How Kids Can Make Money: 22 Awesome Ideas

How to Make Money as a Kid

Are you curious about how kids can make money these days?

I remember wondering the same thing when I was growing up! Luckily, my mother noticed my entrepreneurial spirit early on and encouraged me to try out simple ways to earn money. From making and selling milk candies, to sewing rugs, or even taking on extra chores for cash, each experience gave me a taste of independence and sparked a passion for entrepreneurship that still motivates me today.

Now, as a parent, I’m always looking for new ways kids can make money—so I can pass on those valuable lessons to my own child. In fact, my son has started doing weekend chores for cash, learning how to manage and save money from an early age!

As parents, I think it’s important to nurture our kids' entrepreneurial spirit. Earning money can seem complicated, but by simplifying the process and making it fun, we can help them appreciate the value of every penny they earn. More importantly, these early lessons in money management can lay the foundation for strong financial skills that will benefit them throughout life.

Fortunately, kids nowadays are no longer limited to selling candies for money. This 8-year-old, for instance, makes a whopping $22 million per year reviewing toys on his Youtube Channel!

Your kids may not earn their first million before they hit puberty, and that’s alright! But isn't it great if they can make their first $50 or $100 over spring break through their own hard work? That’s a huge accomplishment that they’ll forever thank you for.

Ready to learn more ways on how to make money as a kid? Check out these awesome money-making ideas!

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How to Make Money as a Kid: 15 Ways to Generate Income at a Young Age

1.  Start a YouTube channel

I don’t want to make this sound as easy as starting a YouTube channel, filming, and then making money. Just like blogging, there is definitely some work involved to make money as a YouTuber, such as editing videos and creating great content.

But, if this is something that your kids want to do, they have the personality for it, and they love talking in front of the camera,  it's definitely worth a try. Monetizing a YouTube channel can be very lucrative. Think of Ryan of Ryan's World, who makes a whopping $22 million for reviewing toys online!

Related: How Much Do YouTubers Make and How They Make Money?

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2.  Create and sell crafts

Looking for creative ways to make money as a kid? Kids who love making crafts could very well turn this passion into income.

Thankfully, the internet has made selling crafts easier than ever with platforms like Etsy and Facebook Marketplace.

Kids can even take it a step further by creating their own website or blog (for as little as $2.75/month) to showcase their products and market their business.

Additionally, they can expand their reach by not only selling their crafts online but also creating craft tutorials on YouTube—turning their passion into a fun and profitable venture!

Related: 72 Easy Crafts to Make and Sell from Home

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2. Do a garage/yard sale or sell online

Your family has probably accumulated a lot of stuff over the years. Think of clothes, shoes, and bags you longer use and kids’ toys that haven’t seen the light of day. These things could turn into cash if you put them up for sale online. How about asking your kid to do this gig for money?

Your kids can also sell their old electronics/gadgets or books at Decluttr or at Facebook Marketplace.

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3. Answer Online Surveys

There are many sites where you can answer surveys and make money as a kid online. Among the most popular sites are Swagbucks and MyPoints. They are FREE to join and can make you $1-$5 per short survey. Note, however, that most of these sites require participants to be at least 13 years old. Younger kids may not be able to join.

4. Mow lawns and offer general yard work

Mowing lawns and other gardening work are great ways for kids to make money over spring and summer, especially if you live in a relatively warm region. Some families are just too busy to tend to their lawns that they’d rather outsource their work to someone else.

Some people might doubt kids could do this work well, so it might help to create a Facebook page and an online portfolio of your “before and after” work.

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5.Sell lemonade

If you want your children to learn how to make money from home as a kid, a classic example is putting up a lemonade stand. This simple business will teach kids how to develop a budget, mark up price, and compute profits.

Most people would be willing to pay around $1 a cup for a refreshing lemonade, but also because they love to support kids who have an entrepreneurial spirit. Check out this video here for inspiration!

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6.   Score gigs on Fiverr

Fiverr is an online marketplace for various online jobs. Even teenagers can do some jobs, such as inputting data, typing documents, designing posters and invites, voice-overs, and such.

Typically, a one-time job pays $5, but a lot of people have found success in Fiverr, even earning thousands of dollars from home.

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7. Babysit

Babysitting is one of the timeless ways for teens to make money. Many parents need a sitter to watch over their kids while they run errands, attend gatherings, or simply reclaim some of their me-time. If your kids or teens have a way around young children, they’re patient and cheerful, then this is a great gig for them.

Older kids can earn around $16 per hour per child at www.care.com. They can earn more if they're looking after more than one kid, and if they can throw in a couple more services, such as feeding and giving kids a bath.

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8.  Assist seniors

Are you looking for ideas on how to make money as a 13-year-old? One fantastic way for teens to make money is by providing assistance to seniors.

Kids and teens can assist older people in their daily routine, such as dressing up and grooming or just keeping them company for a few hours. Seniors may also need some help around the house, such as doing laundry or cleaning, which they can add to the tab.

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9.  Shovel snow

Shoveling snow can earn your kids around $10 per hour, depending on the thickness of the snow and the size of the area they need to clear. It’s a great way for them to earn extra cash during the winter months while helping out the community!

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10.  Pet-sitting

For the pet-lover kids out there, rejoice! This is probably one of the best ideas on how to earn money as a kid while having fun! I would even do this for FREE!

The best way to get into the pet-sitting gig is to list themselves up at Rover, a website that matches pet-sitters with clients. Their job will likely entail dog-walking, but others involve keeping pets company while their humans are away. They’ll also earn more if they need to keep the pets overnight, whether at home or at the client’s place. According to PetHelpful, they can make at least $10/hour looking after other people’s pets.

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11.  Sell Photos

Did you know you can sell your photos online?

If your kids are interested in photography and have an eye for taking great photos, this could become an excellent gig for them! They can upload their pictures at iStockphoto or Fotolia and make money each time someone downloads their image.

I know there is money in this niche because most of the photos you see on this site are stock photos, and I pay for them. Many bloggers like me don't have the time and skills to take our own pictures for our blogs, so we'd rather pay to use other people's photos.

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12. Creat Photobooks

Our world has gone digital, and a lot of people no longer bother with printing and keeping physical photos. But it could also be because they just don’t have the time. Creating creative custom photobooks is one great idea on how to make money as a kid fast at home!

Creating photo books is quite easy. One needs to have a digital inclination to work on a photo editing software and operating a printer. Your kid will then compile the photos into books.

Kids may charge per project, considering the number of photos they need to work with, how many pages the book will consist of, and how much time was spent completing a custom project.

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13. Flip Products on eBay

Flipping items on eBay is another great venture that kids and teens can get into during their free time. It entails looking for products in physical stores, garage sales, and flea markets, buying them for a low price, and then marking them up on eBay.

Did you know that the founder behind The Flipper University does it with his kids? That means you can get into this business with the right guidance. You don’t even have to start big. You can begin with at least a $20 investment, and with the right strategy, that amount should multiply 3x, 5x, or more. Just make sure to reinvest some of your profit to keep this venture rolling, and it should be one of the easiest ways how to make money as a kid fast at home.

Related: 23 Easiest Things to Flip for Profit Online

Interested in flipping money? Here are ways on how to flip money today! Note: some of the options on this list may be kid-friendly.

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14. Tutor younger kids

Do you have smart kids or teens who want to make money during weekends or in their spare time? Tutoring is one of the best ideas on how to make money fast as a kid! It pays well and helps develop their teaching skills. Young tutors can earn up to $20 per hour teaching math to younger kids or conversational English lessons to non-English speakers.

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15. Sell baked goods

If your kids are fond of baking, then whipping up some delicious cookies and cupcakes should be a great money-making opportunity for them. Good thing there's Facebook or Instagram they can use for free to market their products!

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16. Make Money as a Teenager with Blogging

You all know that blogging is one of my most favorite money-making activities. But can kids make money blogging? The short answer is yes!

Apparently, most platforms require bloggers to be at least 13 years old, so if you have teenagers, then they can definitely start a blog and make money from it.

Blogging is one of the easy ways to make money for kids from home. It’s a fun exercise for their writing and communication skills and allows them to learn and overcome the technical challenges of blogging. Your kid may just think of it as online journaling. They can express themselves with their own voice and tell their audience what they think about the things that interest them. And as the blog grows, you can slowly introduce the concept of monetizing his or her blog.

So, how to make money as a kid with a blog?

There are a couple of ways:

• Ads – you can help your child set up ads on the blog which makes some passive income. You may either sign up for ads network like Google AdSense or directly sell ad space to brands. For instance, if your kid is blogging about crafts, she may entice crafting companies and suppliers to place ads on her blog.

• Sponsored content – your child can be compensated to write blogs that promote a brand, or its products and services.

• Product reviews – another fantastic way to get free products and cash is to write product reviews on the blog. Companies may want to send products to your kid for him or her to try. In exchange, your child will write an honest review of the product on her blog.

• Affiliate marketing – your child could also join affiliate networks and promote affiliate products on her blog. Your child will earn a commission for each product sold through his or her link.

Blogging is not an overnight success so it does not qualify as one of the fast ways to make money. But as your child develops a following for her blog and establishes her reputation as a kid blogger, you'll be able to make money from blogging.

Interested in blogging but don't know how to start? I have a detailed how to start a blog guide. It will walk you through starting a blog for money and ways on how to increase your traffic.

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17.  Become a Kid Influencer 

How can kids make money online? Well, one option to put up social media accounts for them, help them grow their following, and ultimately, become kid influencers. It’s like learning how to make money without a job as a kid.

We can think of kid influencers in the same light as adult influencers. But in this kiddie version, kid influencers generally showcase their passions, skills, and interests to their fans who are also kids themselves. Some kids like unboxing new toys, other kids are like cook like professional chefs, while others are fashionistas. These kids can purchase the buying decisions of their followers (which are also fellow kids and their parents) through influencer marketing.

So, if your child is not shy before the camera and around people and has a knack for expressing himself or herself, then being an influencer can be one of the best ideas to make money as a kid. But since most of these kids are too young to operate their social media accounts, parents and guardians often help in generating content ideas, moderating their communities as well as negotiating with brands for sponsorships.

There are lots of kids making money through influencer marketing, and some of the most popular are:

•  Ava and Leah Clements – these 10-year-old twins love fashion, but they typically use their channels to raise awareness on a rare form of leukemia that their father has.

• Tiana Wilson – she reviews Roblox features on her YouTube channel

• Lorenzo Greer – he creates content on soccer tutorials and reviews soccer footwear

• CoCo PinkPrincess – she’s a Japanese model who loves experimenting with various pastel-colored combinations of outfits and accessories

Being a kid influencer can be fun and lucrative, but it’s important to remember that the accounts should be operated by adults. Let the kids enjoy being kids while being able to express themselves and being a good influence to others, but make sure they don’t overwork for the sake of money.

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18.  Test Apps and Games 

Developers need to make sure that their apps and games are free from bugs and glitches. And when it comes to apps and games that are designed for kids, who are the best fit to test these products? Kids themselves, of course! And the great thing about testing apps and games is that it can be one of the easy ways to make money for kids.

So, how to earn money fast as an app or game tester?

First, kid testers (with the guidance of their parents) can sign up on testing companies like PlayTestCloud. They’ll have to take an unpaid initial test. Once qualified, kid testers will download the app in question, navigate it and test out all the features. The tester will have to vocalize each observation and describe what he or she thinks about the app. These short app testing sessions typically last for 15-30 minutes and pay $7 per test.

Additionally, game testing is also one of the legit money-making ideas for kids. There are lots of games that were designed for kids. Game developers need feedback from real kids so that they improve their games before they are rolled out into the market.

So, kids who love to play video games could very well take advantage of these opportunities. In this role, kids will play the game and take note of what is working and what’s not. Kids who are avid game players can easily spot bugs and glitches, so it can be one of the easy ways to make money from home.

There are lots of video game testing jobs for kids on the internet, such as in UpWork and Indeed, as well as companies like Game Testers.net.

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19.  Wash Cars

How to make money as a kid in the summer? Teach your kids to make money washing cars! Many people just don’t have the time or the energy to clean their cars and they’d rather pay someone to do it for them. And this makes car washing one of the most fantastic ideas for kids to make money for kids. After all, who’d want to drive a messy, dirty car?

You can help your kid establish a car wash with his friends. Doing it with a group makes the job more fun and the workload lighter for everyone else. They can send out flyers to neighbors as the initial marketing strategy.

Washing cars prove to be one of the legit jobs kids can do, proven true by this Australian kid who established his own car wash business. When Harry Hall’s dad said he needed to save up to buy a new computer, the 15-year-old thought of working part-time to achieve this goal. But instead of working in local food chains, he decided to become a business owner himself.

Together with his friends, they started a car wash business where they charged $3 for each car they clean. His business grew, even more, when he marketed it on social media, and soon enough, Harry was earning hundreds of bucks.

The same can be said to this 11-year-old boy in Philadelphia who started making his own money washing people’s cars. Jabre Dutton uses a scheduling system wherein his customers can book him on the weekends to have their cars cleaned in their homes. From this experience, Jabre has learned the value of hard-earned money, a lesson that will definitely come in handy for the rest of his life.

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20. Start a Print-On-Demand Business as a Kid

If your child has the creative flair, you can encourage her or him to make money as a kid selling T-shirts.

I know, selling clothing sounds more fit for adults. But kids can wing it too! They can use their creative talents to design T-shirts that appeal to their target audience. It’s easily one of the best ideas on how to make money as a kid during quarantine. Not only are they harnessing their creative skills, but are also putting their business mindset into practice.

Now, to make selling T-shirts easier, I suggest going the print-on-demand route. The POD business model has soared well over the last few years. According to Forbes, print-on-demand is predicted to grow more, thanks to the rise of popularity of online shopping during these uncertain times. Additionally, more and more people will find print-on-demand interesting as this venture allows them to start a business right at the comfort of their homes.

In fact, this is exactly what Steve Chou did, the author behind My Wife Quit Her Job. His kids, Reena (11 years old) and Kai (9 years old) started their own T-shirt business from home. Reena proves that designing and selling T-shirts is one of the incredible ways for an 11-year-old to make money fast.

According to Steve, he saw that his kids had the creative potential to create merch products that appeal to fellow kids, so encouraged them to set up their own business. His kids were hands-on in establishing what is now Kid in Charge. His role was more of a consultant, and most of the work was done by the kids themselves.

There’s a good amount of competition on the print-on-demand landscape right now. According to the Entrepreneur, here are the best tips for anyone who wants to get started with their own T-shirt business.

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21. Take Odd Jobs

Have your kids asked you how to get money fast? They might be wondering what jobs kids can do that get paid quickly. In this case, I’d cast my vote on odd jobs.

Kids make money with random jobs inside their homes or community. They may offer to take out the neighbor’s trash, weed their gardens, or clean their driveways for a fee. Older kids may also run errands for others, such as picking up groceries, going to the dry cleaners, or delivering stuff to other people within the area.

I believe the best way to train your kids in doing errands for other people is to get them to work in your home first. You can create a list of tasks for them and put the corresponding wages for each task. For example, you can pay them to clean the garage or mow the lawn. You can assess the kids’ work and give them tips on how to improve their work better so that future clients will be happy and satisfied.

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22. Declutter and Sell

Kids accumulate a lot of stuff as they grow up. Your kids may no longer need some of these things, they’ve outgrown some of the clothes and shoes, and their toy preferences might have changed over time.

One of the best ways to teach kids how to earn money fast is to declutter and sell their stuff. You can help them go through their things and pick out the things to sell that make money. Let the kids decide which things to keep and which ones they’re willing to part with. Once you’ve accumulated the “clutter,” clean them up (if necessary) and then sell them.

A garage sale is one of the best ways to sell your kids’ old stuff. Have them organize their stuff, put up a sign and allow them to entertain their buyers. Or you may help them sell their stuff online by using platforms like eBay, Poshmark, and Decluttr.

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Ready to Teach Your Kids How to Make Money?

As parents, it’s our job to awaken or support our kids’ entrepreneurial abilities. Teaching them early how to make money as a kid will not only make them money but will also teach them some valuable lessons such as developing business acumen, nurturing a healthy relationship with their clients and customers, and managing hard-earned income wisely.

I hope that this list inspired you to discover more ways to make money to teach to your young kids and give them experiences they will thank you for later in life!

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Other fantastic ways to make extra cash today!