40+ Summer Jobs for Teens
Every year, as summer rolls around, I get DMs asking “do you have any ideas for teen jobs?” or “how can my tween make money over the summer?”
My kids do a variety of things to make money – my oldest has a thriving face painting business, my second daughter details cars, and my youngest children sell cookies in the neighborhood.
I asked on Instagram for more suggestions and here are some of the ones that came in:
40+ Teen Jobs for the Summer
Service & Childcare Jobs
Babysitting
This is a classic teen job that offers flexible hours and great pay, especially for responsible teens who enjoy working with kids.
Summer Camps & Kids Activities
Teens can work as junior counselors at organized summer camps or create their own themed camps for neighborhood kids focused on art, books, sports, crafts, or other hobbies.
Teach Lessons (Piano, Gardening, Sewing, Baking, etc.)
Parents are often happy to pay for their children to learn new skills, making this a great opportunity for teens to turn their talents or hobbies into income by teaching beginner lessons to younger kids.
Companion Care for the Elderly
This can be a meaningful volunteer opportunity or even a paid job for teens who enjoy spending time with seniors and brightening someone’s day. Sometimes it’s as simple as stopping by to chat, read together, work on a puzzle, share a snack, and provide a little companionship and conversation.
Pet & Animal Jobs
Dog Walking & Pet Sitting
Teens can earn consistent money by walking dogs, feeding pets, or checking in on animals while neighbors are away.
Work for a Dog Groomer
Bathing, drying, and helping with dogs at a grooming shop is a great hands-on job for animal loving teens.
Pick Up Dog Waste
Okay, this one is not glamorous, but it surprisingly profitable and always in demand for busy pet owners.
Make & Sell Dog Treats
Teens who enjoy baking can create homemade treats to sell locally or at markets.
Work on a Farm
Farm jobs teach responsibility and hard work while helping with animals, crops, or farm maintenance.
Outdoor & Yardwork Jobs
Mowing Lawns & Yard Cleanup
This can be a consistent reliable summer job that can include mowing, weeding, stick pickup, leaf collection, or general yard maintenance.
Power Washing & Garbage Can Cleaning
You might be surprised by how popular (and profitable!) this has become. People love seeing a dramatic before-and-after transformation, and teens can earn great money power washing driveways, sidewalks, and patios or even cleaning trash cans for neighbors looking for a fresh summer cleanup.
Move Trash Cans / Salt Delivery
A small neighborhood service jobs like taking trash cans to the curb or delivering water softener salt can turn into steady income. This would be perfect for neighbors who are extremely busy or elderly neighbors.
Car Detailing
Washing, vacuuming, and detailing cars can turn into a surprisingly high-earning summer job, especially with repeat customers. One of my daughters did this to earn extra spending money one summer, and it was such a great fit.
Sports & Recreation Jobs
Lifeguarding & Swim Lessons
This is a popular summer job for certified teens that combines responsibility, time outdoors, and solid pay. As an added bonus, it’s a great way to stay cool during those long, hot summer days.
Sports Referee or Umpire
Teens can officiate youth sports games like soccer, football, or baseball and earn money per game.
Sports Coaching or Private Lessons
Talented teen athletes (in just about any sport) can earn money teaching younger kids the basics and helping them build confidence and skills. There’s likely a teen with advanced experience who would love to coach, encourage, and share what they know.
Golf Ball Reselling
Collecting and reselling golf balls found on courses can become a surprisingly profitable side hustle. One mom said her kids made $350 doing this one Memorial Day!
Retail & Food Jobs
Ice Cream, Snow Cone, or Snack Stand Worker
Once the weather heats up, the snow cone shacks start popping up everywhere! Working at a snow cone stand, ice cream shop, or concession stand at sporting events can be a fun summer job that helps teens build customer service skills, responsibility, and confidence.
Lemonade or Snack Stand
Entrepreneurial teens can run their own neighborhood stand (whether it be lemonade, snacks, or ice cream) and practice business their skills.
Grocery Store Clerk
This is a dependable first job where teens can learn valuable skills like customer service, stocking shelves, and working as part of a team. Many stores also hire teens for grocery pickup positions, helping shop for orders and deliver them to customers’ cars.
Warehouse Worker
Older teens may be able to help with packing, sorting, or organizing inventory in a warehouse settings.
Seasonal Attraction Worker
Seasonal attractions and local farms often hire teens to help with activities, ticketing, concessions, and customer service. Think pumpkin patches, zoos, amusement parks, fairs, festivals, and other busy summer attractions.
Creative & Entrepreneurial Jobs
Sell Handmade Goods
Many teens have gotten into creative hobbies like crocheting, woodworking, leatherworking, or even 3D printing. Those skills can easily turn into extra income by selling their handmade items online or at local craft fairs and markets.
Bake & Sell Bread or Sourdough
Teens interested in baking can sell homemade bread to neighbors, friends, or at community events like farmer’s markets.
Entertainment for Parties/Fairs
If your teen has a creative talent like face painting (my teen actually does face painting as her summer job – you can read all about it here!), making balloon animals, or performing magic tricks, they could be a huge hit at birthday parties, festivals, and community events.
Collect Refundable Containers
If you live in a state with bottle or can redemption programs, collecting recyclables can be an easy, low-cost way for teens to earn extra money. And even if your state doesn’t offer recycling buy-back, many scrap yards will still pay by the pound for aluminum cans, making this a simple way to turn recycling into cash.
Household Help Jobs
Laundry Folding & Household Tasks
Busy families may happily pay teens to help with simple household chores and organization.
Water Plants & Pick Up Packages / House Sitting
If you have a responsible and trustworthy teen, this can be a great summer job opportunity. Neighbors traveling during the summer often need someone to water plants, bring in packages and mail, and keep an eye on the house while they’re away.
