Retired but Want To Work? Try These 5 Jobs for Seniors That Involve Working With Kids
Written by
John Csiszar
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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If you’re a senior who loves working with kids, a side gig taking care of children might be a dream come true. Not only can you pick up some extra income during retirement, but you can enjoy fulfilling work that keeps your mind occupied and your heart light.
In some cases, you may be able to work flexible hours that you choose, while in others you’ll have to conform to the demands of your employer. So, you should always do your research before signing up for any particular gig. With that in mind, here are some top options for seniors looking for work and want to work with children.
Elementary School Librarian
If your idea of a perfect afternoon is reading to or recommending books to kids, then being an elementary school librarian could be right up your alley. If you’re looking for a full-time gig, you could pull down about $59,000 per year on average, but if you’re retired, you’re likely looking for a part-time, afternoon or weekend gig.
In that case, you can expect to earn about $30 per hour, not bad for a job that you love. Depending on the library, you might be asked to do anything from checking books in and out to creating presentations, coordinating author visits or developing kid-friendly activities.
Tutor
Tutoring can involve anything from teaching students a single subject in a one-on-one environment to conducting group lessons across a variety of topics. You may be able to run your tutoring sessions completely online, or you may have to go to an institution or a student’s home to provide in-person instruction.
Generally speaking, the more advanced the subject matter you teach, the more money you can earn. Preparing high school students for advanced placement exams, for example, can be more lucrative than teaching elementary school students rudimentary grammar. However, your own education and qualifications can also play a role in how much you can earn.
According to ZipRecruiter, hourly wages for tutors can range between $8 to $32, but the majority make between $14 and $24.
Substitute Teacher
Substitute teachers are always in demand, and it’s a great job if you’re interested in working with kids. You’ll likely have to be very flexible, but the variety of assignments you receive should help keep you active as a senior.
In some cases, you may just fill in for teachers on an emergency basis, but you may also be called upon to stick with a specific class while a teacher undergoes a long-term absence. Either way, you’ll have to get up to speed quickly on the lesson plan of the absent teacher, and you’ll have to find a way to connect with and motivate your students.
Bear in mind that you’ll also have to love what you do, because according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median wage for a short-term substitute teacher is just $13.84 per hour.
Camp Counselor
If you’re looking for a more energetic way to work with kids, being a camp counselor or director can be a good option. These jobs are typically seasonal in nature, and they require active involvement with kids of varying ages in a number of capacities.
Duties can range from developing and leading camp programs and recreational opportunities to maintaining schedules, surveilling camp participants and understanding safety and emergency procedures. Camp counselors often form strong bonds with participants and find the work to be highly fulfilling. Hourly wages range from about $8 to $22 per hour, according to ZipRecruiter.
Sports Coach
Sports coaches work closely with youths to develop their physical skills. But as any successful coach will tell you, there’s so much more that goes into the job — especially when working with kids.
Coaches are mentors, and they often help teach life skills like teamwork, mental toughness and persistence in addition to the basics of any individual sport. It can be demanding to be a coach, however, so you’ll want to make sure you’re up for the task before you sign on. Sports coaches often have to work irregular hours, travel, and put in extra time at home or after normal training hours that may or may not be paid.
Hourly wages aren’t generally that high, but the fulfillment that comes from the gig often outweighs any shortfalls in income.
Special Note: Working in Retirement and Social Security
Important to note is that if you work after you start drawing Social Security benefits, your payout might be temporarily reduced.
If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, the Social Security Administration will deduct $1 from your payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit, which is $22,320 for 2024. In the year you reach full retirement age, the deduction decreases to $1 for every $3 you earn above a different limit — $59,520 for 2024.
Once you reach full retirement age, however, there are no deductions at all. In fact, once you reach full retirement age, the SSA will recalculate your benefit to include any payments withheld in prior years.
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