By Olivia Clark
Young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to showcase their creativity and business skills at an upcoming Kids Market in Seffner, where families can shop from youth-run businesses while enjoying a community egg hunt and outdoor activities.
The event will take place at Mango Recreation Center, where families can explore booths hosted entirely by children and teens. The market opens at 9:30 a.m., and the community egg hunt will begin at 10 a.m. near the playground. Admission is free for visitors, while young entrepreneurs can register for a booth for $25 through www.kidsmarkets.com/markets/seffner.
The Kids Market program is designed to give children a hands-on introduction to entrepreneurship while creating a supportive environment for learning and growth. Participants range in age from 5-17 and are responsible for creating products, managing inventory and interacting with customers.
“In many ways, our impact is our mission,” said Samantha White, communications manager at Kids Markets. “We believe entrepreneurship at any age, but specifically a young age, teaches invaluable life skills. The kids have a blast making friends and earning money, but they may not even realize they’re also learning the whole time.”
White said participants often develop skills such as problem-solving, budgeting, pricing and marketing while also gaining confidence through real-world experience.
The Seffner event is expected to draw a variety of young vendors and community members. While Kids Market events around the country often feature between 30-100 booths, organizers said the Tampa area market is still growing and has space available for additional participants.
White said the partnership with Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation adds another layer of community engagement by pairing the market with a family-friendly holiday event.
“I think the biggest highlight of this event is that it is a community event,” said Taylor Cauley, Tampa Market representative. “The combination of the community egg hunt and the youth-run market creates a family-friendly event where visitors can enjoy the holiday activity fdywhile supporting local young entrepreneurs.”
Cauley added that the event allows families to see firsthand the creativity and hard work of young people in their community while spending time together outdoors.
Families interested in registering a young entrepreneur or learning more about the event can visit www.kidsmarkets.com/markets/seffner.
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