
Dividends Explained: How Kids Can Earn Passive Income from Stocks
Imagine if your child could earn money every few months without doing any extra work. Sounds too good to be true? Thatโs exactly what happens when they invest in dividend-paying stocks!
โ
Dividends are free money for owning stocks. ๐ฐ
โ
They teach kids about passive income. ๐ฆ
โ
The earlier kids start, the more theyโll earn over time. ๐
โ
Dividends can help build generational wealth. ๐
In this guide, weโll break down what dividends are, how they work, and why they are a powerful way for kids to build wealth through passive income.

Step 1: What Are Dividends?
1. A Dividend is a Reward for Owning Stocks
When kids invest in a dividend-paying company, they get a small cash payment every few monthsโjust for being an owner!
๐ Example:
If a child owns 10 shares of McDonald's stock (MCD) and McDonald's pays a $1.50 dividend per share, they get $15 in passive incomeโwithout doing anything!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Dividends are like a thank-you gift for investing!"
2. Where Does Dividend Money Come From?
When big companies make a lot of profit, they share a portion of that profit with investors in the form of dividends.
๐ Example:
Every time people buy a burger from McDonald's, part of the money goes toward paying investors dividends.
Every time someone buys an iPhone, Appleโs profits increaseโand some of it goes to investors as dividends!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"When a company makes money, so do its investors!"
Step 2: Why Dividends Are a Smart Way to Make Money
1. Dividends Provide Passive Income
โ
Passive income means earning money without working.
โ
Dividends are paid even if kids never sell their stocks.
โ
They can use dividends to buy more stocks and make even more money!
๐ Example:
If a child owns 100 shares of Coca-Cola, and Coca-Cola pays a $0.50 dividend per share, they get $50 every quarter (4 times a year)!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"You donโt have to work to make moneyโdividends pay you automatically!"
2. Dividends Grow Over Time (Compounding Effect)
Instead of spending dividends, kids can reinvest them to buy more stocks, making their money grow even faster!
๐ Example:
A child earns $10 in dividends and reinvests it to buy more shares.
Over time, those new shares also pay dividends, creating a money snowball!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"The more you invest, the more you earn, and the more your money grows!"
Step 3: How to Find the Best Dividend Stocks for Kids
1. Look for Companies That Pay Dividends Regularly
Not all companies pay dividends. The best ones to invest in are companies that:
โ
Have been paying dividends for many years (Ex: McDonald's, Apple, Coca-Cola).
โ
Increase their dividends over time (Ex: Nike, Johnson & Johnson).
โ
Are stable, well-known brands (Ex: Disney, Procter & Gamble).
๐ Example Activity:
Have kids look up their favorite companies and check if they pay dividends.
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Pick stocks that pay you to own them!"
2. Avoid High-Risk Dividend Stocks
Some companies pay very high dividends but might not be safe long-term.
๐ Example:
A small new company might pay a 10% dividend but could go bankrupt next year.
A big strong company like Coca-Cola only pays 3% but has paid dividends for 100+ years!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Slow and steady wins the raceโchoose safe dividend stocks!"
Step 4: Fun Ways to Teach Kids About Dividends
๐ฒ Game 1: The Money Machine Challenge
Give kids two choices:
๐ธ Spend $100 on toys (money gone).
๐น Invest $100 in a dividend stock (money grows and pays them back).Track who earns more money over time.
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Investing turns money into a money machine!"
๐ Game 2: The Dividend Snowball Experiment
Give kids fake money and let them reinvest their "dividends" into more "stocks".
Watch how their earnings grow bigger every round!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Reinvesting makes your money grow faster!"
๐ก Game 3: The Passive Income Field Trip
Visit a store like McDonald's or Apple and explain:
Every time someone buys food or an iPhone, stockholders make money!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Dividends come from real businesses making real money!"
Step 5: How to Get Kids Started with Dividend Investing
โ 1. Open a Kid-Friendly Investment Account
Parents can open a custodial brokerage account so kids can start investing.
๐น Best Brokers for Kids:
Fidelity Youth Account (Great for dividend stocks).
Charles Schwab Custodial Account (Great for reinvesting dividends).
Stockpile (Allows kids to buy small pieces of dividend stocks).
๐ Example Activity:
Let kids help pick their first dividend stock and watch their dividends grow!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"This is your first step toward financial freedom!"
โ 2. Start with Small Investments
Kids donโt need a lot of money to startโthey can invest just $10 or $20 at a time!
๐ Best Beginner Dividend Stocks for Kids:
McDonaldโs (MCD) โ Pays dividends every quarter.
Coca-Cola (KO) โ Has paid dividends for over 100 years.
Apple (AAPL) โ Pays dividends and grows in value over time.
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Every little investment helps grow your money tree!"
โ 3. Reinvest Dividends to Build Wealth Faster
Instead of spending dividend money, kids should reinvest it to buy more stocks.
๐ Example:
If a child reinvests $50 in dividends every year, theyโll earn even more dividends next year!
๐ก Lesson for Kids:
"Reinvesting dividends is like planting seeds that grow into money trees!"
Conclusion: Start Teaching Your Kids Dividend Investing Today!
By learning about dividends and passive income, kids will:
โ
Understand how to make money without working.
โ
Develop smart investing habits early.
โ
Build long-term wealth through passive income.
โ
Learn how to grow their money for life!
And the best part? You donโt have to figure it out alone!
๐ Get The Stock Investing Bundle for Families at 96% OFF! ๐
Weโve created the ultimate stock market guide for families who want to teach kids about investing and financial success.
For a limited time, you can grab The Stock Investing Bundle for Families at an incredible 96% discount! Inside, youโll get:
๐ Step-by-step stock investing guides for beginners.
๐ Fun activities & games to teach kids about dividends.
๐ฐ Smart investing strategies for long-term growth.
๐ฅ And much more!
๐ Donโt miss out! Click here to secure your bundle today:
๐ www.childrentowealth.com/stocks
This offer wonโt lastโstart teaching your kids investing today! ๐๐ฐ๐