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Are your kids looking for kid business ideas that actually make money? Look no further! I’ve got 19 of the best kid business ideas, that are simple and will ensure your kids make some money this summer, instead of sitting around playing video games all day!
If your kids are anything like mine, they may not know they want to make some money, or how great having a pile of cash really is – am I right? Maybe you are tired of your kids sitting around all day wanting to play video games and are ready for them to use their brains to generate some income?
Hang on and I’ll show just how you can help your kids start a business today that will keep them busy and profitable all summer long! You and your kids will love this list of 19 best kid business ideas! Before we jump into too far, I need to tell you about my exclusive freebie!
WISH PLANNING A PARTY WAS A PIECE OF CAKE?
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Got Bored Kids?
Are your kids bored? Are they always wanting you to provide something for them to do all day long? Mom, don’t get caught in that trap. The never-ending entertainment wheel.
Let your kids be bored and instead of giving them a screen when you can’t take the whining anymore – encourage them to start a business.
Kids Are Smart
Let’s be honest, kids are super smart! They have tons of ideas of fun things to do, and with a little encouragement, they might just come up with some awesome business ideas. If either of you are struggling to come up with kid business ideas, keep reading because I’ll explain 19 of my best kid business ideas that are enjoyable and profitable.
Below are 19 of my best kid business ideas and I promise they can be very successful. My kids have had many businesses over the years, and some have proved to be more lucrative than others. We have tried a lot of things and thank goodness most of my neighbors still put up with my kids and their constant money-making ideas.
Work Hard and Get Paid
I know that everyone will have a different level of success with each of these kids business ideas, but I can honestly say, we have made money with each of them.
The best thing we can do for our kids is to encourage creativity, hard work, and that when you work – you get paid. If you want to buy something, work hard, save up, and pay cash for it.
After you share this list of 19 of my best kid business ideas, share them with your kids. Hopefully it will inspire your kids to give one a try – or better yet, spur them on to come up with their own kid business idea!
19 Best Kid Business Ideas
- Lemonade Stand
- Bake Sale
- Dog Walking
- Pet Sitting
- Lawn Mowing
- Cleaning Up Dog Poop/Kitty Litter
- Craft Sale
- Garage Sale
- Mobile Bake Sale
- Babysitting
- Mother’s Helper
- Cleaning Houses
- Baking/Cooking
- Pest Removal
- Car Washing
- Yard Work
- Birthday Party Assistant
- Rainbow Loom Bracelets & Keychains
- Shoveling Snow
#1 – Lemonade Stand
Did you ever have a lemonade stand as a kid? I sure did – all the time! Have your child set up a table on your driveway or sidewalk with a sign advertising their fresh lemonade for sale. I’d always suggest having a nice big sign on the street corner with a big arrow as well! Anything your kids can do to attract attention.
Adults will pay some nice money to kids who are trying to earn money! I know because I’m one of them! I love seeing kids trying to earn a buck and am very willing to stop for their lemonade and will often leave a tip if there is a tip jar as well!
#2 – Bake Sale
Of all the kid business ideas we have done, having a bake sale is my most favorite! I think it’s because I love to bake as much as my kids and the profit margin is so much bigger than a lot of our other ideas!
This idea is simple and in fact, you can combine it with a lemonade stand as well (which is what we usually do).
All you do is set up a table of yummy treats that your kids have baked (with help from you if necessary, depending on their ages), and sell as many as you can!
I’d suggest making 4-5 different types of baked treats and make sure you have a tip jar! My daughter has become a pro at asking her customers if they want change instead of assuming that they actually do.
It goes a little something like this – customer picks out a couple baked treats. Daughter totals up the amount and it usually equals about $5-$8. Customer hands over a $20 bill, and daughter proceeds to ask if they want change, all while standing very close to the giant tip jar she made! Very often the rest of the $20 goes into the tip jar!
Tip jars work! One year, we made more in tips than in actual sales.
#3 – Dog Walking
Another great kid business idea is dog walking. If your child loves dogs, this is an excellent way for your kids to not only get exercise, but also spend time with dogs! Depending on the age of your kids, it might be a good idea to go along with them as they walk dogs, just to ensure the safety of the dog.
Some of the best customers are those that need to be at work all day and have a pup that could use a little bit of exercise while they are not home.
My kids have even had customers who don’t want their dogs walked, but instead just want someone to stop in and play fetch with their pup in their backyard for a little while. Again, have your kids walk to and from their customer’s homes for extra exercise if possible!
#4 – Pet Sitting
Pet Sitting is yet another one of our awesome kid business ideas! If you have a neighbor that needs someone to look in on their pets while they are on vacation, have your kids do it! My kids have taken care of cats by changing their litter and feeding them. They have also fed fish, turtles, and have spent time walking, feeding, and/or playing with dogs.
Again, it’s always a good idea to accompany your kids while they do their pet sitting job to make sure they get everything right, but if you feel they are old enough to the do the job alone, you may not need to.
#5 – Lawn Mowing
If you have older kids, mowing lawns is a great way to make money, and good money. Mowing lawns is not one of our easy kid business ideas, but it can make a lot of money quickly. My oldest son is 13 and he’s been mowing our lawn since he was 10.
We have a few older neighbors around us and often he’s been asked to mow their lawns when they are out of town or just not feeling up to it. He doesn’t even need to try to get business, often neighbors will see him mowing our lawn and ask if he can do theirs as well! A great way for your child to gain mowing customers is to get outside and start mowing your lawn first!
#6 – Cleaning Dog Poop/Kitty Litter
Not at all a glamorous job, but another one of our great kid business ideas! I mean, who wants to clean up dog poop or kitty litter right? Even if it’s your own pet? Not many people, that’s for sure! Have your kids jump on this idea and offer to clean it up for your neighbors instead!
This job goes hand and in hand with the lawn mowing and pet sitting business – it could even be an upsell!
#7 – Craft Sale
Do your kids love to make crafts? Crafts they can sell? Cute things like magnets, bookmarks, bracelets, picture frames, etc? Some of our favorite crafts to sell include homemade bookmarks made with stickers and markers and Perler bead magnets.
Having a kids craft business is a great idea! My kids love to make craft items and sell them – to anyone who will buy them, which usually means family or our neighbors.
Crafts sales are great to pair with lemonade and bake sales – just set up another table and sell the homemade crafts right along with everything else! You can also have your kids make a bunch of items and walk door to door.
Or better yet, have them make a short video and post it on Facebook and see if any of your Facebook friends want to buy items from them.
#8 – Garage Sale
I know what you are thinking – a garage sale is a ton of work for you- not your kids. I’m not talking about a garage sale that is a ton of work for you, instead I’m talking about a garage sale that your kids plan and host themselves. A garage sale of all their old toys they no longer play with. A garage sale that includes all their old stuff they no longer want. Your kids need to do all the work.
My kids have done this before, and they always make sure to have a big jar of candy they sell for 5 pieces for a $1, or 25 cents each. For some reason, candy sells really well, especially to the kids that only have a few coins to spend.
Garage sales pair well with lemonade, baked goods, and craft sales too! Don’t forget signs in your neighborhood and if you already have a home helium tank – tie balloons to your signs to draw even more attention.
#9 – Mobile Bake Sale
If you don’t get a lot of foot traffic to your bake sale, have a mobile bake sale!
Katrina, what are you talking about?
I mean, take your bake sale on the road, or give your bake sale wheels! My kids have gone door-to-door with their baked goods. They simply pack up their baked goods and pull them in a wagon, or they will hire me to drive them around!
Who can turn down a kid standing at your front door with fresh baked donuts or brownies? I even earned a taxi fee for all the driving, plus they had to account for gas as an expense. All great lessons for your kids to learn the real cost of running their own business.
Consider trying this idea after your bake sale with all the leftovers, and if it’s been a day or so, teach your kids about offering a discount for day old products. Great lessons to teach our kids about running a business!
#10 – Babysitting
Babysitting is another one of our kid business ideas that your kids will love, especially if they like little kids. Obviously, your child needs to be at least 12 years old before they can babysit younger kids, but babysitting is a great way to earn money as a kid.
When I was younger, I loved to babysit and was pretty well known in my neighborhood for my babysitting services. I learned early that if I kept my prices competitive and did a good job, that I could make a lot of money!
My parents taught me that it was always important to go above and beyond while I was babysitting, so I would make sure to have the house all cleaned up and dishes done before the parents arrived back home.
WISH PLANNING A PARTY WAS A PIECE OF CAKE?
If your kid is truly interested in babysitting, make sure to encourage them to clean up the house, do the dishes, sweep the floor, have all the toys in order and even fold a load of laundry if it’s needed. Anything they can do to leave a strong lasting impression is the best way to get return business.
I would also suggest making a backpack of fun things and activities that are age appropriate and bring it along. I’m talking about chalk, crayons, coloring books, games, bubbles, playdough, few favorite books, etc. Then have your kid plan some fun things to do with the children they are babysitting. Showing initiative and planning ahead will go a long way for the parents as well!
You can help your kids prepare for their babysitting job by showing them this recipe for Homemade Koolaid Playdough and Homemade Chalk.
#11 – Mother’s Helper
If your kid is not old enough yet to babysit, but loves children, you can have them consider the idea of being a mother’s helper! My daughter loves little children and can’t wait to be old enough to babysit, but until she is old enough, she has been hired by a few friends to be a mother’s helper.
Basically, the idea is to go and help a mom of young kids, while the mom is still at the house. You might help with cooking, cleaning, playing with her children, or helping the children with school work, or do a fun activity or craft with them.
It’s very similar to babysitting, but you are not left totally alone with the children. This idea works great for moms who might work from home and need a few hours to focus solely on work while someone else keeps the children occupied for awhile.
I actually did this for a mom in my neighborhood when I was 10 years old. This particular mom had a 3 year old son and had just given birth to twins. She was exhausted! She hired me to come play with her 3 year old son while she tended to the twins.
When her son would take a nap, I would usually do the dishes and help with laundry or any cleaning chores she needed done. I worked for her for many years – until the twins were almost five and then they moved away – but I grew so close to the family that they flew me out to visit them one summer!
#12 – Cleaning Houses
Cleaning houses was the very first job I had as a kid, and I’m not talking about cleaning my own house! I had a neighbor who had three young boys, and her and her husband owned their own construction business that they ran out of their house.
She also homeschooled her boys and was the office manager of the business. Needless to say, she was very busy. She had a big house and not enough time in the day to keep it clean with all her other responsibilities.
I was nine years old when she hired me. I didn’t make very much money, but I do remember cleaning lots of bathrooms in her house every week. Honestly, I’m not sure what else I did, but I do remember those darn bathrooms and the fact that three little boys used them all the time and made a mess.
Cleaning houses is not the most exciting job, but I’m sure there are lots of tired people you know, who might not have time to clean their own homes every week. If your child is good at cleaning and is responsible enough to do a good job, then encourage them to make a flyer and go door to door to sell their cleaning services.
Also, if you are wondering about what chores my kids do around our house and what would be age appropriate for your kids to be doing too – read this post: Why We Pay Our Kids For Doing Chores.
#13 – Baking & Cooking
Baking and cooking are another one of our fun kid business ideas! My daughter loves to bake and she’s really good at it!
If you have a kid that loves to bake or cook, encourage them to try and get special orders for backyard bbq’s, birthday parties, baby showers, etc. to bake goodies or cook food.
My daughter has been commissioned to bake pies for anniversaries, along with plates of brownies and treats for graduation parties and baby showers.
Your child can go door to door trying to get orders, or better yet, have them bake some goodies or cook some appetizers and take them along for the neighbors to sample, so they can see what type of work your child can do. Everyone loves a free sample right?! Make sure they bring a notebook to take orders and notes.
#14 – Pest Removal
Now, don’t laugh, I’m totally serious about this being a very viable kids business idea. If you have a kid that is not afraid of pests like snakes, lizards, and spiders, then encourage them to become the neighborhood pest removal person!
I’m sure you are wondering where this idea came from huh? My brother. Yep. When we were kids, he loved little critters and became well known in our neighborhood for being able to catch, trap and remove any pest you had.
He charged 25 cents for each pest he removed, and he loved it! I remember that there were always a bunch of snakes in a jar in our garage from his pest removal work and one time a bunch of snakes got loose in our house! Sheer panic ensued because I’m deathly afraid of them!
#15 – Car Washing
Another one of our great kid business ideas is to offer car washing! Yep! The best part about this business idea is that your kids can simply carry a bucket, soap, sponges and towels and start knocking on doors!
This would be a great subscription service business idea – where the customer sets up one day a week, or twice a month to have their car washed and simply leaves the car parked in the driveway. Your kids would need to use their hose, but they can provide the rest and get the job done without even needing to interact with the customer.
Get creative! Maybe your kids could even offer a punch card where if they do so many washes the customer gets on free!
#16 – Yard Work
Yep, you guessed it, another not so glamorous kid business idea. Yard work is a great way for kids to make money, and the best part is that they are outside in the sunshine doing hard work! My kids do yard work for neighbors all the time – but it’s usually when those neighbors go on a long vacation.
My oldest will mow the lawn and the other two kids pull weeds and water flowers. We have one neighbor that likes to go on a 6-8 week road trip every summer and she loves to hire my kids to keep up her yard while she’s away.
You may even have a neighbor that is elderly and needs someone to help keep up the yard, or someone who is too busy to do the work themselves. Have your kids offer their services and see what type of response they get.
#17 – Birthday Party Assistant
Do you know any younger moms in your area who have younger kids with a birthday coming up? Hire out your kids to help be a birthday party assistant. They would simply help run the party, by either keeping the kids busy with a game, doing simple face paint, helping cut and serve the cake, or even dressing up as a clown.
I don’t know how many times I wish I would’ve had an older child to help me run a birthday party for my younger kids. Just someone who could help me manage all the little kids! My kids have never done this type of job before, but one year for my daughter’s 6th birthday, one of my friends offered her older daughter (who was almost 10) to me to help with her party.
The theme was Cheerleading, and she planned a very simple cheer to teach all the little girls at the party. It was awesome! In fact, you can read all about this party and how much fun we had here: How To Throw A Cheerleading Birthday Party.
#18 – Rainbow Loom Business
My oldest son came up with this kid business idea when he was in 5th grade. Which was about the time that Rainbow Looms were a big hit. He started looking up how to make complicated bracelets on YouTube. Then began making and selling them at school.
He got so popular that he started taking special orders from friends at school. Then, one day he came home and told me that he had hired two of his friends to help him with the business. He had one friend helping take orders and collecting money and the other one was helping him actually fulfill orders.
The only problem he ran into was the money. Since he was the boss, he was keeping 95% of the profit and only giving his workers just a little bit. I found out how much he was paying them one night when he needed my phone to have a business meeting with his worker friends.
Needless to say, he started giving them a bigger piece of the pie and learned a lot about being a fair and honest boss. Kids need opportunities to grow and make money and it’s out job to encourage it!
WISH PLANNING A PARTY WAS A PIECE OF CAKE?
If your kids like making stuff with a Rainbow Loom, encourage them to turn their creations into a business. They can make bracelets, charms, keychains, etc. If they need extra inspiration, jump on YouTube and you’ll find all sorts of great ideas. Plus, the Rainbow Loom Facebook page also has many wonderful ideas of things to make.
You can even make masks using Rainbow Loom bands! In fact, check out the masks we made for Covid-19 and were featured on the Rainbow Loom Facebook page – see it now!
#19 – Shoveling Snow
I realize this kid business idea may not work for everyone, depending on where you live, but if you live in a state where is snows, this is a great idea! We live in Colorado, so we get a fair amount of snow every year – even up through May!
When we do get a bunch of snow, my kids will grab their shovels and walk up and down our street seeing if any of the neighbors want their driveways or sidewalks shoveled. Again, you could make this a regular thing by asking if any neighbors need shoveling every time it snows – that way you don’t even have to ask, your child just knows that when it snows they have a job to do.
Kids Business Tips
Below are few extra tips of how to make the most of these 19 best kid business ideas!
- Combine craft, garage, bake sales with a fundraiser and you will be sure to make even more money. You can have your kids decide on a charity they would like to donate a portion of their sales to, or tell people why they are doing a sale. Such as saving for a new bike. If people know what they are helping you make money for, sometimes it gives them more of a reason to buy.
- Always use a tip jar!
- Let your kids interests or special skills guide you in helping them find a good business idea.
- Be their cheerleader and offer lots of encouragement along the way.
- Don’t be quick to fix their mistakes or help too much – kids learn best by trying and failing.
- Consider the idea of a punch card for repeat customers!
- Don’t forget to hand out free samples first.
And there you have it! 19 great kid business ideas that can help your kids make some serious money this summer and all year long! When your kids get bored, inspire them to be creative and go earn some money!
What business ideas have your kids tried? Or better yet, what business ideas did you try yourself as a kid? Comment below and tell me all about it!
Extra Money Ideas For Moms
Just because you are a mom, doesn’t mean you can’t earn extra money too! I know that being a stay at home mom doesn’t pay the bills and that many times us moms would love ideas on how we can make extra money too!
I’ve got you covered – read these 2 posts on how you can start saving money today and also how you can earn extra money!
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