The full checklist, grouped
A lemonade stand looks like a lot until you sort it into what it actually does: make the drink, serve the drink, tell people about it, take the money, and give everyone a comfortable place to stand. Work through these five groups and you will not forget anything on open day.
1. Ingredients (the drink itself)
- Lemons: a bag of about 12 makes roughly three batches, or close to 30 iced cups. Fresh beats powder on taste and lets you charge more.
- Sugar: around one cup per batch, so a small bag covers the day with plenty to spare.
- Water: from the tap, free. Warm water helps the sugar dissolve into a syrup first.
- Ice: a 10 lb bag keeps the pitchers and the cups cold. Buy it the morning of, not the night before.
2. Serving gear
- Paper or plastic cups: one or two packs, sized for your price. A 9 to 12 oz cup is the standard pour.
- Pitchers: one or two, for mixing and refilling without leaving the table.
- A long stirring spoon and a small cutting board and knife for the lemons (an adult job).
- Napkins and a small trash bag so the spot stays clean and neighbor-friendly.
3. Signage
- Poster board: one or two sheets. The price must be huge and readable from a moving car.
- Thick markers: a couple of bold colors. Kid handwriting sells better than anything printed.
- Tape or string to hang the sign where drivers and walkers see it first.
Signs do a surprising amount of the selling, so it is worth doing them well. There is a whole guide to making a lemonade stand sign, and if the stand still needs a name, start with these lemonade stand names.
4. Money and cash handling
- A cash pouch or small box to keep the money in one safe place.
- A change float of about $10 in ones and quarters so your kid can always make change.
- A tally sheet and a pen to mark every sale as it happens. Counting at the end is the lesson.
- An optional tip jar, labeled with what the tips are for.
5. Comfort and setup (mostly from home)
- A table and a chair you already own. This is the big-ticket item you should always borrow.
- A cooler to hold ice and any bottled water.
- Shade: an umbrella or a spot under a tree keeps the seller and the ice from wilting.
- A tablecloth to make the stand look cared-for, which quietly earns trust.
What to buy versus what to borrow
The rule is simple: buy the consumables, borrow the durables. You use up lemons, sugar, ice, cups, poster board, and markers, so those belong on the shopping list. You do not use up a table, a chair, a cooler, pitchers, a spoon, or a cash box, so those come from the kitchen, the garage, or a neighbor. Borrowing the big items is the single biggest reason a first stand can stay under $25 and still turn a real profit. If you buy a folding table for the occasion, the stand may not clear its costs, and the profit disappears into gear.
A sample budget (about $22)
Prices vary by region, but this is a realistic mid-range US run with the durable items borrowed:
That $22 is the number the whole stand earns back before it profits. For the break-even math and what a stand keeps at the end, see the full cost guide, and for how each price changes the payoff, see how much to charge.
Get the Supply Scout worksheet and the whole kit
Kit 01 turns this checklist into a printable your kid fills in: they scout prices, total the budget, and track every cup, on 24 pages built for ages 6 to 12.
Get Kit 01 · $14Frequently asked questions
What do you need for a lemonade stand?
Five groups cover everything: ingredients (lemons, sugar, water, ice), serving gear (pitchers, a stirring spoon, paper cups), signage (poster board and thick markers), cash handling (a pouch or box and a float of ones and quarters), and setup (a table, a chair, a cooler, and shade). Most families already own the setup group, so the actual shopping list is short and usually costs $20 to $25.
How much do lemonade stand supplies cost?
About $20 to $25 for a full first stand if you borrow the table, chair, and cooler from home. A realistic mid-range run is around $22: roughly $12 in ingredients and $10 in cups, signage, and a cash pouch. Prices vary by region and store, which is exactly why letting your kid scout the real numbers is part of the lesson.
What should I buy versus borrow for a lemonade stand?
Buy the consumables you use up: lemons, sugar, ice, paper cups, poster board, and markers. Borrow the durable gear you already own: the table, a chair, a cooler, pitchers, a stirring spoon, and a cash box. Borrowing the big items is what keeps a first stand under $25 and lets the profit be real.