Summer is kicking off and kids have a lot of free time on their hands. If that means your child is asking for more pocket money for all their activities, maybe it is time for them to start their own business! There is no age limit for entrepreneurship. Running a business can teach kids a lot about money and responsibility. They can either fund their business expenses with allowance or you can agree to help them get started if they draw up a reasonable start up budget. So here are 9 great business ideas for budding entrepreneurs!
Table of Contents
House sitting business
Your child could print up some fun flyers for the neighborhood and surrounding areas. Offer to water plants, feed fish, bring in the mail, and more while people are away on vacation or traveling. Let your kids know that extra touch like clicking on the AC or leaving fresh cut flowers on the counter for the day their customers get home will result in great repeat customers and referrals.
Babysitting agency
Take the babysitting game to the next level. Your kids could become the go-to babysitter coordinator for your town. They can reach out to all their friends and create a list of babysitters. To build trust, your child could require that all babysitters have Red Cross certifications. Then they just post on Facebook, pass out flyers, and let local parents know that when they need a last minute sitter, call the agency!
Home cleaning company
Does your child wash windows or vacuum at home? They can turn those skills into a business! Create a fun flyer with a regular cleaning fee or a list of a la carte services and start advertising around the neighborhood. Purchase organic cleaning supplies to offer a high-quality “green” cleaning business.
Social media manager
The next generation knows way more about social media than most small business owners today. If your child knows how to use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram they can help local businesses grow their following and connect with new customers. They could read up on ideal social media schedules and pitch to local business managers. Offer a free week of services to show their skills. Then offer weekly or monthly management plans. The best part? No start up costs!
Personal sports trainer
Is your child a young athlete, as well as on entrepreneur? Kickstart a business by putting up ads for private lessons aimed at athletes younger than them at local fields. Offer hourly private lessons or small group lessons for athletes looking to improve their skills. This is particularly popular in the offseason when kids are worried about losing ground on their development.
Homemade bath bomb business
Bath bombs, soap, and spa products are all the rage! Luckily, bath bombs aren’t hard to make at home. While your child would have some start up costs for the molds and supplies, most of what they need is pretty cheap. They could sell door to door or at local farmers markets or CSAs. Check out an easy to follow bath bomb making guide here.
Garage sale organizer
We all have way too much crap in our homes, but it isn’t often that you feel you have enough to source a whole garage sale. Organize a local garage sale in your driveway or get permission from a local school to hold it in their parking lot on the weekend. Advertise with neighbors and online, charging a small fee to participate in the sale. Charging $10 a family could bring in some big bucks!
Dog washing service
Dog washing can be a huge pain, even for major dog lovers. But if your child loves animals and doesn’t mind wrestling with a soapy pooch, a dog washing service could be the way to go. They could set up with a small kiddy pool, a hose, and some pet-friendly soap in the driveway, or offer to go to the pet!
Homemade jam business
Summer means fruit season, which is the perfect time to make jam! If your kids can learn the simple process of making jam (and sealing it correctly in mason jars) they can create a great stock of jam to sell all summer and fall. Strawberry, blueberry, peach and more people will love to buy local jam made by a young chef! Check out an easy and delicious blueberry jam recipe here!
See anything that fits with your child’s personality? Have your kids started any successful businesses? Let me know in the comments!
As a tie into your personal sports trainer, if your teenager has a sport that they enjoy they often can referee youth games for that sport. A great way to make some money and get some exercise.
My 11 year old sister has a youtube channel! 🙂 12 subscribers, going viral!! ha
My son has a trash can collection business. He brings the trash cans from the curb back to the neighbor’s house after the city truck empties them.
The babysitting agency reminds me of Babysitters’ Club! Which I totally stole tricks from when I was a teen. I wasn’t bold enough to set up an agency, but I did bring bags full of board games and toys to every house I went to.
It is never too early to start teaching kids to work! Thanks for the ideas. Hopefully more youth can be inspired to become entrepreneurs and take control of their financial future!
It is the age of entrepreneurship. YouTube great idea but he won’t make money out of the bat. Great ideas