Top Fun Jobs for 13-Year-Olds (2022)

Jobs for 13 year olds

Here are the best jobs for 13-year-olds. Numerous positions are available at home and in the community for 13-year-olds to help them develop essential skills and earn small cash. Because most of these roles need some kind of community involvement, it's critical to know where to look for them before beginning the job hunt.

jobs for 13 year olds

What are the child labor laws for 13-year-old workers?

Here's what you should know about labor laws for 13-year-old workers.

The US Department of Labor is responsible for enforcing child labor laws. The regulation that has had the most impact on child labor is the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA), limiting the age at which minors can be hired and the amount of time they can work.

Young adults can earn extra money around the neighborhood and house. Though, they cannot receive gainful employment from establishments like McDonald's or Target.

Why should 13-year-olds work?

Teenagers aged 13 are frequently mature enough to work part-time and earn their own money. However, because the legal age of employment in most states is 14, 13-year-olds are in a peculiar position.

Allowing your 13-year-old to work for you, a family member, or in the local community benefits the entire family in the following ways:

  • You can employ your adolescent to assist you with time-consuming home activities.
  • Your adolescent will develop necessary skills such as time management and organizing.
  • If adolescents work in the community, they will expand their professional network and make new friends.
  • Your adolescent will have their own money to spend on entertainment and other discretionary items.
  • The wage scale for the majority of 13-year-old employment varies by location. Consult with other area parents or conduct an online search to see a realistic rate for the work your child wants to perform.

jobs for 13 year olds

Top fun jobs for 13-year-olds that pay

If you have a 13-year-old at home who is seeking work, try one of the following part-time jobs for young teenagers that will help them to develop their skillsets while earning money:

Babysitter

Babysitting is an excellent work opportunity for 13-year-olds. If you have other small children at home, your 13-year-old can keep an eye on them while you are gone. Family members and neighbors can also employ your adolescent to babysit their children. This position develops communication, patience, and decision-making abilities.

Mower or gardener

Mow your grass with your adolescent and then promote it in your community to attract additional customers. Working as a lawnmower or gardener is an excellent alternative if your thirteen-year-old enjoys being outside. This role develops both technical skills such as machine operation and soft skills such as negotiation and time management.

Teenage dog walker

Dog walking is an excellent career for 13-year-olds. They can labor year-round by walking neighboring dogs after school and during the summer lunchtime while their owners are at work. Dog walking is an excellent work option for teenagers who enjoy animals. It teaches patience and management.

jobs for 13 year olds

Teenage pet sitter

House and pet sitting are excellent jobs for introverted teenagers. In most cases, house sitters and pet sitters look after a customer's home and pets while the customer is away. This is best done during the summer for 13-year-olds, although they can provide their skills year-round. This work teaches soft skills such as time management and hard skills such as pet care and home plant care.

Tutor or educator

Tutoring is suitable employment for 13-year-olds who are intellectually inclined. This profession fosters the development of numerous abilities, including communication, patience, and time management. Many parents need individual tutoring support for their late elementary or middle school students, and hence there is typically a great demand for this type of employment. Your 13-year-old can promote their services through local schools and community organizations.


jobs for 13 year olds

Automobile washer

Another enjoyable task for the outdoor-loving 13-year-old, car washing is an excellent choice for young teenagers. Your adolescent can open a vehicle wash in a high-traffic section of the neighborhood or visit established customers in their houses. They might also detail the inside of cars if they have access to a vacuum cleaner. This employment is ideal for the entrepreneurially inclined 13-year-old, as it frequently requires the development of a customer list.

Camp counselor

Numerous camps hire former campers as junior counselors before they reach the age of full counselors. This arrangement serves both the camp and the counselors by allowing the junior counselor to observe how camp counseling is conducted and assist the full-time counselors while also giving the camp additional assistance and an integrated training program. This position fosters the development of critical abilities such as communication, creativity, and resilience.

Newspaper delivery person

If your 13-year-old is interested in working but has a hectic schedule, they can explore working as a newspaper delivery boy or girl. While your kid can need to wake up early, this employment has a regular program that allows them to pursue other interests in the afternoons and evenings. This employment helps develop time management and organizational abilities.

jobs for 13 year olds

Performer or model

Working as an actor or model is one of the few jobs available to 13-year-olds that do not need community service. Through acting and modeling, students develop skills such as negotiating, organizing, and resilience. While entering this industry involves some research and commitment, it can be a gratifying and fulfilling career for young kids.

Spring Cleaning Helper

One of the great things about spring cleaning is that it is easy to get started. If you have a friend or neighbor who needs a little help around the home, your child can step in. Even if they don’t like doing the chores at home, they can jump at the chance to make some cash.

Spring cleaning tasks include dusting, vacuuming, doing the dishes, and cleaning windows. Your child should be able to work quickly and efficiently without being supervised. If they do a good job, the word is sure to spread, and they will have plenty of regular customers.

Recycling Helper

A recycling helper is a great way to make cash while doing something good for the environment. Set your child up with a small pushcart that they can take around the neighborhood. They can collect cans and bottles and turn the trash into cash at a recycling center. Make sure they wear a pair of thick gloves and know to avoid handling broken glass and sharp objects.

Technology expert

Working as a community tech expert might be a wonderful profession for 13-year-olds who enjoy and understand cutting-edge technology. Your adolescent can assist customers in setting up new devices, updating software, and selecting new phones or PCs. This position fosters the development of desirable communication and technological comprehension abilities.

Housekeeper

For 13-year-olds, cleaning houses is a fantastic first job. They can begin by cleaning your home and then offer their services to other family members, neighbors, and community people. A housekeeper is an excellent job for developing a routine, as your 13-year-old can have regular customers for whom they will work weekly or monthly.

Mother's helper or senior citizen's helper

A mother’s helper is a beautiful role for youngsters who enjoy assisting others and prefer to work in a team environment rather than alone. Some moms with small children engage "mother's assistants" to help them with basic domestic activities such as cooking and cleaning while the mother cares for the children or vice versa. Some older individuals who require assistance with domestic activities do the same.

Video Game Player

If your child enjoys playing video games, they can turn their hobby into a lucrative career. The best way to make money playing video games is by streaming game-play online. They can also record themselves playing video games and launch their own YouTube channel.

Lesson assistant

If your 13-year-old is talented in dance, singing, or playing an instrument, they can work part-time as a lesson assistant for a lead teacher. This employment opportunity promotes the development of communication, teamwork, and patience. Numerous instructors prefer to have an assistant demonstrate exercises or songs during class.

Gift Basket Creator

A gift basket creator is a fun job for any creative kid. There are lots of different types of gift baskets your child can make, such as for picnics or birthdays.

They can start by making gift baskets for friends and family members. Make sure you take photos of the completed gift baskets to show what your kid can do. Post the photos online, and the orders are sure to come flooding in.

Other fun jobs for 13-year-olds

Here are other job ideas for teenagers to earn more money:

Teenage bike mechanic

Fix the bikes of the neighbors and make money.

Teenage fence painter

Paint the fences of neighbors and family members.

Teenage logo designer

Design logos for local businesses.

Skillshare expert

Teach skills through an online marketplace.

Teenage voiceover specialist

Be a voice-over specialist for movies and commercials.

Survey taker

Take online surveys and earn extra money.

Teenage garage cleaner

Offer to clean the garages of neighbors and family members.

Teenage artist

Earn money by creating artwork and selling it at local markets.

Teenage mascot

Become a teenage mascot for local groups, sports teams, and more.

Fun summer jobs for 13-year-olds

Here are fun summer jobs for 13-year-olds that teach valuable skills for the future:

Baker

Suppose you decide to pursue a career as a young baker. In that case, you must get prepared to spend a significant amount of time in the kitchen creating delectable cakes, cookies, and other sweet delicacies for others. However, if you're an excellent baker, this is an excellent method to earn money because people require large quantities of cupcakes and other baked products for their events and will employ you.

Garage sale expert

Although there is rarely any heavy lifting involved, having a garage sale is a lot of effort for many individuals, which is why you can earn high money as a teenage garage sale assistant during the summer. As a teen garage sale assistant, you'll assist with all aspects of the garage sale, from setting up tables and other items to removing the signs after the weekend.

Gardener

Being a teenage gardener entails spending a great deal of time outdoors. A gardener is an excellent summer employment opportunity for 13-year-olds because many neighbors own gardens but cannot maintain them independently. Additionally, you'll need to follow directions well or have prior gardening knowledge to determine what constitutes a weed and what should remain planted.

Gift basket maker

The most critical aspect of becoming a teenage gift basket creator is being creative and understanding what things people enjoy. A gift basket maker is an ideal profession for teenagers any time of year. There is always something to celebrate, whether a holiday or a birthday. You will create gift baskets for individuals to offer as gifts as a teenage gift basket creator.

Assistant with the household

A teenage household assistant is an ideal employment opportunity for anyone looking to earn money while performing easy tasks around the house. You can assist a busy parent in cleaning her home or help an elderly couple reorganize their basement. Whatever you end up doing as a teenage domestic helper, you will always have a job as long as you work hard at it.

Landscaper

To work as a teenage landscaper, you must be willing to work hard and have no fear of getting dirty. A landscaper is an excellent profession for a 13-year-old who wishes to earn a lot of money, as this career typically pays well. As a teenage landscaper, you will be responsible for maintaining the beauty of the plants and outside decorative aspects of a person's home or business.

Model

As long as there are items to sell, there will always be a need for adolescent models, ensuring that you can always find work in this business. Although it can be challenging to break into, you can find work if you are willing to work on photo sessions, television advertisements, and fashion shows. Being an adolescent model is both enjoyable and rewarding.

Pet Care Provider

Only responsible and hardworking 13-year-olds should consider being a teenage pet sitter, as this employment demands you to look after people's pets while they are away. As a teenage pet sitter, you'll be responsible for providing food and water, ensuring that the animals have access to the bathroom, and receiving adequate exercise and attention while their owners are away.

Plant Caretaker

When individuals are out on vacation, a young plant sitter looks after their plants. It's an excellent job for a 13-year-old because it doesn't require much effort, but it demands responsibility and the ability to follow directions. As a teenage plant sitter, following orders is critical because you want to ensure that the plants you're caring for are still alive and healthy when their owner returns.

Pool Cleaner

Nobody enjoys swimming in a dirty pool, which is why young pool cleaners are in high demand. As a teenage pool cleaner, your primary responsibilities will be to remove large objects from the water and clean the pool's sides and floor with a special vacuum. Still, you can be responsible for cleaning the pool's filtration system and monitoring chemical levels.

Seed Vendor

As a teenage seed salesman, you'll be able to earn money selling seeds to friends, family members, and neighbors during the spring and summer months. A seed vendor is an excellent job for a 13-year-old who lives in a region where many residents like gardening. You can sell as many varieties of seeds as you like as a teenage seed salesman.

Shoe Polisher

An adolescent shoe shiner assists individuals in maintaining the appearance of their shoes. It's an excellent job for a 13-year-old because the supplies are inexpensive, it's simple to learn and do, and it's consistent labor because shoes are constantly getting dirty. As long as you satisfy your customers by maintaining their shoes in excellent condition, you'll have a job as a teenage shoe shiner.

Water Vendor

As a young water salesperson, you can earn money at significant events such as racing and fairs. All you have to do is put up a booth or bring a wagon and serve folks cold water. A water vendor is excellent summer employment for teenagers because all you have to do is purchase water bottles, transport them to the event, and then keep the water cold while you wait for people to buy it!

Window Cleaner

Residential and commercial property owners desire clean, streak-free windows, which is why they would hire you as a teenage window washer. All you need is a clean rag and a bottle of window cleaner to get started! As your job as a teenage window washer increases, you can want to add a ladder to your supplies list to reach second-story windows.

Assist with yard sales

When someone wishes to hold a yard sale but is unable to do so due to a lack of time, they require the assistance of a teenage yard sale assistant. A teenage yard assistant is an excellent summer job for kids because it involves a lot of hard work for a couple of days and allows them to spend the remainder of the week however they choose! As a teenage yard sale assistant, you'll be responsible for assisting before, during, and after the yard sale.

Remote and online jobs for 13-year-olds that pay

Having an online job is a great way to start an early career. Consider the following jobs during a 13-year-olds job search:

Logo designer

Create logos and brand assets for local businesses.

App designer

Design iPhone or Android applications for nearby businesses.

Web designer

Design websites and offer to maintain websites for local businesses.

Benefits of 13-year-olds working

Here are the pros and cons of a 13-year-old working:

Pros

  • Jobs aid in the development of a child's sense of responsibility.
  • Jobs assist children in developing a stronger sense of self.
  • Teens who work a fair number of hours per week—less than 15—get higher scores than teens who do not work.
  • Jobs teach children how to handle their money and develop an understanding of personal finance.
  • Jobs assist children in transitioning from childhood to maturity.
  • Can assist a young child in determining their dream job and career path.

Cons

  • Jobs might exacerbate a child's stress level.
  • Jobs might expose children to people and situations for which they are unprepared.
  • A teen earning a job can feel as if their youth is coming to an end.
  • Teenagers who work excessively long hours — more than 15 hours per week — earn lower marks than children who do not work at all.
  • Teenagers who work have money to spend on unhealthy items such as alcohol or tobacco.

Should 13-year-olds be working yet?

Working a job has been shown to have an excellent developmental effect on a teenager's life in general. However, there is a caveat: excessive work is detrimental, and insufficient work yields negative results. Moderate, consistent labor is the most promising path for kids who plan to enter the workforce.

That said, parents must be active in the process: they must visit the place of employment to ensure a positive vibe exists, and they must monitor the hours spent to ensure their youngster is not working excessive nights or weekends. Additionally, parents must ensure that adolescents are not engaged in hazardous work.

The finest resources regarding teen work hours and workplace safety are the United States Department of Labor and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration websites. Finally, it is critical for everyone involved in adolescence to realize that learning about work, building a work ethic, and maturing into adulthood are components of a larger picture.

With this in mind, the best course of action for a teenager is to strike a healthy balance between job, extracurricular activities, and school.

What's the average allowance for 13-year-olds?

If paying your younger children to perform any of these tasks, consider paying them an allowance. Here is the average amount based on age group:

  • 10-year-olds allowance: $9.49 per hour.
  • 11-year-olds allowance: $10.43 per hour.
  • 12-year-olds allowance: $11.91 per hour.
  • 13-year-olds allowance: $12.62 per hour.

For younger kids that want to create clothes, be a car snow remover, or be entrepreneurial kids—consider ensuring that they earn this amount per hour or from you.

author: patrick algrim
About the author

Patrick Algrim is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), NCDA Certified Career Counselor (CCC), and general career expert. Patrick has completed the NACE Coaching Certification Program (CCP). And has been published as a career expert on Forbes, Glassdoor, American Express, Reader's Digest, LiveCareer, Zety, Yahoo, Recruiter.com, SparkHire, SHRM.org, Process.st, FairyGodBoss, HRCI.org, St. Edwards University, NC State University, IBTimes.com, Thrive Global, TMCnet.com, Work It Daily, Workology, Career Guide, MyPerfectResume, College Career Life, The HR Digest, WorkWise, Career Cast, Elite Staffing, Women in HR, All About Careers, Upstart HR, The Street, Monster, The Ladders, Introvert Whisperer, and many more. Find him on LinkedIn.

Fact checked: Our small and dedicated team rigorously evaluates every article, guide, and reference to ensure the information is accurate and factual. Learn more.

Share

Help us by spreading the word