Summer Jobs for Kids (Aged 13 and Younger) in 2022
During the summer, how can a child make money? Summer jobs for kids articles appear to be geared toward teenagers and college students, which is odd. Since there are labor laws in place for this kind of thing, this is understandable. But don’t worry – there are plenty of jobs available for young people as young as 13 years old.
Here are some job opportunities for children:
- At home
- In your neighborhood
- With an outside employer
However, before we get started, what should we know? As a parent, you need to be aware of these labor laws so that you know what your child can and cannot do at work.
Kid Labor Laws You Need to Know
In the summer, can 12-year-olds be employed? Let’s say you’re 10 years old. Yes, but it’s important to remember that there are laws against using children for labor. Your child’s wages, hours worked, and workplace safety is all covered by Fair Labor Standards Act regulations (FLSA).
It is worth noting (and further investigation is highly recommended):
There are no non-agricultural jobs for children under the age of 14 permitted by an outside employer. These include babysitting, delivering newspapers, working as an actor/performer/homeworker gathering evergreens and making evergreen wreaths, working for a business owned by the parents, and performing minor chores around a private home. (Really specific and odd…but that’s the language) (though there are a few restrictions here, too).
For agricultural jobs, there’s a lot more wiggle room. To make things even better for your state, if your state’s law is more stringent than the FLSA, your state law wins.
Here’s a handy chart that shows which states have which kinds of labor laws for minors. Let me show you how your child can still make some extra money this summer.
Summer Jobs for Kids – Outside of the Home
It’s a great opportunity for kids to earn some extra money during the summer. I used to do this as a kid, too. To be honest, I learned how to make extra money while growing up on a dairy farm, so I’m well-versed in the art of it. Furthermore, as a child, I worked at other jobs. Before I turned thirteen, I had the following experiences:
- Taken shifts at our roadside pumpkin stand
- Babysat my cousins on Friday nights
- Mucked horse stalls at our local veterinarian’s house
- Tried to start a bean-bag business with my friend (we failed! But it was a fun kid business idea to try)
- Etc.
Nowadays? Summer is a great time for kids to make money, and there are a plethora of options. And I can’t wait to show them to you!
1. Work on a Local Farm
Our farm has employed many teenagers and children over the years, including ourselves. I’m not even sure how many I should count. Small farmers are in desperate need of help, and they may be able to give your child a job in exchange for some extra cash.
Just a few ideas that come to mind (and you can feel free to share them with your local farmer – it’s always helpful to point out where others can help):
- Farm cleanup
- Harvesting
- Stacking hay (oh my word…the amount of hay I’ve stacked in my lifetime…)
- Babysitting younger kids while parents and older kids work on the farm
- Getting cows in and out of the barn for milking times
- Feeding cattle
- Standing in for a farm roadside stand
- Etc.
2. Amusement Park Helper for Mothers and Local Groups
Babysitting just got a whole lot more interesting with this approach. During the summer months, many families and some groups visit amusement parks and water parks.
A tween or kid who can help keep an eye on everyone (and ride some rides with a child who wants to go, like a buddy system, while the other kids do something else) can be a huge help for mothers and group leaders alike.
3. Pet Sit for Neighbors
I’m not sure how much money I made as a kid pet-sitting, but I’d guess it was around $500. While I was in college, I continued to do so as well!
Using Petsitter.com with your teen is possible if he or she is at least 13 years old. Dog walking may be required.
4. Plant Watering Service for the Neighbors
Offer to water the plants for your neighbors. It’s okay if kids bring their own watering cans or use the site’s outside hose.
You and your child can work together to devise a weekly watering schedule for the households that have signed up, and communicate that schedule to those neighbors (for example, we’ll wait two days after a rainy day to do any watering or something like that).
5. Do Door-to-Door Sales with a Parent
As long as a parent or guardian is present, some states allow children under 13 to conduct door-to-door sales.
When I was a teen, I did something similar with Tupperware. That’s how my sister got me to work for her as a consultant. I spent two afternoons door-to-door selling and ended up with a profit of $75!
That was a lot of fun to watch. Also, I can’t tell you how much this experience taught me about running a business, making money, and having faith in myself.
6. Become a Mother’s Helper
““Mother’s Helper” came to my attention while working with an infant and a toddler. My curiosity was piqued.
Basically, you’re paying a tween or younger child who isn’t ready to care for a child on their own to help you around the house with your children and other things. Aside from that, why not?
In retrospect, this would have been a great thing for my child to do for moms who still want to be present during the day, but need a break.
7. Digitize Old Photograph Service
Scanning and digitizing old photographs is a common request (meaning, scanned and made into a .jpg file).
What a fantastic project for your kid to be a part of! If you have a printer, see if it has a scanner built-in (you can also use a smartphone). Do whatever you can to help your child learn how to scan pictures into a computer. The ability to price out projects of various sizes is another skill they’ll need to master. Friends and family are a good place to start when you’re trying something new.
8. Local Theater Production Role
Acting, radio, and local theater production are all legal ways for children to make money. Ask if your local theaters have a role for a child. Even in a supporting role. You and your child could enjoy this summer project!
9. Work at the Local Plant Nursery
Is there a local nursery where your child could get some hands-on experience with plants? They could do things like water and feed plants, clean up after them, and do other farm-related things.
10. Make and Sell Kid DIY Things
On the subject of making and selling crafts for children, I’ve written an entire article and another on boy crafts for sale, as well as a lesson plan on how to price their creations to make a profit.
Find things like:
- Donut-shaped soaps
- iPhone background screen designs
- Ice cream cone body butter
- Etc.
11. Create a Neighborhood Park Hour
Do you live in an area where there are a lot of children (and a playground)?
It’s possible that your child can create an advertisement for “Park Hour” and entice mothers to pay for it. This means that parents can still bring their children to the park and stay with them, but they can sit on the sidelines and do whatever they want while their child plays with the other kids.
Summer Jobs for Kids – Around the Home
This summer, there are numerous ways for your children to make money in and around your neighborhood. To help you and your family, I’ll show you some great options that will benefit both of you.
1. Wash the Family Car
When I was a kid, I used to do this for my parents because their car would get so filthy that they’d rather pay me $10 to clean it than do it on their own. A win-win situation, since you’d have to pay for car cleaning anyhow? (Unless you want to do it yourself)
Make sure you give your vacuum cleaner the rags/soap and tools you want it to use and check the results to see if anything was missed.
As a bonus tip, this is especially useful right before and right after a road trip. Plus, your children can take advantage of the extra funds to go on a family vacation!
2. Weed the Flower Beds
No matter whether or not we used black tarp paper or not, weeds would still spring up in our gardens. It was difficult to bear.
This summer, have your child pick a yard zone (such as the flower garden or vegetable garden) to maintain weed-free and earn some extra money.
3. Do a Food Expiration Overhaul
I’m sure I’m not the only one who occasionally uses an (extremely) old ingredient from their pantry.
Toss expired food into a pile with your child’s help and have them go through the entire pantry (yes, they’ll have to go into the back!). They can also go through your condiments in the fridge if they want.
4. Morning Helper to Younger Siblings
Is there anyone else in your family who is younger? It’s possible that your older child/tween can help out younger siblings (and you!) by doing things like organizing their own morning routine.
- Supervising
- Make sure they eat their breakfast (by eating with them)
- Helping them make their bed/wipe off their place at the table
- Etc.
5. Put Kid Sets Back Together
In exchange for a small payment, I’d love to hire a kid to spend some time reassembling each set (as best they can, since some parts may never be found again!). All the toy bins and areas could be dug through, and they could make piles for every single set that they found. Also true of books from the same set, which can be found scattered about the house at times. At the end of the day, their job is to reassemble all of these sets (as best they can).
What will happen to these piles after they’ve been made? Each set can be put away (either in the original container they came in or in new bins labeled with the toy set type so that it’s easier to keep up with moving forward) by you.
Easy Ways to Make Money for Kids (without a Formal Job)
Does your child just want to make some extra money (and not work for a company)? For kids, I’ve come up with some simple ways to earn extra money.
1. Scan in All Household Receipts for Cashback
Let your kids earn some extra cash this summer by scanning all of your receipts from the grocery store, restaurants, gas stations, and more. An additional source of income for your children is a great idea!
When I get a receipt, I use these two apps that I love.
- ibotta
- Fetch
2. Search the Internet Using Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a search engine that rewards you for using it. When you search the internet, they reward you with “Bucks.” What’s more? You can start using them at the age of thirteen! Your child can earn a little extra money by simply changing their internet search engine from google to them.
3. Introduce a Chore Commission Penalty
Are you a parent of multiple children? And do you pay them for doing their chores (or give them a portion of their allowance based on this)?
A system in which one child’s allowance is deducted for chores they don’t compete with, and those chores are offered to another child in the family in exchange for their completion and earnings can be set up for the summer.
It’s my hope that I’ve given you a few good ideas for summer jobs for kids, whether you want to use them in your own home or help them find work in their neighborhood or nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Why should 13 year olds work?
When teenagers decide to work, having a job teaches responsibility and good work habits, enhances time management and organizational abilities, and aids with money management. Teenagers who work have the chance to connect with adults who can act as references in the future.
Q. What age should I get a job?
Parents are likely covering the bill until at least age 15, when Americans agree a child is ready for their first job (15.5 on average). Many children may be able to make money from their weekly allowance until then, which Americans believe should begin at age 10. (9.8 on average)
Q. Can you be a mom and have a career?
You can have a profession and have children if you’re a woman who wants to do so. Being a mother and having a career are not mutually exclusive, but you will need to give your child priority and set an example for them by being available to them emotionally.