TOP 11 THANKSGIVING JOBS AND BIZ IDEAS FOR KIDS AND TEENS
Keep your girl’s entrepreneurial spirit alive on Thanksgiving with these business ideas
Staying home for Thanksgiving weekend? If your girl’s too young to carve a turkey, then why not encourage her to carve out time for a startup? We recommend the following age-appropriate jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for the days leading up to Thanksgiving and Turkey Day itself. We even have a suggestion or two for Black Friday.
Babysitter
Your teen girlpreneur can babysit young ones while the grown-ups scramble to plan, shop, and prep for Thanksgiving dinner. Out-of-town visitors in your neighborhood may also need a babysitter for the night before or after Thanksgiving. Client referrals can help your girl land more than one babysitting gig.
Decorator Helper
Know a family friend or neighbor who wants to dress up their place with all things Thanksgiving but appreciates outside help? Your girl can do it and charge by the hour while she spruces the whole place up with festive decorations that showcase the beauty and bounty of the fall season. She can try out these decor tricks from House Beautiful.
Table Decorator
Since Thanksgiving celebrations revolve around spending time with loved ones and being grateful for one another over shared food, people pay extra attention to the table setting. Your girl can zero in on a business that specializes in Thanksgiving-themed table decor. She can personalize orders for different households or sell pre-made sets with detailed instructions for a casual or formal arrangement. The Good Housekeeping site has over 60 DIY table setting ideas perfect for your young girl entrepreneur’s pre-made kits.
Party Planner
Hosting a Thanksgiving get-together for family and friends? Why not employ your girl as the overall coordinator and planner? Let her handle all the details! As a result, you take a proper holiday break, and your girl learns by doing, becomes more independent, and gains new skills. It’s a win-win!
Meal Planner and Grocery Shopper
Before the break, your girl can start working for other households after school. She can be their Thanksgiving Meal Planner and Grocery Shopper, so the shopping gets done early. Your girl’s customers avoid the holiday crowds and express their gratitude for this by paying your girl for her time and service.
Story Creator
Thanksgiving dinner is more than just the food; the story of Thanksgiving plays a part. So your girl can act it out in a solo play or stage a puppet show for your Thanksgiving party, like a bit of dinner theater. Or, if she’s a pro in Scratch, Roblox, or any stop-motion animation program, she can sell her digital creations to customers nationwide who need help explaining the story to kids. Stop and Love, whose creator is a young girl boss, can serve as inspiration.
DIY Thanksgiving Kits Maker
Besides a history lesson on Thanksgiving, your girl can teach young ones gratitude and help them express what they’re thankful for in very creative ways. For example, she can curate activity sheets, arts and crafts, and box everything up in a kit. These kits’ construction paper, coloring pens, glue, instructions, and similar materials can encourage recipients to construct a “gratitude paper chain” or a “thankful turkey,” which can double as Thanksgiving decorations, too.
Pie Pastry Chef
Thanksgiving isn’t complete without homemade pie. Have a young baker in your house? Let her choose one, or all, from All Recipes’ collection of Thanksgiving pie recipes so she can bake for pie-hungry clients in your area.
Beverage Maker
If baking isn’t a hobby your girl can turn into a business, how about making non-alcoholic beverages? She can bottle up ready-to-drink portions that several households need for their respective dinners and parties. We found these drink options online.
After-Thanksgiving Household Helper
Parents need help packing leftovers and making the most of these leftovers for future meals. They also need help in taking down decorations and making room for the next holiday season. They can delegate the work to your girl as their household helper. She can also get a head start on the next holiday and market her services as a decorator.
Gift Wrapping Assistant
Gift items purchased from Black Friday sales need to be wrapped and labeled correctly. Your girl can volunteer, with pay, of course, as an assistant. She’ll surely make list-making and gift wrapping less stressful for busy parents, neighbors, and family friends.
A special day like Thanksgiving goes much better when your girl has an important job to do. Not only does she feel empowered, but she also understands Thanksgiving traditions better and helps others appreciate the holiday even more. Your girl can also give thanks for what she has in life by giving back. For example, she can set aside a portion of her business earnings and donate it to a non-profit organization, charity, or shelter. All the best to you and your girls this holiday season. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
