Children are out of school during the summer months. However, their parents still have to work and need someone to watch them during the day. Working as a babysitter can be fun for the college student who loves children. There is no hard labor involved in babysitting, and your days could be filled with activities, such as trips to local museums, amusement parks, restaurants and beaches.
According to the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, the 2008 report "Parents and the High Price of Child Care" showed that parents spend an average of up to $15,895 a year on full-time care at child care centers for infants, up to $11,680 for 4-year-olds and up to $10,720 a year for school-aged children. The average cost of child care in a home setting is up to $10,324 a year for infants, $9,805 for 4-year-olds and $7,124 for school-aged children.
College students can charge less than the average child care center while still earning a decent wage.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services estimates that there are 17,500 museums in the United States. During the summer, museum attendance increases, as school is not in session and families take summer vacations. A report released February 2010 by the American Association of Museums reported a 57.4 percent increase in 2009 over the previous year in attendance at museums across the country. The survey cites more aggressive marketing efforts, "staycations" (vacations people take close to home), low admission costs, new exhibits and the escape from stress that museums offer as the reasons for the increase.
Whatever the reason for the increase, more staff members could be needed at these facilities to help out with more foot traffic. Working as a museum tour guide gives a college student the opportunity to learn more about a particular field while in the comforts of an air conditioned facility. Museum tour guides educate, assist and interpret exhibits for guests.
Library workers assist patrons to check in and check out books, magazines and other materials in the facility. A library worker also helps to stock shelves and organize files in the facility. School campus libraries, as well as city and county libraries, regularly hire students during the summer. For the most part, the days library assistants will have to work are Mondays through Fridays. However, there are a few libraries that open for limited hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Most libraries operate from 10 a.m. to no later than 9 p.m. on certain days.
Many parents use the summer months to refresh their children's brains on what they have learned throughout the school year. Some young students also have summer reading assignments that require book reports. Local school districts, tutoring companies and community centers hire workers during the summer to tutor young students on summer vacation.