When you think about a business for kids back in the day, the image that comes to mind is a lemonade stand. I use to set up lemonade stands when I was a kiddo. I’m also always sure to stop and buy a glass from any young person that I see set up with one.
That small taste of entrepreneurship can fuel a passion for it. As I grew up, I thought of more and more ways to be enterprising and make money from my ideas and hard work.
Even though there’s a chance your kid might not be an entrepreneur when he/she grows up, it’s still essential to teach kids how to make it on their own. Knowing how to make money outside of a career is a skill that will come in handy in the future. You want to give your kid the proper tools to survive our competitive world.
If you’re looking for good business ideas for kids, you’ve come to the right post. I’m going to list my ideas below. I hope your kids can find something creative to do and profit from it at the same time.
How to Make Money as a Kid
1. Set up shop on Etsy.
On Etsy, your kid can have a virtual shop. I love that we live in a world where you don’t need a physical commercial space to start selling stuff. There are many things you can sell on Etsy, most commonly handmade crafts.
You don’t have to be of legal age to start selling on Etsy, which makes it a great platform for kids as well. You can manage the shop or teach your kids how to do it. Of course, they have to create and fulfill the orders that come in.
Related Reading: How to make money as a kid fast – Check it out Here
2. Sell jewelry.
Jewelry-making is a popular and lucrative craft. You will have to buy materials like beads, gemstones, chains, fibers, and clasps. For a while there, loom bands were very popular kids too.
Your kid can have a ball designing and making jewelry. Potential buyers will love the charm of an enterprising and creative child.
3. Make printables.
Adults are all over the printing business, so why could kids get in on it too? Prints are digital products that are easy to create and mass produce. You could let your kid make coloring pages and then compile these into an activity book.
An activity book made by a kid will fly off the shelves. You can sell it as a digital product and have buyers print it themselves or have an inventory to ship out.
4. Write books.
On the topic of printing, your kid could write books too! Does your kid love to read and write? Then encourage them to write books early in life.
If you want to put the work in, you can even get in touch with some publishers to see if your kid can make royalties. You can always publish books on your own otherwise.
5. Start an accessories line.
If your kid is interested in fashion, selling accessories is a great business venture. Kid influencers like Gabby Goodwin and Jojo Siwa have their hair accessory lines. It doesn’t have to be bows; it could be clips, socks, hats, etc.
You can set up an Etsy store or some form of online boutique and start selling your kid’s designs.
6. Open a clothing boutique for kids.
Anyone with initiative can open an online clothing boutique nowadays. With sites like Shopify, all the investment that you have to pay will only be for the products. You kid could design clothes, and you can have them mass-produced.
This might be a gamble and more work for mom and dad, but it could definitely take off.
7. Get paid for motivational speeches.
If your kid has gone through unique experiences or if he/she has a penchant for public speaking, motivational speaking is highly sought-after these days.
Sure, we rarely think of kids in that field, but that’s why motivational speaking is such a unique business idea. Your kid’s talent can be turned into a business that could rake in thousands of dollars per speech.
The reason why speeches are so effective for children is that they can easily shift adult mindsets.
8. Offer to pet sit.
People pay good money to have their fur babies looked after! Your kid could be the go-to pet-sitter of your neighborhood. Not only is it a decent source of income, but it will also encourage your child’s love of animals. It might even jumpstart a career in veterinary.
Giving your child that kind of responsibility will also give them a sense of accomplishment. It will make them feel needed and useful.
9. Offer to walk your neighbor’s dogs.
Offering to walk your neighbor’s dogs can be an extension of your kid’s pet-sitting services or an entirely separate service on its own. Your neighbors may be too busy to walk their dogs, and their poor pets are in desperate need of exercise.
You kid can offer to walk dogs and maybe get in some exercise while he or she is at it. The service might also not need so much advertisement because your kid will be at work all over the neighborhood for people to see.
10. Sell t-shirts.
The trend of graphic tees doesn’t seem to be waning. Your kid can jump in on the action and sell self-designed shirts. It also doesn’t need much of an investment if that’s what you’re concerned about.
There’s also no need for inventory space because sites like Painful allow you to drop ship orders to customers. All you kid has to do is make designs. Maybe you could get involved by deciding where to put them on the shirts. You can have a shirt selling business out of a laptop. You don’t even have to see the products that reach your customers.
11. Start a healthy lifestyle line.
It could be homemade soaps, bath bombs, scented candles, scrubs, or even skincare products. Your kid can formulate their own healthy lifestyle line (with a little help from you, of course).
People are wary about what they use on their bodies, so simple natural products are all the rage these days. All you need to do is buy ingredients in bulk and get your kid to create products that will make up the entire line.
12. Sell candy to friends.
You may not like the idea of your kid gorging on candy, but you can’t deny that they sure do love it. Selling snacks to friends is a classic business model adapted by kids for years. If you read my story, then you’ll remember that I mentioned I was the kid selling candy to you from my backpack at school.
You will have to invest in the initial inventory, but your kid will be buying that on their own sooner than later! You can buy wholesale candy online.
13. Sell unique items.
I’m talking about customized products that your kid will design. Customized items like phone cases and tumblers are very popular right now. You will need to invest in a Cricut machine or something similar to print and stick designs onto products.
If you have the budget, you can even buy your kid a 3D printer, and he or she can design toys and other small trinkets. You’ll never know what might be the next big thing, and your kid might just be the one who comes up with it!
14. Start a trash pick-up service.
It’s undeniable that taking your trash out to the curb or to the local dumpster is a pain in the behind. If you find it inconvenient, chances are your neighbors do too. Your kid can be the go-to person for picking trash and taking it to the curb or the dumpster. It’s not the most glamorous task, but it can pay decent money.
15. Offer gardening or landscaping service.
If your kid isn’t afraid of getting a little dirt on their hands, some good old physical work can be lucrative. Starting a gardening or landscaping service is a great way to make money over the spring and summer months.
Your kid could start mowing lawns at first. Then he or she could start learning rudimentary gardening like weeding and trimming hedges. You can also turn this into a social activity by encouraging your kid to invite his or her friends to start a little company.
A gardening or landscaping service is a great form of exercise and an excellent excuse to be outdoors.
16. Tutor other kids.
If your kid is academically inclined, they can offer tutoring services to their peers or to younger children. Your kid might be good at particular subjects, so that’s a good place to start. There’s also a lot of value in learning how to teach other people. It will teach your child to be kinder and more patient.
17. Start a car detailing business.
This is another classic business venture for kids. At some point, even you might have picked up some rags and a bucket and started a car washing business with your friends.
Your kid can offer to wash your neighbors’ cars at their houses. This doesn’t need a lot of materials. Just some safe cleaning products, rags, sponges, and brushes will do.
18. Babysit.
If your child is exceptionally responsible, you can let him or her look after younger kids in the neighborhood while their parents are away. Being responsible for other human beings can impart a lot of wisdom to your kid too. You can join a site like Care.com to help find jobs.
Related Reading: Small Business Ideas for teens – Check Them out Here
Final Thoughts
Allowing your kid to start their own business will not only teach them how to be more responsible, but it will also give them the tools that they need to thrive in their adulthood. You can encourage your child to start a savings account to fund their future or go after the things they want in life starting from an early age.
