23 Regular Jobs for Kids

Warren Buffet said that the No. 1 mistake parents make is waiting for too long before teaching their kids about money. He believes that children should learn about the value of money and how to make it, as early as when they are in preschool.

image of regular jobs for kids

That means that it is not out of place for kids to work. But can you still get those regular jobs for your child now that the internet has taken over?

In this article, we have listed regular jobs for kids through which your child can make good money working around your neighborhood.

Child labor laws you must know

Kid labor laws regulate the type of jobs kids can do at a certain age. It also states how long these kids can work, and under what conditions.

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The good thing about the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is that it mentions how much kids under 18 should earn. This alone addresses issues concerning the payment.

The only jobs allowed for kids under the age of 16 are non-agricultural jobs. This includes pet sitting, babysitting, making crafts, working in the family’s business, etc. 

They can start working on a farm when they turn 16. But if your child fancies the idea of picking blueberries and stacking straws, read the rules concerning agricultural jobs for teens.

Photo of a mom and her child

Jobs for kids under 13 years old

  1. Babysit

Kids that are up to 12 years old can make money from this ancient skill (check out how to make money as a 12 year old). Almost every parent needs a babysitter; someone that will look after their kids while they are off to the grocery store or date.

You must train your child in babysitting or at least let them have some experience babysitting their younger ones before seeking a job.  This will make your child more hirable.

You can find babysitting courses on Redcross, Safesitter, Seattle Children’s, YCMA of Central Texas, etc. 

Even without the formal certification, skills from a CPR class will still give your child an edge over other kid job applicants. 

It is best to get babysitting jobs for your kid around the neighborhood for safety reasons. However, you can still find babysitting jobs on Google, Care.com, Babysits.com, and Sittercity.com.

  1. Pet sit

Pet sitting is not as simple as it sounds, but with your help, your kid can make money from helping their friends or neighbors watch pets.

The most important thing to consider before allowing your child to start pet sitting is their maturity level and temperament. Pets can be a bit adamant when they are left with strangers for the first time. Only a patient and passionate pet sitter will be able to make such pets like and stay with them.

Let your child start the job with one or two pets, and see how well they understand the pets. They should be able to identify when a pet is lonely and cuddle them. When they have some idea about the job, you can then make posters and flyers to advertise your child’s business in the neighborhood. 

Also, indicate that it is a paid service and follow up to ensure that your child receives the payment. 

  1. Assist elders

Elders usually seek help for a wide variety of tasks, including picking up items at the drug or grocery, changing a light bulb, or navigating the internet. 

You can find plenty of elders in your neighborhood for your child to help, or start with your family members.

Start with word-of-mouth advertisement and move to posters around the locality if you need more clients.

  1. Walk Dogs 

Many people are busy and cannot take their dogs for a walk. Your child can visit these people and help them walk their dogs. It should take about an hour or a half to walk a dog for a day.

During the hours your child walks a dog, he will look after the dog to ensure that it is well-fed and protected. After walking, he will also clean the dog after walking.

Report any issue concerning the dog that needs urgent medical attention for the dog or any human to the owner immediately after they happen.

A dog walker can earn per hour, day, or month. However, an average teenage dog walker can earn between $5 to $10 a day.

Many factors affect the earnings of a dog walker including the distance between your house and the dog owners.

Like with pet sitting jobs, you can find people in need of dog walkers on Indeed, Sittercity, Care.com, Snagjobs, etc.

Photo of a boy walking a pet; one of the regular jobs for kids
  1. Mow lawns 

In 2020, we heard of Jack Powers, the 11-year-old boy that mowed lawns to raise money for the Black Lives Matter Organization. He charged $15 per mow in Shrewsbury Missouri. 

Imagine your child making that much and keeping the money. He would make $45 or more if he chooses to mow three lawns weekly. With time he can mow up to five lawns a week, charging $35 per lawn like Kayden Potroz-Wallis.

Your child can start with the lawn mower at home before you buy his own if the business blossoms in his hand. 

  1. Do yard work

If your child can’t mow lawns, he can assist homeowners to rake leaves, shoveling snow, planting flowers, removing weeds from flower beds, etc. 

All these jobs may not be available all year round, but your child can shuffle between jobs, depending on the season of the year.

  1. Help in farms

Small farmers need help with menial jobs like stacking hay, picking crops, or cleaning the farm. They can even babysit younger children for farmers when they are working on the farm.

Worried if your child can do such work at a young age? The US child labor laws allow kids from 10 years and above to pick crops. 

You or an older family member can employ your child to work on the farm until they have learned all the skills to succeed on other people’s farms. Paying the Federal minimum wage of $4.25 an hour is a good place to start. Their employers can pay more after the child has acquired more skills.

Do not allow your child to work too far from where you are and without your supervision. If you must, then ensure that their employer provides a safe working environment for them. 

These are the child rules for agricultural jobs parents should know before allowing their children to work on a farm.

Ask your neighbors and family members if they need a hand in their farms. A poster will advertise your child better., and you can find some openings in your locality on Google.

Photo of a girl in a farm; one of the regular jobs for kids
  1. Wash cars for people

Your child can earn between $10 to $20 with a start-up cost of nothing to $49. for your child. This start-up cost is what you will spend getting the supplies needed for the cleaning. 

Some of these supplies include a vacuum cleaner for the car interior, soft rags to wash the exterior, car-safe soap, a garden hose, etc.

This job is suitable for kids aged 10 and above, as long as they’ve had some experience washing the family car. 

Door-to-door advertisement works better for this kind of job because people will be trusting your child with their valuable asset. Your neighbors will likely patronize this service because why would they spend their already limited time and energy to wash a car when they can pay a couple of bucks to get it done?

Having a location for the car wash is a great idea; you can always know where your child is. if that is not possible, your child can go from house to house washing cars.

  1. Help younger children to do homework 

With the level of engagements parents have today, they need an extra hand to help with those weird geometry assignments. 

However, it is challenging for parents, especially those on a budget to pay professional tutors to take up the cost. That is why they will willingly pay a young lad to help a child in the junior class do their homework.

Your child still has a fresh understanding of the subject at hand and will provide good and relevant answers at an affordable price. 

Kids can earn between $5 and $15 to do homework. It depends on how complex the homework is and how knowledgeable your kid is in the subject.

Photo of a girl teaching; one of the regular jobs for kids
  1. Own a lemonade stand

The lemonade stand is the first business most people ever did as kids. Today, this entrepreneurship idea is still valid and your child can use it to make money.

A child’s smiling face makes it difficult to resist a lemonade offer. Add baked goods to the stand to get even more customers. 

Some great locations to set up this stand are in crowded area, where there is more foot traffic. But ask for security and legal permission before placing the stand.

  1. Entertain people with music

Kids that can play musical instruments cannot lack. They can work independently by playing their instruments at bus stops or places with high foot traffic, at night. Though there will be nights with little or no profits, many nights will be productive. Talk to the authorities about what is involved.

Also tell your friends and neighbors to invite your child to play music during their kids’ birthday parties or any celebration. Since a child musician will charge an amount that’s incomparable to professionals, they will get clients.

  1. Rake leaves

Kids between the ages of 5 and 10 can make money from raking leaves from people’s homes.

This job is most lucrative in the autumn when almost every tree is shading off its leaves. Your child will have an endless number of customers.

Tell your neighbors to pay your child to rake their leaves. You can also make flyers to announce your child’s new business and post them around the street. 

Photo of a girl raking leaves; one of the regular jobs for kids
  1. Sell crafts

Items like bath bombs, macramé earrings, ice cream cone body butter, and body scrub sell well in online and local markets.

Help your child to make and sell these crafts, or even seasonal ones so that they can make money when school is on break. 

Fall and Christmas are the best times for kids to make and sell crafts. Those pumpkin lamps and Christmas porch signs are always in demand when their seasons come. 

Besides, your child can sell their basic artwork and other essentials all year round. 

If the child is tech-inclined, they can sell online, on Etsy. Else, they can set up a stand in the farmers market or where there is high foot traffic in your locality. Still, ask for regulations concerning selling in the area. 

  1. Become a lifeguard

Kids that love swimming will love to spend an extra hour in the pool. Instead of doing this only for fun, they can convert it into a money-making avenue. 

This job is most lucrative in the summer and your child can do it if they pass the lifeguard test.

That said, who wouldn’t love to get paid to watch their friends swim?

  1. Help stay-at-home moms

Stay-at-home moms still need help. Kids that are not old enough to babysit can help stay-at-home moms to watch their kids while they are doing other things. 

Your child can even assist these moms when they are out in the park with their kids. They will watch the kids while they ride or have other fun. 

The child that your kid is looking after will feel more comfortable because they will see your child as a playmate, not a helper.

  1. Tend to the neighbor’s plants

Flowers and plants beautify the patio, but if you don’t water them, they can wither off, die, and become an eyesore. Busy people need an extra hand to water their plants and pluck of the weeds.

This does not involve much work like farmwork. These plants will most likely be cultivated in containers within a small space. 

Photo of a mom and a girl gardening; one of the regular jobs for kids
  1. Grow and sell plants

If your child is good with tending to young plants, they can groom plants and sell them out. The video below shows how Chloe, a 14-year old groomed plants and sold them. 

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What you need to start this business are a little space around your house and some containers. you will also need to buy the growing medium (like soil) and the seeds.

Tell people about the plants when they are ready and display them for viewing. They will buy and be glad that a youngster could groom such lovely plants.

  1. Digitize old pictures

Hard-copy pictures could be lost, or spoilt, but scanning and digitizing them to .jpg will preserve the memory. But not everyone, especially the older ones knows how to do it.

Your child can start this job right on if there is a scanner and printer in the house. A smartphone can still work as well in the absence of a scanner.

But you must first teach your child how to scan images well and other aspects of the job. Most importantly, let them know how to price their services.

When the child is ready to start, advertise his service with a word-of-mouth approach to inform your family and friends. Also, tell a friend to tell a friend about what your child can do. 

  1. Do door-to-door sales with parents

If the labor law in your state allows minors to do door-to-door sales with a parent or guardian, then your child has found a good initiative. 

They can help you cover more homes than you imagined and make up to $50 profit a day. 

Besides the money, they will 

  • Gain confidence talking to people
  • Develop resilience after receiving ‘no’ from potential customers
  • Learn marketing and other valuable lessons about business
  1. Work at a local theater

Your child can work and earn money by taking lead or backup roles in local theater. They can also be part of the production team and clean the theater,  run errands for producers, or do other menial jobs.

Kids love this kind of job and feel proud doing them.

Visit your local theaters and ask if they can audition your child for a role or any opening. Likely, someone will be interested in the young star.

Photo of kids in a local theatre; one of the regular jobs for kids
  1. Deliver food

Local restaurants need people to deliver food to their customers. Your child can do this delivery with their bicycle and save a considerable amount before going back to school.

Ask around for restaurants that have openings and help your child to apply according to their requirements. 

  1. Deliver morning papers

Your child can earn $11 an hour from delivering newspapers every morning. The child does not need to become a newspaper employee to do this job. They just need to work as an independent contractor.

He can pick up the papers at the printers or any designated spot, and deliver them to subscribers in his assigned route.

This job is not for your child if he is a late sleeper. Newspaper deliverers do their jobs before dawn. Hence, they will pick up newspapers after midnight and start working. The aim is for the subscribers to see the newspaper first thing when they wake up.

  1. Paint faces for events

Face painting is fun. It requires some ideas on makeup and a little fluency with using brushes. They will make money and have endless fun getting people ready for events. 

Still, tell people about their skills. Better still, allow them to paint your face or the face of their younger siblings. Take pictures of these paintings and use them as samples. People will feel more confident patronizing your child when they have seen what he or she can do.

Photo of a girl with her face painted; face painting is one of the regular jobs for kids

FAQ

Can an 8-year-old work?

An 8-year-old child is too young to do serious tasks, but it is not too early to introduce them to making and managing money. You can pay your 8-year-old to do some menial tasks around the house, and wait until they are 10 before allowing them to work outside the home. Check out other jobs for 8 year olds

Conclusion

Regular jobs for kids are quick and easy to do. With a little commitment, your kid will be filling their piggy bank in no time.

However, talk to your child about the job they would love to do, and guide them on how to find and do it. In the end, both you and your child will be proud of what they have accomplished.

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