids learn budgeting, sales, and community engagement by selling at local events or stands.
Quick Comparison:
| Skill | Slime Business | Cookie Business |
|---|---|---|
| Budgeting | Moderate complexity with non-perishable items | Simple with stable ingredient costs |
| Marketing | High focus on social media and visuals | Local ads, word-of-mouth, and seasonal sales |
| Customer Service | Online communication and customization | Face-to-face interaction and upselling |
| Inventory Management | Long shelf life, bulk buying possible | Short shelf life, careful planning needed |
| Creativity | High - endless customization options | Moderate - flavor and decoration tweaks |
Which is better? It depends on your child’s interests. Slime suits kids who love experimenting and digital content creation. Cookies are ideal for those who enjoy baking and personal interactions. Both teach budgeting, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship in unique ways.
14-Year-Old Has Her Own Slime-Making Business
Core Business Skills Kids Develop
Both slime and cookie businesses teach kids valuable entrepreneurial skills, though each type of venture emphasizes different aspects of managing a business. Understanding these differences can help parents guide their children toward the option that best matches their interests and learning style.
Budgeting and Cost Control
Slime businesses require careful tracking of ingredient costs, especially for essentials like glue and activators. Startup expenses include $72 for ingredients, $100 for jars, and $27 for labels. Since slime ingredients are non-perishable, kids can buy supplies in bulk without worrying about spoilage. Profit margins for slime shops generally range from 20–40%, depending on how well costs are managed and whether services like custom orders or themed slimes are added. However, price fluctuations - often a 10–15% increase in key materials due to supply chain issues - teach kids to monitor trends and adjust pricing accordingly. Many successful slime businesses keep a buffer stock covering 3–4 weeks of sales, allowing them to adapt to shifts in demand without overcommitting financially.
Cookie businesses, on the other hand, come with different budgeting challenges. Kids must manage perishable ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, which means they need to plan carefully to avoid waste. Since cookies have a short shelf life, timing production and sales becomes crucial. This helps kids understand opportunity costs and develop skills in inventory management and demand forecasting.
From budgeting, kids move on to learning how to promote their products effectively, with each business type requiring unique marketing strategies.
Marketing and Promotion
After mastering financial basics, kids in both ventures learn to market their products, though the approaches differ significantly. Slime marketing thrives on visuals and online engagement. Kids create content that emphasizes the tactile appeal of their products - stretchiness, thickness, or unique textures. A great example is 13-year-old Jungmin Kang, who started Snoopslimes in 2017 with a $200 investment. By 2022, she had amassed 1 million Instagram followers and generated eight-figure revenue. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok teach young entrepreneurs about hashtags, video editing, and working with influencers. Additionally, constantly updating textures, colors, and scents encourages creativity in marketing.
Cookie marketing, in contrast, often focuses on local, community-driven strategies. Kids learn traditional methods like using signs, word-of-mouth, and direct interactions with customers. Seasonal promotions, such as holiday-themed treats or gift boxes, teach them to capitalize on market cycles. Selling at local events, farmers markets, or neighborhood gatherings helps kids develop presentation skills, adapt to real-time feedback, and engage directly with their audience.
Customer Service and Sales Skills
Customer interactions are another area where these ventures differ. Slime businesses require kids to understand ingredient safety and potential allergies, especially with products like glue or activators. Including "slime care cards" with instructions for reactivation and safety tips is common. Selling slime online also introduces kids to written communication, shipping logistics, and addressing customer inquiries digitally. Customizing products by adjusting textures or scents helps kids learn how to meet diverse customer needs, a skill that mirrors real-world business challenges.
Cookie businesses, on the other hand, emphasize face-to-face customer service. Running a cookie stand teaches kids to handle money, make change, and upsell items - like pairing cookies with milk or offering bundle deals. These direct interactions provide instant feedback on customer satisfaction and help kids develop problem-solving skills, such as adjusting pricing or offerings on the spot.
Inventory Management and Problem Solving
Managing inventory presents distinct challenges for each business type. Slime inventory management involves tracking ingredients, packaging supplies, and planning production to meet demand. Kids learn to balance quantities, adjust batch sizes for popular varieties, and maintain consistent quality.
Cookie inventory, however, is more time-sensitive. Kids must coordinate baking schedules with sales opportunities, ensuring freshness while minimizing losses from unsold goods. This teaches them to prioritize efficiency, maintain quality control, and communicate effectively with customers about product availability. The perishable nature of cookies also encourages exploring custom orders for events or special occasions, adding another layer of strategic thinking.
Each of these skills - budgeting, marketing, customer service, and inventory management - provides kids with a hands-on introduction to the complexities of running a business. Whether they’re crafting slime or baking cookies, these experiences lay the groundwork for future entrepreneurial success.
Slime vs. Cookies: Direct Comparison
Now that we've gone over the skills each business teaches, let's put them side by side. This breakdown will help you figure out which venture aligns better with your child's personality, interests, and goals. Below is a chart summarizing the key differences for easy reference.
Business Skills Comparison Chart
| Business Skill | Slime Business | Cookie Business |
|---|---|---|
| Budgeting Complexity | Moderate: Costs include glue (around $0.10–$0.50 per batch), colorants and additives (about $0.05–$0.20 per batch), and packaging (approximately $0.50–$2.00 per unit) | Simple: Involves standard ingredients like flour, sugar, butter, and eggs with stable pricing |
| Marketing Opportunities | Very High: Perfect for social media trends. The hashtag #slime has over 78 billion views on TikTok | Moderate: Relies on high-quality photos, local ads, and community-based marketing |
| Customer Engagement | High: Sensory appeal, including ASMR, draws customers. As Jungmin Kang of Snoopslimes notes: "Being in the same generation as the majority of my own customer base is a huge advantage to success in the slime industry" | Moderate: Builds on taste and tradition, fostering repeat customers and strong local ties |
| Product Innovation | Very High: Endless customization in texture, color, and scent encourages constant experimentation | Moderate: Limited to recipe variations, though flavor and decoration tweaks are possible |
| Inventory Management | High: Requires tracking multiple ingredients, batch sizes, and production cycles for various slime types | Moderate: Focuses on maintaining consistency and quality in standardized products |
| Problem-Solving Skills | Very High: Involves troubleshooting recipes, fixing texture issues, and adapting to supply changes - teaching cause-and-effect thinking | Moderate: Mostly about timing and quality control rather than experimenting with formulas |
The chart highlights how each business has its own strengths. A slime business leans heavily on digital marketing, creativity, and constant innovation. Kids running a slime venture can develop skills in social media content creation and learn to adapt quickly through trial and error. Platforms like TikTok, where 90% of users consume short-form videos daily, are ideal for showcasing slime's visual appeal.
On the flip side, cookie businesses focus on traditional business basics. They offer hands-on experience in customer service, money management, and building community connections. These ventures are great for kids who prefer a straightforward approach without juggling too many variables.
The choice between these two depends on your child's interests and how they like to learn. If they enjoy experimenting, creating digital content, and working with their hands, a slime business could be the way to go. Meanwhile, kids who love baking and engaging directly with people might thrive in a cookie business.
Both options teach valuable entrepreneurial lessons, just in different ways. By understanding these differences, you can help guide your child toward the venture that best matches their personality and goals. Next, we'll look at the essential supplies needed to get started with each.
sbb-itb-a46f019
Tools and Supplies for Each Business
Having the right tools and materials is essential for success in both slime and cookie ventures. While the needs for each business differ in complexity and cost, equipping young entrepreneurs with the proper supplies not only prepares them for sales but also reinforces important business skills.
Slime Business Kits
For kids interested in starting a slime business, My Lil Startup's Slime Business Kit offers a ready-made solution. The Starter Kit, priced at $39.95, includes 20 pre-made slimes, glitter, charms, beads, glow powder, an instruction book, sales tips, marketing flyers, and thank-you cards. With each slime selling for $5.00, young entrepreneurs can potentially earn up to $100.00 from their initial investment.
For those looking to expand, the Growth Bundle at $59.95 adds a professional tablecloth to create a polished display. The Mogul Bundle, priced at $99.95, includes everything from the Growth Bundle plus a refill kit for 40 additional slimes. These kits simplify the process, providing a safe and guided path into entrepreneurship.
Alternatively, kids can take a DIY approach to create their own slime products. Key ingredients include clear or white glue (costing about $0.10–$0.50 per batch), activators like contact lens solution or laundry detergent (approximately $0.05–$0.20 per batch), and various colorants and additives. Packaging typically involves clear plastic jars with reusable lids and "slime care cards" that include instructions, ingredient lists, and safety guidelines.
Given the slime industry's 20% annual growth rate and its $2.5 billion global market value, having the right materials is critical. All supplies should be non-toxic, and parental supervision is a must, especially when working with borax-based activators.
While slime kits simplify the entrepreneurial journey, cookie businesses rely on specialized baking tools and supplies.
Cookie Business Supplies
Starting a cookie business requires basic baking tools like mixing bowls, measuring cups, baking sheets, and an oven. The ingredients are straightforward - flour, sugar, butter, and eggs - making budgeting easier due to their stable pricing.
Baketivity Kids Baking Kits are a great starting point, with prices ranging from $24.99 to $49.99. These kits include pre-measured ingredients and kid-friendly instructions. For example, the Cake Pop Kit (priced between $29.99 and $36.99) and the Unicorn Cookie Decorating Kit ($36.99) come with fun extras like chef hats and aprons, making the baking process enjoyable while laying the groundwork for a business.
Another option is cookie decorating kits available on Etsy. These range from $11.00 for individual cupcake cookie kits to $35.00–$52.00 for more elaborate sets. These kits often include undecorated cookies and decorating supplies, encouraging creativity and teaching kids how to plan for packaging and pricing.
Essential supplies for a cookie business include food-safe packaging, printable price tags, and allergy labels, along with basic marketing materials. Since cookies rely on fresh ingredients and have shorter shelf lives, effective inventory management is especially important.
By using proper food handling practices and age-appropriate tools, kids can enjoy a safe and rewarding experience while learning valuable business principles.
Slime kits offer a structured introduction to entrepreneurship, while cookie businesses teach hands-on skills through baking and community involvement. Both ventures provide opportunities to learn and grow in unique ways.
Examples and Parent Tips
Kid Business Success Stories
Young entrepreneurs prove that even simple ventures like slime and cookies can teach real-world business skills. Take 13-year-old Jungmin Kang, for example. She turned her slime business, Snoopslimes, into a multimillion-dollar success by combining persistence with smart social media strategies. On the cookie front, Cory Nieves started selling hot cocoa at just 6 years old to help his mom buy a car. That humble beginning eventually grew into Mr. Cory's Cookies, a brand offering all-natural treats that gained attention from major TV shows and big-name collaborators.
Another inspiring story is Mikaila Ulmer, who began her business, Me & the Bees Lemonade, at the age of 4. Using her great-grandmother's flaxseed lemonade recipe and adding honey, she created a product now sold across the United States. A portion of her profits also supports honeybee conservation efforts. And then there’s the group of boys who ran a combined lemonade and cookie stand. They learned firsthand about planning, logistics, customer service, and dividing profits.
What ties these stories together? Starting small, listening to feedback, and adapting to challenges. Whether selling slime online or cookies at a local event, these young entrepreneurs showcase the power of hands-on learning.
How Parents Can Help Kids Learn More
Behind every successful young entrepreneur is a supportive parent. Parents play a crucial role in turning small ventures into meaningful learning experiences. Jon, co-founder of My Lil Startup, shares how his daughter Chloe's lemonade stand initially struggled to make an impact. After switching to slime, Chloe not only enjoyed the process more but also made over $100 in just one hour.
To help kids succeed, start by encouraging them to identify everyday problems their products could solve. Teach them that a good business idea meets a real need. Financial literacy is another important skill - get them involved in tracking expenses, calculating costs (like ingredients for slime or cookies), and setting prices that balance affordability with profitability.
Role-playing can also be a great teaching tool. Practice scenarios like handling refunds or adjusting prices to stay competitive. Encourage kids to seek feedback from customers and emphasize the importance of building a loyal customer base.
Striking a balance between guidance and independence is key. Walk your child through your own decision-making process to help them develop critical thinking, but give them room to make their own choices. Margot Machol Bisnow, a business expert, notes:
"Children who are only praised for success, rather than for effort, don't develop grit".
Setting clear, achievable goals can also keep kids motivated. Younger children might aim to sell a certain number of items in a day, while older ones could track monthly profits or experiment with new product ideas. Adding fun elements, like small rewards or games, can make the learning process enjoyable.
Finally, involve kids in hands-on tasks like managing inventory or designing packaging. Whether perfecting slime textures or tweaking cookie recipes, these activities teach important skills like organization and product management. Both slime and cookie ventures offer valuable lessons - what matters most is aligning the business with your child’s interests and providing steady, supportive guidance throughout their entrepreneurial journey.
Which Business Is Right for Your Child?
Choosing Based on Your Child's Interests
When deciding on a business for your child, it’s important to consider their natural interests and strengths. For instance, kids who love experimenting with colors, textures, and scents often find slime businesses exciting. These ventures allow for endless creativity - think glittery unicorn slime or glow-in-the-dark creations. Children who enjoy sensory play and science experiments will likely thrive in this type of hands-on, imaginative activity.
On the other hand, cookie businesses are a great match for kids who enjoy structured tasks, following recipes, and spending time in the kitchen. These ventures also offer opportunities for direct customer interaction, whether at local events or neighborhood stands, making them ideal for children who enjoy engaging with others while showcasing their tasty creations.
Interestingly, research suggests that extraversion in kids aged 9–12 can predict entrepreneurial interests later in life. Outgoing kids who love social interaction may especially enjoy business opportunities that involve face-to-face customer engagement, such as selling cookies.
Safety, of course, is a key factor to consider. Slime making requires careful supervision, particularly with ingredients like borax, which can pose health risks if not handled properly. Cookie businesses also demand strict attention to food safety, including awareness of potential allergens. While safety is crucial for both ventures, each offers unique opportunities for skill-building.
Slime businesses encourage creativity, sensory exploration, and a love for science. Meanwhile, cookie businesses emphasize practical skills like following instructions, basic math for budgeting, and customer service. Matching the business to your child’s interests ensures that they not only enjoy the experience but also develop valuable life skills along the way.
Key Points for Parents and Teachers
Both slime and cookie businesses can help children build confidence, independence, and essential entrepreneurial skills. These ventures also promote social development, offering opportunities to connect with peers, siblings, and customers in meaningful ways. Slime making, in particular, fosters sensory exploration and discovery, while cookie businesses reinforce the importance of precision, food safety, and teamwork in the kitchen.
Some children have even turned their slime businesses into full-fledged operations, proving that these ventures can lead to real-world success. For parents looking to simplify the process, My Lil Startup kits make it easy to launch a slime business by providing all the necessary supplies, allowing more focus on teaching key concepts rather than logistics.
FAQs
What safety tips should parents know when helping their child start a slime or cookie business?
When helping your child kick off a slime business, safety should be your top priority. Use non-toxic ingredients and steer clear of potentially harmful chemicals like boron. Teach your child proper hygiene practices, such as wearing disposable gloves while making slime, and make sure all materials are stored in a safe and organized way.
For kids venturing into a cookie business, food safety is key. Prevent cross-contamination by keeping workspaces clean, store ingredients appropriately, and stay mindful of common allergens. Clearly label all products with a detailed list of ingredients and ensure you’re following local health and safety guidelines. These simple steps will make the business not only fun and educational but also safe for everyone involved.
How can parents help their children market a slime or cookie business using social media and local events?
Parents can play a big role in helping their kids market a slime or cookie business by leveraging popular social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Encourage your child to create fun and engaging content, like short videos or colorful posts, that showcase their products in action. They can share updates about their business, highlight new creations, or even run simple contests to grab attention and increase their reach. Don’t forget to tap into your own network - friends, family, and local groups are great starting points for spreading the word.
Another way to support their business is by getting involved in local events like school fairs, farmers' markets, or community festivals. These events offer a hands-on way for kids to connect with customers, practice their sales pitch, and gain confidence. By guiding them through these experiences, you’re not just helping them sell their products - you’re giving them a chance to learn important business skills in a safe and encouraging setting.
What long-term entrepreneurial skills can kids gain from starting a slime or cookie business?
Starting a slime or cookie business is a fantastic way for kids to pick up important entrepreneurial skills that can serve them well in the future. Through these ventures, they gain a hands-on understanding of financial basics like budgeting and setting prices. They also sharpen their problem-solving and critical thinking abilities as they navigate challenges, whether it’s improving product quality or figuring out what customers want.
Beyond the numbers and logistics, kids develop soft skills that are just as valuable. Running their own business helps them improve communication, practice teamwork, and take responsibility for their actions. It’s a real-world lesson in the importance of hard work, resilience, and imagination, giving them a solid base to build on as they grow.
