Brittany Kelley
WIMBERLEY — Children with bright ideas and an ambitious spirit are invited to advertise their skills at the Wimberley Village Library Spring Kid-Preneur Market April 18.
The idea began approximately six years ago by teen services librarian Josie Bisett.
“I started it before I even worked there. I used to be on the board of the Friends [of the Wimberley Village Library] and we were coming up with fun things to do to connect with the community, to get more families involved,” recalled Bisett. “I suggested we do a kid market alongside when they do the book sales … but then, it just took on a life of its own because it was so big.”
Now, the library hosts separate events throughout the year.
The idea is that children ages 5 through 18 can create their own business and set up a booth at the function to get paid for whatever their product of service may be.
“[My kid] used to make those friendship bracelets, the ones that they weave onto your wrist and he used to do them for $1 each. He would make $22 that day and get very excited about it,” said Bisett. “My other son would put out his violin case and just play violin music.”
The opportunities are endless, said the librarian, as she has seen booths that have signup sheets for dog walking or babysitting or items for sale, such as chicken noodle soup or crocheted pieces, sandwiches, 3D-printed figures and more.
The market is not only a place where children can express their creativity, but it also teaches them valuable lessons. Bisett noted that the entry fee is $5, which replicates vendor fees at other events, if the children were to have their own business when they were older.
“They can make something of themselves. It’s very good at making them think about money, making them think about [the process] because they do all of it from the start to the finish,” she said. “A lot of these kids show up and they’ve got an idea and they don’t maybe do so well and they’ve put a lot of work in, but then, they decide, ‘You know what, it would have been smarter if I did this.’ So, it teaches them quite a lot about supply and demand. It teaches them business [and] it teaches them some basic skills.”
The children also gain confidence in talking to others, Bisett stated, noting that toward the end of the market, she will often see the young entrepreneurs “go mobile” by taking a basket and attempting to sell their products to passersby.
Although there are lessons to be learned by participating, the librarian emphasized that the real goal is to bring community members together. In particular, she said that it offers a place for those who are homeschooled to have a space with public school students.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at the Wimberley Village Library, 400 FM 2325. Children are required to provide their own table and will begin setting up their booths at 9 a.m.
Those interested in signing up can do so by emailing Bisett at [email protected].
