The 14 best jobs for 11-year-olds to earn money

Kids grow up quickly. Before you know it, they’re navigating the world on their own.  Help them get a head start on the world of work by teaching them to earn their own money through small jobs. For bonus points — help them stash their extra cash. 

Kids of different ages have differing capabilities and maturity levels, so they can handle different types of jobs. Below, we outline some of the best jobs for 11-year-olds that’ll help them learn about working and earning cash while being appropriate for their preteen years.

Creative jobs for 11-year-olds

If your 11-year-old has a creative side, a job using this talent could benefit them in many ways. Check out these five jobs for your creative child.

1. Photographer 📸

If your child has a knack for spotting a great shot and taking pictures, a job as a photographer may be just right for them. You can help them in this journey by securing a digital camera and basic photo-editing software.

They can take pictures of almost anything, ranging from family portraits to graduations, birthdays, weddings, and even more artistic things like landscapes. You can also help them set up an online account where they can sell their pictures so they can broaden their ways of bringing in money with their talents.

2. Blogger ✍️

Has your child always shown a knack for the written word? If so, they can use these talents to launch a job as a blogger. As a blogger, they can create short posts tuned toward other kids about a specific niche, such as toys, video games, or cars. 

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You can help them brainstorm a collection of short articles, then launch a website where they can write about their hobby and pull in advertising revenue from display ads or affiliates. 

If your child isn’t into writing, they could also try their hand at being a vlogger with a YouTube channel. 

Much like blogging, if your child has a hobby they love to talk about and a personality that’ll work well on camera, they may thrive as a YouTube personality. They can film themselves doing their favorite things, such as playing video games, unboxing toys, cooking, or a wide range of other activities, then post it on YouTube. 

You can then help them monetize their videos on YouTube so they can earn ad revenue or gain sponsorships. Remember that YouTube requires you to be at least 13 years old or have parental consent to start a YouTube channel and post videos. So you’ll need to help them with this gig. 

3. T-shirt designer 👕

Is your child into fashion and always on top of the latest trends? If so, and they have an artistic side, T-shirt design may be a great job for them. They can use their creativity to make trendy designs for shirts, then have them printed using one of the many online T-shirt printing services available. You can then help them sell those shirts in person at local craft shows or online on Amazon, eBay, or Etsy.

4. Artist 🎨

If your child has artistic talent, they could earn some extra cash with it. They can paint, draw, or create other forms of art and then sell their creations via a site like Etsy. Because of Etsy’s age requirement, you will need to create the account for them.

5. Voiceover work 🎙️

Does your child have the ability to make unique voices, or is their normal voice unique in itself? If so, the perfect job for them may be a voiceover role. Help them make a demo of all the voices they can do, and then sign them up for some of the voiceover job sites so they can submit their demo for work. Who knows — maybe they will be the next big voice star in an animated series or movie.

Seasonal jobs for 11-year-olds

As seasons change, so do jobs. Helping your child secure different seasonal jobs can help ensure they have income year-round. Here are six seasonal jobs for an 11-year-old to consider.

1. Car washing 🚘

In some areas, washing cars is a year-round activity, but in many states, it’s simply too cold to do in the winter. This makes it a great spring, summer, and early fall job for an 11-year-old. 

Car washing does require some supplies, such as a bucket, sponge, hose, car wash soap, interior cleaner, window cleaner, a vacuum, some towels, and wax, if needed.

Your 11-year-old can start by washing your cars as well as friends’ and family members’ cars. Eventually, they can work up to neighbors’ cars too.

2. Weeding 🏡

While they may be a little too young for lawn mowing at 11, your child is likely ready for light yard work, such as weeding. In this side hustle, they will pull weeds from flower beds and landscaping areas to ensure they look clean and tidy. 

Your child can start with your lawn, then friends’ and family members’ yards until they get the hang of it. You can then help them go around the neighborhood to see if neighbors would like their service.

3. Lemonade stand 🍋

Another great spring or summer job is opening a lemonade stand. All you need are some lemons, sugar, a pitcher, water, and ice. You may need to front your child the cash for the supplies, but you can recoup the expenses from their revenue, if you like, and teach them how profit and loss works in a business. 

4. Gift wrapping 🎁

During the holiday season, many people are so busy shopping and preparing for the celebrations that they have little time to wrap presents. Your child can practice wrapping boxes and perfect the craft, then launch their own business offering gift wrapping services to busy friends and neighbors around the holidays.

5. Snow shoveling ❄️

When winter weather hits, it can leave driveways buried in many inches of snow, and some people lack the means or desire to shovel it. Your child can capitalize on this and earn their own money by offering friends, relatives, and neighbors snow shoveling services all winter long.

6. Raking leaves 🍂

Depending on where you live, there’s generally one time of year when the leaves fall off the trees. These fallen leaves can damage a lawn, so getting them raked up and thrown out quickly is important. Your 11-year-old can step up and handle this responsibility for your busy neighbors all while earning some extra cash for their hard work.

Traditional jobs for 11-year-olds

We’ve been through creative and seasonal jobs for 11-year-olds, but what about traditional job ideas for kids in this age range? Let’s review four more traditional part-time jobs your 11-year-old may be interested in.

1. Babysitting 👶

Depending on your child’s maturity and responsibility, they may be ready to take on being a babysitter. In fact, your child can sign up for a Red Cross babysitting class once they’re 11 years old. 

If you think your child isn’t quite ready to babysit alone, supervised babysitting may be an option. In supervised babysitting, the parent is in the house but otherwise busy with other duties, such as working or cleaning. Your child can help keep younger children entertained, fed, and out of mischief while the parent handles their other responsibilities.

2. Dog walking 🐕

Dog owners love their furry family members, but they are sometimes too busy or not around the house to give their pup the exercise it needs. This is where your child can step in and be a dog walker for neighbors, friends, and family members. 

Your child can charge a set fee to go to their customer’s home and take the dog on a much-needed walk and maybe even have a little playtime. In this type of job, a child may even ensure the dog has ample food and water before leaving the home.

Depending on your child’s maturity level and familiarity with the dog they are walking or the neighborhood they are walking in, a parent may want to tag along with them.

3. Pet sitting 🐈‍

A pet sitter and dog walker may have overlapping responsibilities, as both will take the dog outside if the pet sitter’s client has a pup. However, they differ because a pet sitter’s duties focus more on at-home care. 

Your child will check on all the pets in the house, from dogs to cats to rabbits and more, ensuring they have the food, water, play, and cuddles they need to get through the day. This is a fun job for an 11-year-old if they love all types of animals.

A job for an 11-year-old can teach responsibility early

Jobs can be rewarding for kids, as they’ll see how their hard work leads to money in their wallet. They’ll also learn responsibility, develop new skills, and practice how to save and budget their money. Consider your child’s maturity and abilities when choosing one of the jobs for 11-year-olds in the lists above.

Once they start working, your child will need somewhere to put their earnings. Enter Greenlight and its money app and debit card. It’s designed specifically for kids and teens — with interactive financial literacy lessons and tools to help them manage their money. Give the Greenlight app a spin today — and discover the world of money together.