How to make money for 12 year olds

What is realistic for a child this age

Nobody under 18 can be formally employed in India, and no legitimate company pays a child to work for them online or offline. Any website or app that promises quick money to a child, or asks a child to pay first, should be treated with suspicion and always checked with a parent.

Realistic pocket-money ideas for a 9, 10, 11 or 12 year old mostly happen at home or in the neighbourhood, with a parent's knowledge: helping with household chores for a small allowance, selling drawings, crafts or baked goods at a family stall or to neighbours, helping an elder relative with simple tasks, or recycling items for a small reward.

Online activities for children need a parent in charge

Any online activity for a child, including surveys, games or apps that mention rewards, should be set up and watched over by a parent, using the parent's own account and details.

Paid surveys and rewards sites: what they actually are

Paid surveys are short market-research questionnaires from survey companies. A completed survey adds a small reward to an account balance. Survey providers look for specific age groups and profiles, and most surveys are built for adults, so a child will be screened out of many of them.

PocketsFull is one such rewards site. It is free to join, never asks for a deposit, and lets members do surveys and offers and redeem the rewards they collect. The minimum age to use it is 13, and anyone under 18 needs a parent or legal guardian's consent, so for a younger child this is something a parent sets up and manages, not something the child signs up for alone.

• Surveys: short questionnaires from survey providers that add a reward to the balance when completed.
• Offers: tasks from partners, such as trying an app or game and reaching the steps it lists.
• Free browser games: a separate section for fun, with no sign-up and no rewards.

What to watch out for

Any site or app that asks a child, or a parent, to pay money to start earning is not legitimate, since genuine rewards come only from completing surveys or offers, never from a payment going the other way.

Offers that sound too easy, promise fast riches, or ask for bank or card details beyond a payout method should be avoided. A parent should always be the one checking emails, filling in profile details and approving any redemption.

How rewards are redeemed

On PocketsFull, rewards build up as a balance and are redeemed for gift cards, with the catalogue depending on the member's country, so an account in India shows Indian brands.

In India, UPI is also on the redeem screen, paid to a UPI ID such as one from Paytm, PhonePe or Google Pay, alongside PayPal and Litecoin. A parent should be the one choosing and managing whichever option is used for a child's account.

Where PocketsFull fits in

PocketsFull is not a job and not a source of income. It is a free rewards site where members collect small rewards by doing surveys and offers, which a parent can set up and oversee for a child who is old enough, alongside everyday pocket-money ideas like chores or helping around the house.