What Are the Different Types of Business Ideas for Kids?

Kids with an entrepreneurial spirit, or who simply want to earn their own money have many options that can be age appropriate, including chores, babysitting, yardwork and pet sitting. Once a child turns 16, they can apply for a job just about anywhere, but for kids younger than the legal working age, parents have to be innovative in coming up with some business ideas for kids so that they will learn the lessons of hard work and making their own money. There are several business ideas for kids that do not require breaking child labor laws, but teach children valuable lessons simultaneously.

One of the most obvious business ideas for kids to earn their own money with their own business is to do chores around the house. Doing chores around the house does not limit them to only working in their own home. The child can extend their business to include neighbors, friends and family members. From dusting and vacuuming to loading and unloading the dishes from the dishwasher, kids of almost any age can help their own families or the families of others keep up with household chores.

Older children may even be able to extend their services to running errands. Whether by bicycle or car, the business may include dropping off and picking up clothes from the dry cleaner, picking up a few grocery items at the store or dropping the mail off at the post office for their clients.

A very popular and lucrative business for kids between the ages of 12 and 17 is babysitting. Younger children can gain babysitting experience with their own siblings before they branch out into opening a babysitting business to neighbors, friends and extended family. To start this type of business, the child can take a CPR course or a class on childcare so that they have some credentials to land clients and experience in case there is an emergency while they have children in their care.

Especially in a world where couples are waiting longer to have children or where senior citizens take on pets for company to fill their empty nests, dog walking, dog sitting and pet care services is another great business option for kids. This type of business offers some flexibility to the child and the customers because the business may have regular clients that want their dogs walked and cared for on a daily basis, where others may hire the child to care for their pets when they are out of town.

In addition to taking care of the pets, older children can even extend their services to house sitting and pet care services. House sitting may include watering the plants, bringing in the newspaper and the mail, opening and closing blinds each day and turning lights on and off daily so that people do not know that the home is unoccupied.

Another eligible business for kids is lawn care. In addition to mowing the grass, the child can add on services that including watering outside plants, flowers and the grass. Raking and bagging leaves for the trash in autumn is another add-on service the child can offer or planting trees and flowers in the springtime.

It seems as if kids these days are born with a computer mouse and keyboard in their hands. Adults, especially senior citizens, can benefit from a child who can teach basic computer and computer program skills. Adult community centers, neighbors, family members and friends are all great candidates for a child’s business of this nature.

Whether your child is answering the call of their entrepreneurial spirit, or they simply want a way to earn some of their own money, opening their own business may be the path they can take. The best business ideas for kids are those that match an interest or a special talent that the child has with a need that their potential customers have.

Not only does allowing a child to open their business teach them the lesson of hard work and earning their own money, but it also teaches a myriad of other skills. Customer service, organizational skills and responsibility are but a few of the additional lessons a child can take on when running their own business.