These creative ways for kids to earn money are a great way to teach children about the importance of saving money early on. Teaching our children to be responsible with money from an early age is an important life skill that can set them up with the right habits for their future.
Being financially responsible isn’t something that just comes naturally!
It’s a skill that we need to learn, so why not start while your kids are young? And there’s a good chance they will be eager to find some new ways of making money anyway!
This guide will give you plenty of new ideas on how kids can earn money that goes beyond the basic chore system to encourage them to explore different ways of creating an income.
Raising Financially Savvy Kids
We, as parents, are important role models to our kids. Every area of their life is influenced by the things they experience during their formative years.
That’s why it’s never too early to start encouraging healthy money habits with your child! Earning and saving money is one of those significant lessons that all kids benefit from.
Also, it’s a perfect opportunity to teach kids smart goal-setting.
An early introduction to money management can affect their spending habits in the future.
You never know… You may even activate an entrepreneurial spirit that will be the start of something exciting!
The Benefits Of Earning Money As A Child
There are many unique benefits of earning money for kids. These benefits go beyond those instant gratification feelings of using their earned cash to buy the latest toy they’ve been wanting.
An allowance can also teach children to learn the value of a dollar, how to budget and save money, as well as inspire independence.
Learning how to earn money early on is an important life skill that children should know in order to become financially independent later on in life.
Here are more reasons why it’s a great idea for your child to make money of their own:
- Money Management Skills: Young kids will learn to manage their money to reach a goal, such as saving up for a certain item or experience, and they will be more likely to understand the concept of delayed gratification.
- Responsibility: The process of completing tasks to earn money will help young kids learn how to be responsible and accountable for their actions.
- Independence: Earning money gives children the independence to make decisions about what they buy with their own money, instead of relying on others to provide them with things. This also teaches them about setting limits when it comes to spending.
- Entrepreneurial Skills: Making money as a kid can also be a great way to teach children the basics of business such as marketing and finance. This can help them develop an entrepreneurial spirit that will carry over into their future career endeavours.
- Maths Skills: Earning money as a kid helps them practise maths skills outside of school! Kids can apply basic math skills while handling their own money. They use addition in counting their savings and subtraction when they plan on using money.
- Creativity: Kids can learn to think outside the box when it comes to thinking up ways to make money and gain an understanding of how the economy works in a fun and interactive way.
- Social Skills: Completing tasks and seeking out money-making opportunities encourages kids to problem-solve, collaborate, communicate and engage in teamwork.
How Kids Can Earn Money: Creative Ideas For Kids Of All Ages
If you’ve got a child who wants to know how kids can make money or if you are looking for ways to encourage your child to seek out new opportunities, this list of ways kids can make money is for you.
The ideas in this list can be adjusted for kids of all ages, potentially needing a little more help from you or another adult if your child is younger.
This list has been sorted into 3 sections – fast ways kids can make money, chore ideas for kids and business ideas for kids who want to dabble as a kidpreneur:
How To Earn Money Fast For Kids
Here are a few ideas on how kids can earn money fast. These ideas are great for kids who have a set savings goal in mind and they want to reach their goal much faster:
1. Sell Unwanted Items
Help your child collect items they can sell after decluttering and organising your home.
Most of us have clothing we no longer need, old hobby supplies and decor we may no longer need. Kids will also have toys they’ve outgrown, books, shoes, sports equipment and anything else they may not want anymore.
Your kids can host the garage sale or list the items on an online marketplace such as Facebook Marketplace or a site like Craigs List or Gumtree, with your help.
Find more tips for how to sell unwanted items to help them have success.
2. Bake Sale
Kids can make money using their talent for baking scrumptious cakes and treats.
Young kids will need a lot more help with baking and planning their bake sale, but this can be a really fun way for you to spend time together as you help them raise funds for their savings goal.
3. Odd Jobs For Neighbours
Neighbours can often be a great resource in boosting earnings for kids beyond their everyday pocket money. Especially if you have elderly neighbors or busy working neighbours who often don’t have time to get things done themselves.
Younger kids can do small tasks like watering plants, washing windows, weeding gardens, and walking dogs. Older kids can do pet sitting, cleaning, yard work or landscaping.
Kids can charge neighbours based on the task’s difficulty or by hourly rate.
4. Open a Lemonade Stand
It’s a little cliche but if you know your neighbours well and live in an active street, a few batches of lemonade in the summer months could lead to quite a few extra dollars for your child.
In the cooler months, why not switch to a hot chocolate stand instead for a nice winter warmer?
5. Run Errands for Family Business
The family business might need extra small hands for tasks kids can easily do. Kids are great for simple tasks such as sealing envelopes or putting stamps on, folding brochures, stapling paperwork, emptying desk trash cans or even tidying the office.
6. Wash Cars
If your older kid is capable of washing the family car, then they can certainly make money from this chore. Best of all, it’s not just your family car they can wash but also offer up their skills to neighbours and extended family or friends too.
7. Sell DIY Jewellery
Make friendship bracelets, beaded necklaces or earrings, then sell the products online or in the local community.
DIY jewellery is a fun way to earn extra income and explore your child’s creativity. It’ll be their first-hand experience with entrepreneurship, especially at a local event such as a market stall.
8. Take Cans and Bottles to the Recycling Centre
Depending on where you are located, some places offer refunds on recycled cans and bottles. Here in Australia, most states are part of a recycling scheme that offers a 10-cent refund on each can or bottle. This can quickly add up to some great extra cash!
Not only can your child collect your household recycling, but they can also ask family and friends if they can collect theirs too, letting them know about their savings goal.
Really eager kids might even like to take a walk around the neighbourhood (with you) and see if they can find any that have been dumped as well. This means cleaning up the local area and making extra cash!
And it can actually earn some decent money. While they certainly weren’t kids, my niece and her hubby managed to pay for most of their wedding from a year’s efforts of recycling!
Chores For Kids To Earn Money
We’ve covered a few quick wins for kids outside of the typical household chores, but there’s no denying that the easiest way for kids to earn their own money is by doing household tasks.
Ensure that each chore is age-appropriate so kids will be confident in accomplishing your requests.
While no one really loves doing chores, the motivation to make money is a big incentive, no matter your age!
But if your child does need a little extra reminding, a chore chart can be a fun way to keep them focused – especially if it has a money value next to each chore so they know what they will earn once it’s done.
Aside from extra cash, you can motivate your kids by making things fun with cleaning games. Plus many of these household chores can also be done for friends and neighbours as ways to make extra money too.
Listed below are some kid-friendly household chores you can add to your kid’s chore list.
9. Pulling Weeds
Pulling weeds is an easy chore for kids with the added benefit of improving body coordination, strength, and balance.
The task might seem simple, but the benefits are superb, and kids earning money is a bonus!
10. Mowing Lawns
This outdoor chore that involves using mowing equipment is particularly suited to older kids and teens who want to earn money.
Teach your kids how to handle the lawn mower safely before you consider leaving them unsupervised. Observe them during their first few mows to make sure they are safely using the mower.
11. Washing Windows
This is a fairly easy task for kids, which they can do mostly unsupervised. Ask them to wash windows within their reach. Provide them with their small tools such as a water sprayer or window cleaning spray, and a cloth or a wiper.
12. Folding Laundry
You can easily teach your little one how to fold laundry. This is a task that even pre-school-aged children can start to assist with, folding their own clothing.
My two girls have been doing this as one of their main weekly chores since they were in early primary school. They sort all the laundry for the family, then fold and put away their own clothes.
13. Water Plants
Gardening is such an educational chore for kids. You can start them with watering plants in your indoor garden and backyard. Through the task, you can teach them other gardening skills so they can tend to your backyard gardens independently.
14. Assist With Grocery Shopping
Mum sometimes needs her little helper to make grocery shopping a lot faster and easier. Your kids can assist you in getting items into your cart and carrying shopping bags to the car. Or have them assist once back at home with putting the groceries away.
15. Taking Out the Trash
A quick and easy job is having your child take out the trash. This is better suited to older kids if you have a larger trash can, but younger kids can help by doing a weekly clean out of waste paper baskets or bathroom rubbish bins.
16. Cleaning the Dishes
This is a classic chore for kids to help with washing the dishes. If you have two or more kids, they can do this as a team with one washing and one drying.
17. Stack and Unstack The Dishwasher
Another chore kids can help with is stacking and unstacking the dishwasher. This job should be supervised by an adult until your child is confident and careful enough to unload it independently.
18. Vacuum The House
Vacuuming the house can be a fun activity for some kids, so why not get them involved? Even pre-school kids can help out with this one, especially if you have a stick vacuum that is easier to maneuver.
19. Cleaning Bathrooms
Cleaning the bathrooms is not fun for anyone! But it’s a chore that needs to be done and this one in particular can be a great way for kids to learn how to properly clean and maintain a bathroom while earning pocket money at the same time.
20. Mopping The Floors
Mopping is another chore that your kids can help you with. Make sure they understand how to use the mop safely and properly before leaving them unsupervised with it. We don’t want any slips!
21. Help Prepare Meals
Let them take the role of your sous-chef and show them how things are done in the kitchen.
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a snack, teach your little one how to prepare meals. My kids love grating cheese and stirring the contents of the frying pan.
Once they’re older, and they are already familiar with cooking skills, your child may be able to cook some simple meals on their own for their family members (or with a little help from you).
You can find even more ideas on this chore list or check out these chores for teens for even more inspiration.
Business Ideas For Kid Entrepreneurs
Who says kids can’t be entrepreneurs? If your child has an entrepreneurial spirit, there are plenty of business ideas that they can explore even from an early age.
Of course, some of these ideas will require a fair amount of help from mum and dad and in these cases, sometimes it’s more about encouraging your child’s passions for making money of their own than it is about having them do it all solo.
As they get older, they will be able to take over more and more of the responsibilities too.
Here are some business ideas for kids to get you started:
22. Selling Artwork Online
Your child may be quite the talented artist, either with paint and canvas, sketch art or even digital art. They can sell their artwork online (or in person). This can earn them cash for other things they want or help them to fund their art supplies for future projects.
23. Selling Homemade Crafts
Creating homemade crafts doesn’t only improve your child’s creativity, it’s also an excellent method of earning extra income!
Lots of people love handmade items such as knitted scarves, decorated tote bags, tie-dyed clothing, handmade jewellery, clay sculptures, home décor, digital art, and more.
Your child can sell their creations online, in person to friends and family or at a market stall at a local community event.
An Etsy store is a great option to sell creations online. I have a craft supply store I run with help from my kids and they get a portion of each item sold online.
Here are some ideas for crafts kids can make to sell:
- Beaded jewellery
- Resin jewellery or home decor
- Friendship bracelets
- Homemade slime or playdough
- Decorated t-shirts
- Knitted items
- Vinyl printed items
- Digital art
- Painted or drawn artwork
- Baby headbands
- Christmas decorations
- Bookmarks
- Hair accessories
Tip: If you’ve got an innovative child, let them lean into their expertise and create something that solves a need. During the pandemic, a friend’s daughter created face mask chains, similar to sunglasses chains, for people who were always losing their masks. Brilliant!
24. Teach Music Lessons
Allow your child to use their talent and knowledge about music by giving music lessons to younger kids.
They are getting extra practice in for their instrument of choice, all while helping someone else to learn the basics too.
25. Tutor Other Kids
If your child excels at one or more subjects at school, you can help your child garner clients to whom they can offer tutoring services.
It can be for a younger child who is struggling with a certain subject area. The clients can be the child of a family friend, a younger grade student at school, or someone from the neighbourhood. Charge by the hour or by the session.
26. Dog Walking
For a child who adores animals, this business idea won’t feel like a job for them! With a dog walking business, your child can still have fun as they walk dogs and earn income at the same time.
But it’s also an opportunity to learn responsibility and animal care.
This is certainly something you will need to assess based on your child’s age and where you live, making sure they are safe. Walking with them is a chance for a little extra exercise for you too!
27. Pet Sitting
Other pet owners can hire your child as a pet sitter whenever they’re away. It’s the perfect way to make money for kids fond of animals.
A pet-sitting business can be done in one of two ways – attending to the pets in their own home or having them come stay at your home if you have a suitable area for them to stay, without putting them or your own pets at risk.
28. Lawn Mowing Business
Your big kid can do yard work for neighbours or the local community. They can start a lawn mowing business, which can attract customers through referrals or social media accounts.
While younger children are limited in what they may be able to offer, this can be perfect monkey-earning opportunity for kids to start their own business with older teenage siblings.
29. Start A Blog
Creating a blog is no get-rich-quick scheme but it has great income potential with the right dedication and niche. If you have a tech-savvy child who loves to write, it may be a great idea for them.
A quick Google search will help brainstorm a few niches that will interest them. You can also get tips on how to start a blog from my guide which includes ways you can earn money from blogging.
30. Start A YouTube Channel
Starting a YouTube channel might sound intimidating, however, this is a future online job idea that can actually help your child develop their communication skills too.
There are restrictions around child creator accounts and earning money online so it might not be something they can do solo, but instead as a joint project together with you or another adult in the family.
In the same way, Tiktok has a creator rewards scheme for successful accounts. Again, this is a platform not suitable for under 16s but it is one you could collaborate on.
31. Decorated T-shirt Business
For another creative activity that can potentially lead to a successful business. Printed or painted t-shirts can attract a lot of customers, especially those looking for uniquely designed clothing.
Your young entrepreneur can sell these shirts online or at local events.
They can do their own tie-dye creations or use an affordable vinyl cutting machine such as a Cricut Joy to create vinyl designs to personalise t-shirts, bags and accessories.
32. Playing Video Games
It’s quite a wild time to be alive when you can make money from what is usually considered a pointless pastime. However, many teens (and adults) have earned themselves substantial money playing video games.
There tend to be some fairly strict age minimums around these platforms though, with Twitch being one of the most well-known gamer platforms to make money. The minimum age for Twitch streaming is 13.
But it’s certainly something to explore with your child who loves to play games.
Additional Tips For Parents
For parents of young entrepreneurs, there are a few important things to keep in mind.
Firstly, make sure to encourage and support your child in their business ideas. Give praise for the efforts they have put in and help them find solutions if things don’t go as planned.
Secondly, it is important to ensure that your kids are not taking on too much responsibility when starting a business or extra jobs to earn cash.
While having an entrepreneurial mindset is important to encourage, it is also essential that children get time for play and relaxation.
Encourage your child to manage their time wisely so they can have a balanced life.
Finally, make sure you talk about the importance of budgeting and saving money – learning how to save up for something big that your child wants is a valuable life lesson.
Conclusion: Ways For Kids To Earn Money
The various ways to make money as a kid bring valuable lessons and experiences for them at a young age. Their physical growth, skills, creativity, and confidence are built with the help of these experiences. Kids can make their own money while walking the path of self-discovery and financial literacy.
Related Reading:
- Chores by age list
- Ways to earn money for teens
- Chore ideas for teenagers
- Conversation starters to get your teen talking
- How to teach kids to set goals
- How to boost your daughter’s confidence
- Building your child’s resilience
- No-spend month challenge
- Games to make cleaning more fun
- How to get started cleaning your house when it’s really messy
