Summer is a great time to get intentional about teaching your kids the value of a dollar. A good summer job can help fend off some of the laziness that June, July, and August tends to bring.
Not only do small summer jobs keep kids busy during the summer months, but they provide them with some of their own pocket cash. There’s no better way to learn about personal finance than to experience making money firsthand.
Alas, there are many jobs available to kids that don’t involve a lemonade stand. Here are 20 of our favorites:
1. Making and selling paracord bracelets, keychains, and belts
Sometimes called survival bracelets, paracord crafts are popular and easy to make. Kids as young as eight can learn to make paracord crafts, and instructions are easily found on the Internet. Boys and girls alike often enjoy making paracord projects, especially when the prospect of selling them for extra income is mentioned.
2. Weeding
Weeding during the summer months is a constant chore, and for adults who can’t tolerate heat, weeding must be done early in the morning or near dusk. Hiring neighborhood kids (or your own) to keep up with the weeds is often a welcome opportunity for all involved.
3. Washing windows
Window-washing services are always in demand. When armed with a squeegee, a dish soap and water mixture, and a few clean towels, washing windows can be easy even for kids.
4. Washing dogs
During summer months, anything involving water can be a fun chore. Keeping the dog clean can seem like a never ending task, especially when they seek out the coolness of mud and dirt during the summertime heat. Enlist your little ones to regularly wash the dog for pay, or hand out flyers to friends and family to earn more doggie clients.
5. Washing cars
Car washes are a regular part of summertime, and car wash events to raise money are seen often in populated areas. Kids can make a sign for their own “fundraiser” for college money, a trip to the zoo, or whatever products or services they choose to save up for. Members of your community will pitch in to support your kids, if only to encourage their hard work.
6. Yard sale organization
Your kids may have a wealth of goods collecting dust in their bedrooms or playrooms. Have them go through their belongings (and yours) to determine what can be sold at a yard sale. You’ll have to pitch in to help with the organizing, promoting, and supervision, but yard sales during the summer often bring in extra cash for families.
7. Blog set-up
If you have a tech-savvy teen, consider helping them hire themselves out for blog set-up services for businesses and individuals.
8. Social media services
Have a teenager who always seems to be on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest? Why not send them for training to put their love of social media to work? Many business owners are too busy or confused to handle social media management, and are happy to pay someone to post regularly (in a professional and appropriate manner) on the business’ behalf.
9. Newspaper delivery
The tried and true newspaper delivery route has funded many a teenager’s purchase dreams for decades.
10. Recycling
Recycling scrap metal and aluminum cans can help kids earn some extra cash.
11. Auto detailing
If your child is a neat freak, auto detailing may be a profitable summer career choice. Attention to details makes all the difference in a well-done detail job.
12. Basic auto maintenance
If your kids are grease monkeys in training, basic auto maintenance tasks can help them stay busy this summer. Filling windshield washer fluid, changing wiper blades, and checking the engine oil and tire pressure for a fee is a viable summer job option.
13. Birthday party entertainment
If your child is a born entertainer, encourage their natural skills with a summer entertainment job. Performing magic tricks, making balloon animals, playing an instrument, or telling jokes for parties are all tasks a young entertainer might enjoy.
14. Photo editing and organization
You know that shoebox of old photos? Why not pay a tech-savvy child with time on their hands to scan and organize all of your old photos for scrapbooking, printing, or archiving?
15. Loose change sorting
Our family keeps a loose change bucket. All pocket change goes in the bucket, and every summer the kids are tasked with counting, sorting, and rolling the change to take to the bank. The majority of the change goes toward a family vacation, but each child also receives a percentage of the profits for the work they perform.
16. eBay listings
Selling extra items on eBay is a great way to introduce your older kids to making money on auction sites.
17. Growing fresh herbs and veggies
For kids with a green thumb, growing fresh herbs and veggies to sell is an enjoyable summertime job.
18. Baking
Baked goods like cookies, cupcakes, and pies are always favorite sellers.
19. Reflexology
If your child thinks chiropractic, massage therapy, or naturopathic healing might be a worthwhile career, why not let them get a taste of their future career by trying out foot reflexology for hire?
20. Digitizing media
Turn all those cassette tapes, records, CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes into digitized media by hiring a tech-savvy teen to do the conversion for you. Conversion equipment is readily available, but performing conversions and cataloging your files can be time consuming. Outsourcing these tasks to your kids (or the neighbors’) can get the task done without tying up your schedule for hours.
What jobs are your kids doing this summer? Share your thoughts to help others find the perfect job for their kids.
{ read the comments below or add one }
How about baby sitting for a 13 , 14 , 15 or 16 year old.
Or house cleaning [ once taught by parents ] and companionship for the elderly who live alone . Supermarket shopping for the elderly , etc.
Mowing lawns always seems to always teach a teen the value of the dollar. They work really hard and end up thinking twice before asking mom for money.
Since most of the teens are internet savvy, I guess any work that involves computer and internet is a hit especially the social media services. Since its summer, car wash could also be a thing especially for girls.
Nice. What’s wrong with lemonade? 🙂
I particularly like your social media or blog ideas. My much younger siblings are so much more savvy than I am that I’m a little ashamed I haven’t asked for content help from them… hm….