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If your 12 year old is beginning to crave a greater level of independence in their life, finding them an age-appropriate job that pays can be a great way to help them do this. In this article, we’ve listed 25 of the best jobs for twelve year olds that are both paying and suitable for this age.
Looking for ideas for another age? We’ve also got some great ideas for jobs for 11 year olds and jobs for 10 year olds!
Age 12 can be a difficult age for both parents and children. It’s a time when your pre-teen is growing independent enough to crave the ability to earn some extra money to add to their savings for a new game or toy, but they’re not quite old enough to get a ‘proper’ full-time job.
The below jobs range from straightforward chores that can be elevated into a ‘job’ to give your 12 year old some added responsibility at home, to potential business endeavors and job roles that they could quite feasibly take on.
Is it legal for an 12 year old to have a job?
Child labor laws mean that an 12 year old cannot be legally employed by a business, which is why the jobs listed below are more creative and aimed towards earning some extra cash off family friends, neighbors, and family in return for offering a helpful service.
GoHenry is a financial learning app that offers debit cards for kids. It's a great way to help your child start safely saving their money and learn the basics of managing their own money through a bank account specifically designed for children.
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Read next: 54 Ways to Make Money From Home Today
Traditional Jobs for 12 Year Olds
First, let’s start with some of the more ‘traditional’ jobs that could be well-suited to 12 year olds. These are the one’s that you (assuming you are the parent reading) you may have considered when you were younger, and remain a great way to begin earning a little extra cash as a preteen.
1. Babysitting
Whether or not a 12 year old is mature enough to babysit a younger sibling is wholly your decision, but if they have younger sibling or cousins, for example, you may consider tasking your 12 year old with “babysitting” duty while you’re in another room.
You could also consider asking your 12 year old to assist you in babysitting duties rather than leaving them alone with young children.
2. Plant sitter
You could go down a couple of different avenues for this job. First, you could entrust the responsibility of watering your houseplants to your 12 year old and agree a “rate” that you’ll pay them for taking care of your plants.
Or, secondly, you could help your 12 year old take their skills up a notch by offering genuine plant sitting duties to family and family friends.
(Slight tangent, but did you know you can also make money from selling plants??! If your 12 year old has a passion for greenery, this could become a budding side hustle for them…)
3. Pet sitter
In the same vein, pet sitting could be an ideal job for your 12 year old to try. Of course, parents will also need to be on-board with this job if your preteen is hoping to bring the pets home.
Nevertheless, being a pet sitter is a great way for your child to earn some extra money, demonstrate kindness and compassion for pets, as well as experience the satisfaction that comes from a job well done.
4. Dog walker
Slightly less demanding than pet sitting, dog walking is another great way for your 12 year old to earn some extra cash.
A few common sense tips: it’s recommended they only walk one dog at a time, and only walk dogs that they know and can control (for example, your family dog or that of friends/family members /neighbors that they are familiar with). Avoid allowing your 12 year old to walk reactive dogs or dogs they do not know.
5. Paper route
A paper route is the perfect traditional job for a 12 year old looking for a way to make their own money, and is something that can be managed on a school schedule – all while developing important life and communication skills.
You might be thinking: do people still even read newspapers?! But there are always a few (perhaps elderly) members of society who still want their morning paper, so it’s worth asking at your local store if they need a hand.
6. At-Home Chores
If you like the idea of your 12 year old taking on a “job” and beginning to understand the concept of exchanging services or time for money – but don’t feel that your preteen is ready to work for someone else – giving them at-home chores is a great middle ground.
Discuss with your 12 year old what chores will be their responsibility, and agree what you will pay them in return for these chores. If you discuss the agreement as if it’s a real job, this encourages them to in turn treat their responsibilities like a job.
At-home jobs you could task your 12 year old with include:
- Vacuuming & mopping floors
- Dusting
- Folding laundry
- Tidying their room and any common areas
- Loading the dishwasher (this may need supervision)
7. Gardening/mowing lawns
Mowing lawns and gardening is a good potential job opportunity for 12 year olds in the warmer months, although your 12 year old should be carefully supervised when using a lawn mower!
8. Lemonade stand
Likewise, your 12 year old could consider setting up their own classic lemonade stand on a hot summer’s day.
Again, this is a great job for your preteen to learn some entrepreneurial skills, setting their rates, managing their stock and quality control, and interacting with others.
Best Online Jobs for 12 Year Olds
Next up are some potential jobs for 12 year olds to do online. If your 12 year old shows signs of being interested in technology, this could be a great way to encourage that passion.
Equally, it’s fair to say that a large majority of jobs involve working with a laptop and the internet these days, so it can be helpful for your 12 year old to begin building those skills.
9. Writer
You’re never too young to become a writer, and if your child has a passion for the pen, freelance writing could be a great side hustle for them. Your 12 year old could go a few different routes:
- They could start creative writing and even self-publish their own novels or poems
- They could apply for junior writing competitions and potentially win cash prizes
- They could submit their writing to journals and magazines and receive a commission if their work is published
10. Blogger
Your child could choose to start their very own blog on something they’re passionate about. This is a potential job for your 12 year old that is wide and varied, offering the opportunity to share their experience with others and develop a multitude of skills, from creative writing to photography and SEO.
This is a job that could very well be monetized one day, but it could also be a project that you encourage in the beginning while they get set up.
11. YouTuber
Becoming a YouTube star may be a popular ambition amongst young people, but it is a lot of work. If your 12 year old is set on this as a job, they’ll need:
- A way of filming their videos
- To decide what their channel will be about (see the blogger ideas – these could easily be converted into YouTube content)
- A way to edit their videos and upload them
Most importantly, YouTube takes patience and consistency – if your 12 year old is looking for the best job to earn some money quickly, this might not be the best route. Find out how YouTubers earn money here.
12. Online Store
If your 12 year old is creative and loves to make and design things, you could help them start an Etsy store and sell their creations. They might choose to sell their art, perhaps they can crochet or knit and craft things, or they might ask you to take them thrift shopping to flip old items, or even to upsell furniture.
You’ll probably need to lend a hand while they get themselves set up – this can be a fun and rewarding side hustle that you do with your 12 year old.
13. Online Tutoring
Your 12 year old might be able to make money teaching others the same age or younger by offering their services as an online tutor.
This can be a great job for academically gifted students, or for preteens who have honed a particular skill in their childhood (for example, playing an instrument or mastering a sport or language). However, it’s vital that you make sure this job doesn’t interfere with their own studies.
14. Programmer
Programmers can earn a lot of money – and it doesn’t matter if you’re a teenager or 50 years old: if you can program an app or website to work as it’s supposed to, someone out there will be willing to pay for it.
What’s more, this could be an amazing hobby for your 12 year old to start thinking about now for their education and future career.
Creative jobs for 12 year olds
15. Artist
Does your 12 year old love to draw, paint, or sculpt their own creations? If you truly think they have a gift, why not sell their art?
They could approach local coffee shops and garden centers, or consider putting their art up online to sell.
16. Acting
If your child loves drama at school, they might want to consider acting as a side job. If this is a route they want to go down, keep an eye out for casting calls near you, and make sure you practice with them!
Seasonal jobs for 12 year olds
17. Gift wrapping
Your child can make some extra pocket money this holiday season by becoming a gift wrapper! Ask your neighbors, family friends and other local businesses if they need help with their Christmas presents.
18. Snow shoveling
Depending on where you live in the world, shoveling snow could be a great side job for your child during the winter months.
It’s also a great way for your kid to learn how to help their community out. You could help your 12 year old advertise their services via flyers to neighbors so they know to reach out when the first snowfall hits the ground!
19. Vegetable patch tending
In the summertime, your 12 year old could find a job offering to help your neighbors tend their vegetable patches: anything from daily watering to planting seeds or even harvesting crops can all be extremely helpful for busy adults.
If you have space for a vegetable garden in your own backyard, you could even help them take things up a notch and sell their own produce and seeds to other budding vegetable growers!
20. Watering lawns and flowers
Likewise, another age-appropriate seasonal job your 12 year old could also offer is watering lawns and flowers in the summer.
If your neighbor doesn’t have a sprinkler system and there’s no hose ban, this can again be a very helpful service offered by your 12 year old to busy neighbors who just don’t have much time!
Best jobs for 12 year olds: summarized
Hopefully, these jobs have provided a source of inspiration for any 12 year old looking for a job, or for parents looking for some ideas to support their child to make some extra pocket money and gain some added independence.
It’s not any easy age for earning money – your 12 year old is on the cusp of reaching independence, but is still a child in many ways.
These job ideas should help you reach a middle ground that keeps your 12 year old happy and continuing to learn, while still keeping them safe.