Original Sticker Designs
Turn original drawings into stickers to sell at markets or in a parent-run online shop.
- Ages
- 9–12
- Startup budget
- $80–$180
- Time per week
- About 3 hours
- Parent involvement
- Moderate
- Preparation
- Some prep
- Type
- Product
- Where to sell
- In person & online
- Time to start
- 2 weekends
About this idea
Stickers are a favorite with kids and adults alike. Draw something once and you can print it again and again, which makes this a great introduction to how products scale.
This idea suits kids who already love to draw and are curious about digital tools, though designs can start on paper and be scanned.
A great fit for
- Kids who are always drawing characters
- Curious beginners with digital art
- Families with a home printer
What you’ll need
| Item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Printable vinyl sticker paper (20 sheets) | $15 |
| Clear laminate overlay sheets (waterproofing) | $10 |
| Subtotal | $25 |
Assumes: Assumes a home color printer and a free drawing app. Ordering professionally cut stickers from a print service instead costs roughly $40–50 for a first batch.
| Item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Market table feePer event. Kids’ markets typically charge $10–50; some are free | $25 |
| TableclothA bright color makes the table stand out | $10 |
| Display stand or risersGives products height so customers notice them | $15 |
| Sign and price cards | $5 |
| Pop-up tentOptionalOnly for outdoor markets without shade. Borrowing one works too | $100 |
| Subtotal (without optional) | $55 |
Bring about $20 in small bills and coins for change. You get it back, so it isn’t counted as a cost. Selling to family and friends first? You can skip these until your first market.
Total to start selling at a market
$80$180 with optional extras
What parents do
Parent involvement: ModerateRegular help with some steps, printing or online sales
- Buy sticker paper and help with printing
- Run any online shop, messages and shipping
- Take them to markets
Your child: about 3 hours a week making, selling and planning once it’s up and running.
Step by step
Design 6 originals
Create six original characters or designs. They must be your own, not cartoon characters from TV or games, which belong to someone else.
Digitize them
Draw in a free app, or draw on paper and scan or photograph it in good light. A parent can help clean up the image.
Test print
Print one test sheet on plain paper first to check size and colors before using sticker paper.
Print, protect and cut
Print on vinyl, add the clear overlay so they’re waterproof, and cut neatly with a small border.
Make a display card
Show all designs on one card with prices so customers can pick quickly.
Costs & pricing example
Cost to make one sticker
$0.20
Example price
$2
Profit per sticker
$1.80
How we worked out the cost of one sticker
- Sticker paper$0.06
- Laminate overlay$0.04
- Printer ink (estimate)$0.10
If your child sells 50 stickers at $2, that’s $100 in sales and about $90 profit after materials. The $80 startup cost, including a first market table, is earned back after about 45 stickers.
“3 for $5” works well. Sticker packs of 5 can sell for $7–8.
These numbers are illustrative examples, not guaranteed earnings. Prices vary by supplier and location.
Where to sell
Children’s markets
Stickers are an easy impulse buy at a small price.
A parent-run online shop
Stickers are light and cheap to post in a regular envelope.
Friends and family
Great for testing which designs are most popular.
Skills your child will build
- Original design
- Digital tools
- Understanding copyright
- Scaling a product
- Pricing bundles
Common challenges
- Hand-cutting takes a long time
- Try this: Use simple outlines with rounded shapes, or switch to a print service once you know which designs sell.
- Copying popular characters
- Try this: Selling someone else’s characters isn’t allowed. Original designs are what make your shop special.
Safety & parent notes
- Online, parent-run
- Any online selling, messaging and payments should be handled by a parent.
- Don’t include your child’s full name, school or location on products or online listings.
A note for parents
This is a great moment to talk about intellectual property: why original work matters, and why it’s valuable that your child’s designs belong to them.
Helpful guides
Money & pricing
How to Calculate Startup Costs for a Kids’ Business
Turn a supply list into a simple budget your child understands, and find out how many sales it takes to earn the money back.
2 min read
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