There is an old proverbial phrase that tells us to “make lemonade when life gives us lemons.” This advice is used to encourage optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. At Apple Hill Academy, during one of the coldest weeks of the year, our daycare children learned how to run an indoor winter lemonade stand business, selling “hot chocolate” (instead of lemonade) using cotton balls for marshmallows, and hot- chocolate pods for the “liquid.”
Prior to opening the stand, we all made menu signs. Then, the kids used play money (which they made themselves from green construction paper) to purchase their drinks. It was fun watching the children use their art skills, while learning marketing and finance in preschool! Everyone waited their turn in line to make a purchase and practiced good manners by saying “please and thank you.” With spring just around the corner, we are optimistic that warm weather will be here soon to warm all of us at our childcare center!
