Young Video Creator
Make short videos for family friends’ small businesses, while learning to film and edit.
- Ages
- 10–12
- Startup budget
- $12–$27
- Time per week
- About 4 hours
- Parent involvement
- High
- Preparation
- Some prep
- Type
- Service
- Where to sell
- In person & online
- Time to start
- 2–3 weeks to make sample videos
About this idea
Many kids dream of being content creators. A realistic first step is making short videos for people you know, like a family friend’s bakery, a craft seller or a local event, and getting paid for it.
Most video platforms require users to be at least 13, and public channels take a long time to earn anything. Younger creators can learn the craft now and appear only on accounts a parent owns and manages.
A great fit for
- Kids who love filming and editing
- Natural storytellers
- Families with small-business friends
What you’ll need
| Item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Phone or tabletAlready at home | Free |
| Free video-editing app | Free |
| Small phone tripod | $12 |
| Clip-on microphoneOptional | $15 |
| Subtotal (without optional) | $12 |
Assumes: Assumes a phone or tablet at home and a free editing app.
Total to start
$12$27 with optional extras
What parents do
Parent involvement: HighSupervising every session or going along on every job
- Own and manage any online accounts
- Find and arrange every job with people you know
- Review every video before it’s shared
- Handle payments
Your child: about 4 hours a week making, selling and planning once it’s up and running.
Step by step
Learn the basics
Practice steady shots, good light and short clips. Learn to cut, add music and add titles in a free app.
Make three samples
Film a family recipe, a pet or a craft project. Keep each under one minute.
Offer it to people you know
A parent offers short videos to family friends with small businesses or upcoming events.
Plan each video
Agree what the customer wants, sketch a few shots and film in one session.
Deliver and review
Send the video through the parent and ask for one round of feedback.
Costs & pricing example
Cost to make one short video
$0
Example price
$20
Profit per short video
$20
If your child sells 6 shorts video at $20, that’s $120 in sales and about $120 profit after materials. The $12 startup cost is earned back after about 1 short video.
Price per finished video of up to 60 seconds. The main cost is time, so track how long each one takes.
These numbers are illustrative examples, not guaranteed earnings. Prices vary by supplier and location.
Where to sell
Family friends with small businesses
Bakers, crafters and market sellers often need short videos.
Family events
Birthday or celebration highlight videos.
Skills your child will build
- Filming and editing
- Storytelling
- Working with clients
- Online safety
Common challenges
- Shaky or dark footage
- Try this: Use the tripod and film near a window or outdoors.
- Editing takes forever
- Try this: Plan shots before filming. Less footage means faster editing.
Safety & parent notes
- Online, parent-run
- Most video platforms require users to be 13 or older. Any account should be owned and managed by a parent.
- Never share your child’s full name, school or location, and keep comments off or moderated.
- Don’t film people without their permission, especially other children.
A note for parents
Channel the content-creator dream into real skills: planning, filming, editing and working for a client. Those are valuable whatever platform comes next.
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