25 Best Jobs For a 9-Year-Old
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A nine-year-old child can’t technically have a job.
In the United States, it is illegal to hire a child in any capacity that isn’t in the entertainment or agricultural fields.
That doesn’t mean a nine-year-old can’t learn what it means to earn money.
Best Jobs for a 9-Year-Old
Nine is a tricky age. A nine-year-old is still very much a child but they are also in the very early stages of puberty.
They want to start feeling more grown up. Having a job helps them explore the changes occurring within them in a healthy way.
The best jobs for children this age are those that occur in and around the house.
Parents can help to facilitate children by giving an allowance for household chores and/or arranging similar chores with trusted friends, family members and neighbors.
1. Cleaning Floors
Right now, as I am typing this, my floor is filthy. I don’t even want to look down. A nine-year-old can be in charge of sweeping, mopping and vacuuming for you and others.
2. Cleaning Windows
Most housekeepers do not clean windows. That is a specialized service that is sometimes very pricey.
Your nine-year-old can stake their claim on this niche housekeeping service, and then offer window cleaning to anyone you know.
3. Tidying Living Spaces
A general need for tidying is necessary every day. This is a typical chore that nearly any nine-year-old can handle.
They can earn an allowance by tidying your living space, but what about others? Elderly neighbors and relatives might greatly benefit from the service and the company.
4. Caring for Pets
My son’s first “job” was caring for our dog and his fish. He fed the dog twice daily, made sure she had water and gave her baths.
For the fish, he fed them, cleaned the tank and alerted me every time one of them died. Your nine-year-old could carry out similar tasks for you and anyone else you know who has a pet.
5. Raking the Lawn
Leaves are a constant nuisance during autumn. A child with a rake and a shovel can take care of the hard work of raking those leaves every time they fall.
6. Landscaping
Simple landscaping tasks are possible for young children. They can pull weeds, replace small spots of eroded dirt, add mulch around trees and even do some trimming.
7. Changing Sheets
Changing the sheets on your bed is one of those annoying weekly chores that could be easily taken over by a child.
Your child can offer to regularly change linens for all of the members of your family and any busy neighbor or friend who loves fresh sheets but hates figuring out how to get the fitted corners to stay in place.
8. Cleaning Dishes
Washing dishes by hand, drying dishes or loading the dishwasher is easy and mostly safe for a young child. Kids don’t have to do this solely for your family.
When I was young, a family friend had arthritis and was unable to wash her dishes. I did it for her for a quarter a day (it was the 1980s and I was young – a quarter seemed like a lot).
You undoubtedly know someone who could use the extra help too.
9. Bringing in Packages
Shopping online is one of my favorite things. I love when packages arrive at the front door and I get to unwrap the thing that I’d forgotten I ordered in the first place.
Unfortunately, stealing packages has become a fairly common problem. Your nine-year-old could be the package hound.
They can collect those boxes that appear on your neighbors’ door steps, and then distribute them when the neighbors are around. Just make sure they have permission to perform this service before they get started.
10. Dusting
I don’t mind dusting but I do forget to do it.
A nine-year-old with a routine can dust in your house and for anyone else they know, which keeps dust from building up and gives you one less chore to worry about.
11. Cleaning Vehicles
Vehicles need regular cleaning. Instead of doing it yourself, why not put your nine-year-old to work?
They can wash cars, vacuum the interior, clean the mirrors and recycle Starbucks cups that somehow never make it inside.
12. Tidying the Garage
Can you fit two cars in your garage? Many homeowners cannot. The reason they state is the lack of organization and “too much junk.”
Your nine-year-old can start their own garage tidying service that will quickly become the talk of the town.
13. Bicycle Maintenance
Your child may not be able to offer professional bike maintenance but they can ensure seats are tightened and tires are properly inflated.
Maybe it’s just me, but I had no idea how much time and energy it took to maintain a bike before I bought one. Your child can take that task and make it their own.
14. Organizing Closets
This job isn’t for every nine-year-old child. For instance, my own children would somehow make the closets look worse when they were finished organizing.
Other kids are excellent at organization and really shine when they can rearrange messy spaces. Your nine-year-old might be one of them.
15. Refrigerator Organization
I don’t know about you, but I hate cleaning out my refrigerator. I don’t even want to know what those science projects are that are growing in the crisper.
Hire your nine-year-old to stay on top of food that goes bad, clean up messes and keep the refrigerator clean.
They might find they have an excellent flair for organization that can expand to other areas (I’m looking at you, freezer.)
16. Filing
Believe it or not, filing is still needed in small offices. Law offices in particular have a lot of filing and not a lot of time to do it.
If you have an acquaintance in a law or government office, they may be happy to pay your nine-year-old to do some filing.
17. Plantsitting
A nine-year-old probably isn’t ready to be a pet sitter with no outside help but they are more than ready to take care of plants.
They can water indoor and outdoor plants, turn planters so they receive more sunshine, pull weeds and add mulch, if needed.
18. Assisted Petsitting
A nine-year-old can take care of a pet as long as they have help from a parent or older, responsible sibling.
The child can manage walking a dog, feeding a cat, refilling water trays and letting them in and out when needed.
The assistant will need to make sure they are being safe and secure and that no unattended house is left unlocked.
19. Filter Changing
It doesn’t happen every day, but you do need to change filters on your water filtration system every now and then.
I tend to forget to make the change, which is why I need my kids to do it for me. Your nine-year-old could make a running log of all of the filters in your neighborhood.
They can learn to change them, make schedules and charge for the product as well as the service.
20. Salting Sidewalks
You don’t need this service throughout the year. Some of you might never need it at all.
Here, in the Midwest, a salted sidewalk is a necessity from December through February, at minimum. Having a child take that task on as their responsibility can be a lifesaver.
21. Fertilizing/Seeding Lawns
Similar to salting sidewalks, this isn’t an activity that takes place every day. Still, fertilizing and seeding lawns is necessary for healthy grass.
Anyone you know who doesn’t already use a lawn maintenance company will benefit from your child’s new lawn care business.
22. Vegetable Stand
Your child can start a vegetable or herb garden, and then sell the produce they grow.
It’s a wonderful way to get them outside and it provides healthy food for their customers. Win win!
23. Baked Goods Stand
Does your child love to bake? Maybe you need to help with this, but it can be fun for both of you.
Teach your child how to make easy cookies like chocolate chip or no-bake oatmeal cookies.
As they progress, they can start making foods that are more complex. Cupcakes, brownies and, eventually, macarons!
24. Youtube
You will need to practice close supervision of their account, but your child can monetize a Youtube channel. They can display special skills, show off their video gaming or unbox items.
25. Snow Shoveling
A nine-year-old can manage a snow shovel. When that winter storm comes, they can make a decent profit by shoveling sidewalks and driveways.
A really motivated nine-year-old might combine their services by offering fertilizing, seeding, raking, salting and shoveling throughout the year!
Key Takeaways
Nine-year-olds aren’t ready for serious jobs but they do need some experience. What kind of job did you have at age nine?
Will you expect your nine-year-old to work? Talk to us in the comments!