How to Adapt Trending Businesses for Kids

Hey, thanks for joining for another week of New Venture Weekly.

I saw this tweet a few months ago and I think it’s a gold mine opportunity.

There are literally so many companies you could adapt to be made for kids that would explode.

Let’s jump in!

🗞️ Things worth checking out

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💡Kids Versions of Popular Products

🗂 Overview:

I’ll keep this overview simple - take the latest trends that adults love and make them kid-friendly.

⭐️ Examples:

• YouTube Kids: YouTube saw how popular their platform was for children and needed to create a safe way for them to consume the content. YouTube Kids videos can amass billions of views.

• Honest Company - Honest Baby: The Honest Company started with eco-friendly household products for adults and quickly expanded to include a line of baby products

• KiwiCo: Inspired by adult fashion subscription services like Stitch Fix, Kidbox curates outfits for kids and delivers them directly.

• Hopster: Inspired by streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, Hopster was created to offer a similar service tailored for young children

• Duolingo - Duolingo ABC: Everyone’s favourite language learning app also has a kids education app to improve literacy skills.

• Khan Academy - Kahn Academy Kids: Khan Academy, known for providing free educational resources and courses, developed Khan Academy Kids to offer a tailored educational experience for young children.

👎 Problems:

it goes without saying that there are a ton of reasons why children’s products are needed:

• Safety Concerns: Children’s products are designed to be safer, often using non-toxic materials, smaller sizes, and safety features that prevent injury.

• Developmental Appropriateness: Items are tailored to support the physical and cognitive development stages of children (e.g., educational toys, learning apps).

• Ease of Use: Simplified designs make products easier for children to use independently (e.g., utensils, tech devices).

• Nutritional Needs: Foods and supplements are formulated to meet the specific dietary requirements of growing children (e.g., vitamins, snacks).

• Parental Convenience: Products are designed to make life easier for parents, such as easy-to-clean materials or multifunctional baby gear.

• Age-Appropriate Content: Media and educational products are curated to provide appropriate content for different age groups, ensuring suitability and educational value.

• Emotional and Social Development: Toys and games are often designed to encourage social interaction, emotional expression, and cooperation among children.

• Health and Hygiene: Products like skincare and hygiene items are formulated to be gentle on children’s sensitive skin.

• Adaptation to Children’s Strength and Dexterity: Tools and equipment are adapted to match the physical capabilities of children (e.g., scissors, musical instruments).

• Sensory Needs: Many children’s products cater to sensory needs, providing appropriate stimuli for sensory development.

• Fashion and Style Preferences: Clothing and accessories are designed to appeal to children’s tastes and trends, making them more likely to be worn and enjoyed.

• Educational Engagement: Products are designed to be both educational and entertaining, encouraging learning through play.

• Customization and Personalization: Items can be personalized to make children feel special and unique.

• Innovation and Creativity: Companies often introduce innovative products that stimulate creativity and imagination in children.

• Preventive Health: Products aimed at preventing health issues, such as ergonomic backpacks to prevent back problems.

• Behaviour Management: Tools and products designed to help manage and improve children’s behaviour, such as reward charts and calming toys.

📈 Stats:

• The baby food market alone was valued at over $75 billion globally. (source)

• The market for children's health supplements is worth $2.5b and is expected to grow the $3.9b in the next 10 years. (source)

• The global educational games market size was $11.5b in 2023 and is expected to reach $97b by 2032. That’s an insane CAGR of 40%. (source)

• The global toy market size for children’s toys was worth around $305.81 billion in 2022. (source)

🧐 Opportunities:

There are so many opportunities for this, so on top of the ideas in the tweet at the beginning of this email, here are some of my favourites and why:

• Mindfulness Apps for Kids

  • According to the CDC, about 1 in 6 children in the United States aged 2-8 years has a diagnosed mental, behavioural, or developmental disorder. (source)

• Kids Meal Prep Services

  • Parents can be busy and stressed but their kids still need to eat a healthy and balanced diet.

  • Children with obesity are at a higher risk of developing health conditions typically seen in adults.

  • Approximately 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the United States aged 2-19 years are obese. (source)

• Customized Exercise Plans for Kids

  • Over 75% of children in the US are active for less than the recommended 60 minutes each day. (source)

  • Although kids should be outside playing sports as much as possible. Mobility exercises are often overlooked. In the long term, this would help with mobility issues as they age.

  • Tailored exercise plans can account for individual needs and preferences, making it more likely for children to engage consistently.

• Running Clubs for Kids

  • Running clubs are all the rage right now and they’re a great way to socialise for adults whilst also getting fit.

  • As mentioned above, children need to exercise on top of that social interactions and building friendships is vital for their development. This would be a great way to kids to get fit and make friends.

• Liquid Death but for Kids

  • Create an out-there brand of water similar to Liquid Death (maybe not quite as morbid) but target it at children.

  • Read last week’s newsletter about microplastics for more info on why this could work.

Here are some more quick-fire ones:

• Supergut for Kids

• Olipop for Kids

• Oat-based dairy products for kids

• Plant-based protein drinks for kids

🛠 How to Build:

• Market Research

  • Identify the specific needs and preferences of kids in your target age group.

  • Analyze competitors who have successfully entered the kids' market.

  • Gather insights from parents regarding their preferences and concerns.

• Product Adaptation

  • Simplify products to be kid-friendly (e.g., easier to use, safer materials).

  • Ensure products are visually appealing to children (bright colours, fun designs).

  • Create themed versions of products (e.g., cartoon characters, superheroes).

• Safety and Compliance

  • Ensure all products meet safety standards and regulations for children.

  • Use non-toxic, hypoallergenic materials.

  • Implement rigorous testing to ensure durability and safety.

• Branding and Packaging

  • Develop kid-friendly branding with engaging logos and mascots.

  • Design packaging that is appealing and easy for kids to open.

  • Include interactive elements in the packaging (e.g., puzzles, games).

• Educational Value

  • Integrate educational aspects into products (e.g., learning through play).

  • Develop content that supports developmental milestones and cognitive growth.

• Parental Involvement

  • Offer products that encourage parent-child interaction.

  • Provide educational materials or guides for parents to enhance the experience.

  • Ensure transparency about product benefits and safety features.

• Distribution Channels

  • Partner with retailers specializing in children's products.

  • Ensure a strong online presence with easy navigation for parents.

  • Consider subscription models for continuous engagement.

• Feedback and Iteration

  • Collect feedback from kids and parents to refine products.

  • Regularly update the product line to keep it fresh and engaging.

  • Monitor trends in the kids' market to stay ahead of the competition.

🚀 How to Grow:

• Targeted Digital Advertising

  • Use platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to reach parents.

  • Leverage kid-friendly content sites and apps for ad placements.

• Influencer Collaborations

  • Partner with child influencers and family-oriented influencers.

  • Engage with popular parenting bloggers and vloggers.

• Content Marketing

  • Create engaging and educational content for kids.

  • Develop blogs and resources for parents on your website.

  • Use videos and animations to attract children's attention.

• Social Media Engagement

  • Share fun, interactive posts on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

  • Host social media contests and challenges.

  • Engage with your audience through comments and messages.

• Email Marketing

  • Send newsletters with updates, tips, and special offers to parents.

  • Provide valuable content that addresses parents' concerns and interests.

• SEO and SEM

  • Optimize your website for search engines with keywords relevant to kids' products.

  • Use paid search advertising to drive traffic to your site.

• Partnerships and Collaborations

  • Collaborate with schools, daycare centres, and educational programs.

  • Partner with other brands targeting kids to create bundled offers.

• Events and Workshops

  • Organize in-store or virtual events like workshops, storytelling sessions, or playdates.

  • Sponsor community events, fairs, and festivals.

• User-Generated Content

  • Encourage parents to share photos and reviews of their kids using your products.

  • Create a hashtag campaign to increase visibility on social media.

• Loyalty Programs

  • Develop loyalty programs to reward repeat customers.

  • Offer referral incentives for parents who recommend your products to others.

• Interactive Website Features

  • Implement fun and interactive features on your website to engage kids.

  • Use gamification elements to make the shopping experience enjoyable.

• Customer Reviews and Testimonials

  • Showcase positive reviews and testimonials from parents and kids.

  • Highlight any awards or recognitions your products have received.

• Retail Presence

  • Ensure strong visibility in stores where parents shop for their kids.

  • Use eye-catching displays and packaging to attract attention.

• Sampling and Free Trials

  • Offer free samples or trial versions of your products.

  • Provide special discounts for first-time customers.

• Educational Partnerships

  • Develop educational materials that can be used in classrooms or at home.

  • Partner with educational content creators to integrate your products.

🔥 Free Stuff

(Bookmark these)

• Want to grow your business? Here’s a database of tools that can help.

• Want to promote your startup for free? Here’s a database of free places to promote your startup.

• Want to turn your idea into a business? Check out this business idea checklist.

• Want to differentiate from your competitors? Check out this Differentiation Strategy Guide

• Want to run ads for your business? Use these proven psychological ad positioning strategies.

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