First Job Ideas for Kids and Teens
Enter your child's age and interests to find matched job ideas with real pay ranges. From neighborhood gigs to first formal jobs, sorted by what fits right now.
Finding the Right First Job by Age
The best first job depends on your child's age, personality, and schedule. A 10-year-old walking dogs after school builds different skills than a 16-year-old working the register at a grocery store, but both teach the same core lesson: time and effort turn into money.
Federal child labor laws set clear boundaries. Kids under 14 can do informal work like babysitting, yard care, and pet sitting with no restrictions. At 14, teens can work in retail, food service, and offices, but hours are limited during the school year: 3 hours on school days, 18 hours per school week. At 16, most hour restrictions go away. At 18, all job restrictions end. State rules sometimes add extra requirements, so check your state's labor department for specifics.
Ages 10-12: Neighborhood Jobs
Preteens can start earning through informal work close to home. Dog walking, pet sitting, lawn care, snow shoveling, and helping elderly neighbors are common first gigs. These jobs teach reliability, time management, and how to talk to customers. Pay is typically $5-$15 per job. The key at this age: keep it fun, keep it local, and let them set their own pace.
Ages 13-14: First Real Clients
At 13-14, kids can take on more responsibility. Babysitting ($10-$20/hour), tutoring younger kids ($15-$25/hour), and running errands become realistic options. This is also the age when entrepreneurial ideas take shape: selling crafts online, managing social media for a family friend's business, or organizing garage sales. Help them build a simple resume and practice asking for work directly.
Ages 15-17: Formal Employment
At 15, teens can apply to real jobs: retail, restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters, and camp counselor positions. Many states require a work permit for teens under 16 or 18. The hiring process itself is a learning experience: filling out applications, showing up for interviews, and handling a schedule that includes both school and work. Starting pay for these jobs ranges from minimum wage to $15/hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
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At 14, most teens can work in retail, food service, offices, and farms with restrictions. Hours are limited to 3 hours on school days and 8 hours on non-school days. Common starter jobs include babysitting, tutoring, yard work, and helping at family businesses. Check your state's labor department for specific rules.
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Federal law allows kids to work at 14 in most non-hazardous jobs. Before 14, kids can do yard work, babysitting, newspaper delivery, and informal neighborhood jobs. At 16, nearly all non-hazardous job restrictions lift. At 18, all restrictions end. State laws sometimes add requirements on top of federal ones.
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Under federal law, 14 and 15 year olds can work up to 3 hours on school days, 8 hours on non-school days, and no more than 18 hours in a school week. During summer and school breaks, the limit rises to 40 hours per week. Work must happen between 7 AM and 7 PM (9 PM in summer).
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The best first jobs match the teen's interests and schedule. For younger teens (13-14): babysitting, pet sitting, tutoring, and yard work. For 15-17 year olds: retail, food service, lifeguarding, camp counseling, and grocery stores. Jobs that teach customer service, time management, and responsibility tend to pay off most in the long run.
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It depends on the job type. Neighborhood jobs (lawn care, pet sitting) typically pay $5-$15 per job. Babysitting averages $10-$20 per hour depending on location. Formal jobs for teens 15+ pay at least federal minimum wage ($7.25/hour), though many states and employers start at $10-$15/hour. Tutoring can pay $15-$25/hour.
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