The best jobs for kids depend on various factors, including where they live, their interests, how much time they have available and whether the work is parent-approved. In addition to providing some money, kid-friendly jobs should also excite them, offer valuable experiences, be low-risk and not cause them to neglect their schoolwork.
Although some of these jobs may initially require adult supervision and assistance, they help teach responsibility and life skills. Plus, as your kid gets better at the job, your role will likely shift from a hands-on assistant to a periodic supervisor.
Dog walking for neighbors might be an excellent fit for youth who love dogs and are responsible enough to handle them. But be sure your child wouldn’t be at risk of getting injured or accidentally harming a pet. Parents should help kids understand how to handle a dog and the best places to walk them safely.
Babysitting is another job for responsible preteens and teens. Parents can enroll them in an online or in-person childcare course to ensure they have the right skills, such as performing basic first aid, knowing age-appropriate activities and managing an emergency. Parents who remain at home may pay kids to look after their younger siblings to earn money.
If you have friends or neighbors who leave home for work or vacation, kids can take care of their pets by feeding them and taking them out to play. They can also water plants, bring in mail, and ensure the property is secure until the owners return.
If you have elderly friends or neighbors who need assistance with household chores, cooking, or yard work, it could be an excellent opportunity for kids to help out and earn some money. While working, kids might develop close relationships and learn valuable life lessons.
Washing cars for friends and neighbors can help youth and teens get some exercise and earn extra cash, especially during the summer months when the weather is warm. Parents should ensure kids have the right supplies and can scrub a vehicle without scratching it.
In many parts of the country, homeowners’ lawns grow faster than they can cut them, especially when they’re away for work or vacation. Depending on the season, kids can help neighbors and friends maintain their lawns. Parents should ensure children are safe and comfortable using the equipment provided, such as a walk-behind, gas-powered, or electric lawn mowers. Keep in mind that some states have a minimum age requirement of 12- to 16-years-old to operate a lawn mower.
Even younger kids can learn how to use a rake and clean up yards. It’s great exercise and gets kids out of the house when the weather cools off. Kids can work under a parent’s supervision or on their own to gather and bag up leaves.
Getting rid of unsightly weeds growing in lawns and flower beds is a constant struggle for many homeowners. Kids can earn money pulling them for you, your friends and your neighbors. Parents can provide good-fitting gloves and help kids recognize desirable versus invading plants that need to go.
If your child enjoys the outdoors and digging in the dirt, planting flowers or tending to a garden is a fun way to earn money. Depending on the time of year and wealth, your neighbors may want help installing new flowers in pots or in-ground beds. Or if your child’s garden bears fruit, you can save the trip to the supermarket by buying ingredients from them.
If you, your friends, or neighbors have a pool, kids can earn money keeping them clean. Children can skim leaves and remove debris from swimming pools with the homeowner or on their own. Parents should make sure kids are strong swimmers and wouldn’t be at risk of having an injury.
In many areas, homeowners need help clearing snow from driveways, sidewalks and entryways during the winter months. It’s an excellent way for strong kids to stay active, help out their neighbors and earn some cash.
If you or your neighbors have wood fences that need to be painted from time to time, kids can learn how to do it. From scraping off old paint to priming and painting, older kids can help do the job when the weather is good.
Cleaning interior or exterior windows is a task you can teach most kids. Parents can ensure kids have the proper supplies and skills to safely use a ladder for any windows above arm’s length.
If you’re a business owner or know one who needs light office work, such as filing, cleaning or shredding paper, kids can help. It introduces kids to what it means to run a business and the different tasks that are required. Plus, you might be able to deduct your child’s wages as a business expense.
Kids who enjoy creating items, such as jewelry, hats or pottery, can brainstorm how to create sales. Whether they bake, knit or make a killer lemonade, there’s probably a market online or at a local farmers market for your young entrepreneur.
Our top pick: Greenlight
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The best job for your kid depends on their maturity and physical abilities. Here are a few ideas for how kids can earn money by age group and the skills they can earn from their jobs.
| Age | Job | Skills learned |
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| 5- to 9-year-olds |
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| 10- to 13-year-olds |
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| 14- to 17-year-olds |
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When it comes to knowing when your kid should get a job, Lorie Anderson from the parental advice blog Mominformed says, “The tween years from age 11 to 13 and early teen years from 14 to 16 are the best times for kids to consider earning their own spending money.” She believes that’s when children begin to understand the value of money and want to make their own purchases.
The best age for kids to start working is when they’re interested in earning their own money. If they’re not motivated to work, it’s probably a bad idea. But if parents show kids how finances work, like creating business profit, sticking to a basic budget and saving for items they want to buy, it may encourage youth and teens to work.
Keep in mind that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the minimum legal age for most jobs at 14 years old. And kids under 16 are subject to work hour rules. For example, your 14- and 15-year-old cannot work more than three hours on a school day. But some jobs, such as babysitting, may be exempt from FLSA regulations.
Children and youth can learn many lessons and develop skills from their employment. Some benefits include:
It depends. Some parents believe that chores are simply a part of being a member of the family. Others believe that earning money for chores helps kids develop financial skills early on.
And the middle ground is that parents may choose not to reward their kids for doing necessary things, such as dusting or tidying up. But are willing to pay for tasks that go above and beyond, such as watering the plants or feeding pets.
Calculate how much to pay your kids for completing their chores by selecting your state, child's age, child's savings goal, and chore.
Which days will this chore be completed on?
| Chore | S | M | T | W | T | F | S | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Add chores to work out weekly total | ||||||||
| Weekly total | $0 | |||||||
Your child is 0% toward their weekly savings goal of $0.
Chore rates are based on suggestions from experts. See our methodology.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
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If you complete all of your chores each week, you’ll make $0. This is 0% of your weekly savings goal!
It’s also important to teach kids how to manage the money they earn from their hard work. Instead of spending all their hard-earned cash, a good way to show them how to save for the future is by giving them the tools to track their income using a kid-friendly account.
GoHenry is now Acorns Early. If you’re looking for a GoHenry alternative, try Greenlight, Step, Current, Modak Makers or Chase First.
Modak has no monthly fee, but it’s slim on features. Greenlight starts at $5.99 but is a value for big families.
Modak is a no-frills, free debit card for kids and teens that comes with a virtual or physical card and the ability to set up direct deposit.
Some of the best free debit cards for kids that don’t charge any monthly fees include Step, Current, Cash App, Axos, Chase, Revolut and more.
Kachinga is a kids’ prepaid card with chores and allowance features, but it comes at a cost.
Step banking accounts help kids and teens learn to manage their money while building their credit scores.
Teach your child financial responsibility with this reloadable debit card that comes equipped with parental controls.
Compare the best kids’ prepaid and debit cards designed for ages 13 and under.
See our first-hand review of the Greenlight card to see if the $5.99 monthly fee makes sense for your family.
Our list of the best credit cards for teens includes Step, Greenlight, Capital One Quicksilver and more. See the full list here.
