How to Make Money as a Kid

My family has the entrepreneurial bug. I had it from a very young age, and now my young kids have it, too. And I fully believe that teaching kids how to be good entrepreneurs will help them learn how to make money as a kid. Because with a little business sense and know how, you can turn any interest into a potentially profitable business.

Here are 7 great ways to make money as a kid.

1 – Wash cars

This business idea for kids is a great one if you live in a warm locale as I do – and it’s a great seasonal business idea if you live somewhere northerly. Teach your kids to become extroverted, by knocking on doors and offering their services on a Saturday. You may be surprised at just how many people are willing to let your children wash their cars – and to a kid, $10 for a car wash is quite a lot of money!

2 – Start a jewelry business

My kids also tried this one out, by making those rubber band loom bracelets that kids these days are into. They actually did really well, and involved their friends in the effort.

After making some inventory and pricing it out, they set up a stand in the driveway, and I as the parent shared the even on the neighborhood Facebook page, inviting other parents to send their kids down to make a purchase, or commission a bracelet for themselves.

This is a fun idea that can also allow for an omnichannel business, as your kids can sell in person via a driveway stand or a craft show, or online via an ecommerce shop that you can help them with.

3 – Do chores for an allowance

This is an oldie but a goodie. You get a cleaner house, and your kids learn valuable life skills while making a few dollars. Start with chores that are really easy for a kid to do – like feed the dog, feed the fsh, or make their bed.

Then, branch out to harder chores, like doing the laundry. This will require some effort on your part, of course, because you’ll have to teach them how to do these things. But once you do, it’ll be well worth it, because your kids will start to be self-sufcient and learn some valuable life skills.

4 – Set up a coffee stand

Now here’s something really novel. While most kids are sitting on the block selling some sugary lemonade that no one really wants to drink anyway, how about set up a coffee stand?

By nature of my husband and I drinking a lot of coffee, and buying a really great Nespresso machine, our kids started asking to learn how to make them. They actually started making espressos for our friends when they’d come over, and our friends – out of the kindness of their hearts – gave them small tips, like a dollar, for their service.

My kids ate it up, and I was inspired. THIS is a business that a parent would stop the car for on the way home in the late afternoon – or after school gets out and a little pick-me-up is needed.

It’s also relatively easy to do. Parents, you brew the coffee at home (or teach your budding barista), and invest in a carafe or two. Hey, we also have to teach them about business expenses and that it’s not all 100% proft!

Then, set up the stand and start selling! You never know – the next DD or Starbucks may be born from your block.

5 – Have your kids work for YOU!

Maybe you have a business of your own, or maybe you could use a little personal assistant. Either way, this is an opportunity to teach your kid some valuable business and life skills, while gaining some help – and you can pay them for their time.

6 – Set Up a Poshmark Shop

I don’t know about you, but I’m always happy to clean out my closet, and I’m extra happy when I can make a few bucks by selling some of my pieces – especially ones I spent a decent amount of money on.

One way your kids can make money is to have them help you set up and run a Poshmark shop. Kids are great at taking pictures, and with a little direction, they can help you upload them and write the listings – depending on their age, of course.

Then, you give them fnal sign-off and wait for the offers to come in.

Running a Poshmark shop will teach your kids valuable negotiation skills, among other things. They’ll also get to see frst-hand how much Poshmark will take as their cut, and they’ll get to learn important aspects of e-commerce like packaging up their goods and writing little thank you notes to put into the shipments.

7 – Write a Book

Kids are inherently creative. They love to make up stories, and they love to draw. Why not have them combine the two and help them write a book, and publish and sell it on Amazon?

This one does take some up front time and investment to set up, but if you’re interested in a longer-term project that helps your creative kids make money on their abilities, this might be a great option for them.

The Most Important Thing NOT To Do

Parents, if I can stress one thing for you not to let your kids into, and not to glorify, it is for them to be a social media star – or even to allow them on social media in the first place.

I’ve read a lot of articles telling parents that allowing their kids to start a YouTube channel or Instagram channel is a good idea, or that it will net them a lot of money.

I’m quickly going to shatter that one for you now. (Quickly, because this topic is a whole book unto itself.) With mental health issues at an all-time high, and social media being nothing but a popularity contest where you have to buy your way in(to the algorithm)… it’s a recipe for disaster.

Keep your most precious commodity focused on real-world success – where you can help measure it, and where there’s no veil over reality – and you’ll be doing him or her a huge service in the long-run.

It’s hard to say no when our kids want to explore uncharted territory like social media – but we as parents must understand our huge responsibility to not allow them into the abyss a) at a young age and b) without guidance and supervision.

Help Your Kids Make Money

As you can see, there are quite a few fun ways your kids can make money. Let them explore their interests, and see if together, you can put a twist on a typical business idea (like turning lemonade into coffee), and come up with the next best venture. Best of luck, and let us know if you use one of our ideas!