15 Fun Summer Business Ideas for Kids from Elementary to High School
Looking for summer business ideas for your kids? We are sharing 15 great business ideas for kids from elementary all the way to high school!
Hey there!
Summer is here and parents all over the country are finalizing plans for how the family will spend summer vacation.
I hope that you guys have some fun family time planned – whether you’re spending time bonding at home, visiting family you haven’t seen all year, or going somewhere exciting.
In addition to being a great opportunity for a bit of school-free fun, summer can also be a great time for kids to earn extra money.
And I don’t mean just $5 here and there – I’m talking about enough money to buy big wishlist items. Maybe even start a full-blown business! The opportunities are endless!
When thinking of summer business ideas, I always tell people (regardless of their age) to ask themselves 3 questions:
- What am I really good at?
- What do I enjoy doing for hours on end?
- What would people be willing to pay me for?
Then, the only thing to do is find something that fits all 3 of those criteria. For example, if you’re really good at taking care of domestic animals, enjoy playing with them, and have people in your area who have pets that they need help with, you could offer pet-sitting or dog-walking services.
I know that coming up with ideas can be difficult, though, so below you will find 15 summer business ideas for kids from elementary through high school. They will vary regarding start-up costs. Some of them won’t cost anything to get started, but others will require you to buy some materials or tools to get started.
Dog Walker
Offer to take people’s dogs for daily walks around the neighborhood or at a local dog park. Be sure to bring plenty of poop baggies!
Pet Sitter
Know someone who works a lot or is going on vacation? Offer to take care of their pets while they’re away.
Pet Groomer
Pretty skilled at keeping pets calm while you wash and groom their fur? Offer to take over for people in your area.
Yard Maintenance
Know people who take a lot of pride in keeping their yard looking nice? Offer to help them with things like watering and mowing the lawn.
Gardener
Gardening is a lot of hard work! You have to weed and till the ground, plant the goodies, keep them hydrated, and then reap the harvest. Let people know you’re available to help out!
Plant Sitter
Don’t forget about the other plants! When people go on vacation, they might be happy to hire you to make sure their indoor and outdoor plants survive.
House Sitter
Believe it or not, some people will pay to have someone take care of their house while they are on vacation – especially if they will be gone for a good while. Some of the duties of a typical house sitter include taking care of the pets, keeping the inside and outside of the house clean, and making sure any maintenance issues are taken care of. For that reason, it’s probably a better gig for high schoolers.
Grocery Shopper
Some people detest grocery shopping and would be more than happy to pay someone to do it for them.
Meal Prepper
You might also make some extra money by agreeing to meal prep for busy families. This could range from cutting up fruits and veggies to actually cooking meals in batches and putting them in the fridge for easy reheating later.
Mother’s Helper
Offer to help busy moms around the house. This could include hanging out with the kids, helping out in the kitchen, or doing things like laundry.
Dad’s Helper
Offer to help busy dads around the house. This could include helping out in the yard, working on the car, or any of the things listed under Mother’s Helper.
Babysitter
Prefer to just hang out with the kids? Offer your babysitting services!
Lemonade Stand
This is a pretty classic summer business idea. Bake some cookies to go along with the lemonade. You can even get creative with your lemonade flavors.
Tutor
Really good at a particular subject and love to help others understand it as well? Set up shop as a tutor. You can meet your clients at their home, in your home, or somewhere neutral like the library.
Festival/Birthday Party Entertainer
Love to entertain? Birthday parties and local festivals could be a great way to do that! Offer your services as a clown, juggler, face painter, balloon artist, or magician and get ready to wow the crowds.
These are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Again, think about what you’re good at, what you enjoy, and what people will pay for you to do. Good luck and have a profitable summer!
