How to Make Money as a Kid: 10 Child-Friendly Ways for Kids to Make Money

Even if your kids are stuck at home and aren’t old enough to get a part-time job, there are still tons of ways for kids to make money. In fact, there are plenty of options online and around the neighborhood, they may never need to ask for an allowance again!

It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to teach your child the value of hard work or teaching them how money works, you can help them choose from all the options below to make money as a kid in their spare time.

1. Sell Crafts

If your child loves creating things that other people are willing to purchase, then selling crafts is a great way for kids to make money. Items they can sell include homemade jewelry, art, toys, clothing, bags, and more.

As for where to sell them, online marketplaces like Etsy is a great way to get started. With your supervision, your child can even set up a social media account to help them promote their new craft business.

2. Do Yard Work for the Neighbors

You already know that it can take a lot of work to maintain a home, especially if you have a sizable yard. Why not suggest to your kids that they can approach their neighbors to help them out? It doesn’t have to be major work, but even little tasks like pulling up weeds will seem like a godsend to older neighbors.

Here are a few other ideas:

• Mow the lawn
• Put down sod or sprinkle grass seeds
• Plant flowers or vegetable seeds
• Clean the concrete patio
• Rake the leaves

3. Start a Pet Care Business

Yes, you can have your kids walk dogs (as long as they’re supervised or they’re taking all the safety precautions). If they can prove themselves, your child can even have them stay at the home overnight to earn even more money from their efforts.

4. Sell Used Items

Not only can it be fun to help host a yard sale, but it’s a good way for your kids to make money from unused items. You can help them go through their items and find what they’re willing to part with. As well, teach them how to ensure their items have a higher chance of being sold such as cleaning them and making sure the prices are reasonable.

If the weather is too cold for a yard sale or you rather have other options, your kids can also sell items online. They’ll need to learn to take good photos, create a listing and be prepared to mail the item when it does sell.

5. Wash Cars

If you’re willing to spare your driveway for a few hours, why not have your kids offer to wash neighbors’ cars? You may need to help them depending on how old they are, but most able-bodied kids can at least take a bucket full of soap and scrub down the car’s exterior.

6. Fill Out Surveys

Filling out surveys is a very simple way for your kids to earn money in their spare time at home (or even on the go). Most companies like Swagbucks (learn more in our Swagbucks review) are free to use and are always looking for people who can answer simple questions honestly. The idea is to use these answers to help participating companies get an understanding of their target customer.

While the surveys are mostly for adults, you can find ones that are looking for kids. Feel free to help your kids sign up for a free account to see if they qualify. In any case, there are other ways to earn points like watching videos which in turn helps them redeem points for gift cards or cash.

7. Organize Closets or Pantries

It’s easy to forget just how many things are in your house until you look in your closet and pantry and are surprised. Well, your kids can take advantage of that by offering to help neighbors organize their kitchen pantry or overflowing closets. It’s a win-win for everyone.

8. Help Parents Scan Receipts

Your kids can help you save money on groceries by using an app like Fetch Rewards, where you scan your receipt and get points from qualifying items you purchased. Once you reach a certain threshold, users can redeem them for gift cards. Instead of keeping the money, you can pass on the task to your kids and let them keep the money.

9. Start a Youtube Channel

This does require more of your help and more of your kids’ time, but it could be a fun project that can pay off over the long run. Kids can earn ad dollars when people watch their videos. While they may not get to the level of fame like Ryan’s World, they may still be able to earn a decent amount of cash.

10. Run Errands for New Parents

You know what it’s like to be a new parent and barely having time to shower, let alone running errands. Your kids can help with simple tasks like washing dishes, putting away groceries or even ordering them for a bit of money. These parents will thank them, probably because they can use the spare time to nap.

11. Host a Sleepover or Kids Camp

Babysitting can be a great way to earn cash but it might be hard for kids since they may not be old enough for the responsibility. Instead, consider having a few kids over and having your child organize activities like crafts, a movie night or storytime and advertise it like a club for kids. That way, parents can free up their time and the appeal is that it’ll cost less than if they were to hire individual babysitters. Plus your kid can have fun while earning some extra cash which is a pretty neat perk.

If your kid goes this route, they’ll need to consider whether they’ll need to provide snacks and if any of the children that are coming have any special medical or dietary needs.

Your Kids Can Start Making Money No Matter How Old They Are

Your child doesn’t need a 9-5 office job to earn a bit of spending money for after school activities or hanging with friends. These simple, kid-friendly jobs are wonderful for them to learn the value of a dollar, and gain some responsibility and pride for their work. Let them start making some money now, and see how much it will benefit their work ethic in the future.