Teaching Kids To Earn Money | Jobs Kids Can Do (2026)

Trying to make the most of teaching kids earn money? You are in the right place. Below we break it down in plain English, with practical tips you can actually use.

Key Takeaways

• I want this new Legos, I want a Thomas the Train Engine, I want a new Dream Lite, I want a Baseball Bat….
• and on and on and on.
• If you have Kids I’m guessing you’ve heard this more than once, My son who is 4 has been really into “Buying things” lately, he’s hit that a...

I want this new Legos, I want a Thomas the Train Engine, I want a new Dream Lite, I want a Baseball Bat…. and on and on and on.

If you have Kids I’m guessing you’ve heard this more than once, My son who is 4 has been really into “Buying things” lately, he’s hit that age where every-time we go to the store he wants to purchase something. A few months ago we really started talking with him about the importance of making smart decisions, and working hard for the things we purchase. Each time my son asks to purchase something in the store I remind him that he will have to save his money if its something he really wants. If he starts asking for Multiple Items I remind him that he’ll have to choose which one he wants first.

When my son finds something he really wants (Typically something he’s asking to purchase even when we aren’t in the store) We create a list of the items he wants to purchase. By making a list of what the item is and how much the item costs we can encourage him to work hard to reach his goals.

Making a list also discourages teaching an Impulsive Nature in stores, we typically plan for what we want to purchase with him and we save until we have enough to purchase the item. We don’t typically give him money in the store and have him pick something out because we want to build the principles of planning and preparing for purchases into him.

While our kids are very young (Only 4 1/2 and 2 1/2) I believe it’s really key for them to learn to work early! We have things that they are required to do because they are family members and then we have “Jobs” that my 4 year old can do to earn money each week. Because I don’t purchase much for him I tend to pay generously so that he can afford to purchase things I might normally purchase him (Like New Soccer Cleats or a Baseball Bat) I personally prefer to pay him and have him purchase this type of item because I believe in teaching him to be responsible with money at an early age, but I also know that every family has different opinions on how much to pay, and what kids should be buying so those are things you will want to decide for yourself!

Here are a few “Jobs” Our 4 Year old can do:

• Put Up the Silver-wear
• Water the Garden
• Fold Towels
• Clean Table after Meals
• Vacuum Living Room
• Organize DVDs

We don’t pay for things like making your bed, picking up toys, setting the table, etc. I really don’t know if there’s a right or wrong thing and every kid will be different in what you can expect them to do. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Jobs that Your Kids are able to do and the ages each of them started! I’m always looking for new ideas!

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Final Thoughts

The bottom line: a little research on teaching kids earn money goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is one click away.

Originally published at passionforsavings.com.