If you’re struggling to find ways to keep your older children occupied when they’re not at school, then finding summer jobs for kids could be the perfect solution.
As long as your child is old enough, getting them working outside of the house can give them independence and teach them valuable lessons about money.
What Jobs are Suitable for a Child?
Depending on how old your child is, they’re probably not going to be putting together a resume and applying to local businesses just yet. Their first jobs should be relatively easy – they aren’t going to pay a fortune, but to a child the freedom of earning their own money is a great thrill!
Here are a few ideas for the perfect summer jobs for kids that don’t require any long term commitment:
Babysitting
Babysitting can be one of the best paid jobs for kids, and it can even be fun if your child enjoys spending time around younger children. Before you look into this avenue, check whether your state has a minimum age for babysitting (not all do). If your child is too young to look after children on their own, they can still help out when one of the parents is around. Many children start babysitting on their own around the age of 12 or 13.
Dog Walking
Your child will have the extra time they need to offer dog walking services throughout the summer. It’s important to make sure your child can commit to whatever arrangements they make with customers, as dogs need to be walked every day without fail. This is a great idea for keeping the kids active, though you’ll want to make sure your child is responsible enough to take care of the dogs they walk.
Yard Work
There are a huge number of activities your kids could help out with in your neighbors’ yards. This could mean mowing their lawn and regular intervals throughout the summer (a good arrangement that’ll keep money coming in all summer long!) or it could mean speaking with the neighbors to see exactly what needs doing. This can include raking leaves, watering plants, planting flowers and so on.
Lemonade Stands
Summer is the perfect time of year for your kids to set up their lemonade stand! As well as helping them have fun and learn a little about running a business, you can also have some fun making the lemonade together! Of course, this idea is quite limited and you may only want to do it a couple of times throughout the summer, but it’s great fun even for young kids!
All of these summer jobs for kids are perfect for the season – they don’t require signing up to a job that carries responsibility once they go back to school, and they can suit a wide age range of kids. It’s a perfect time to teach them new skills related to promoting their services, getting referrals, setting their own rates and earning their own money!
