Babysitting Ideas
Entertaining and Fun Babysitting Ideas
Babysitting can be a little difficult if you aren’t well stocked on fun babysitting ideas to entertain the children. Regardless of the child’s age, most children are either a little off-put by not having their parents around, or they see it as an opportunity to get away with things they wouldn’t normally be able to do. In order to make sure that they don’t resort to naughty behavior, you can keep their minds stimulated with games and other activities that will help to pass the time. We are going to talk about some simple yet highly entertaining and kid-friendly games that any babysitter can put together in a jiffy.
This first activity is sure to keep young children busy for ages. I think every child experimented with tasting play dough, but this play dough recipe is great because it not only provides squishy, gooey fun, but it’s also edible! For this recipe, you will need half a cup of smooth peanut butter, half a cup of honey, and a cup of powdered milk. Mix the ingredients together well and then knead until it becomes smooth. Store in a sealed Ziploc bag at room temperature.
Another great idea is to whip up some salt clay for the little one to mould into their shape of choice. It can be baked at 300 degrees Fahrenheit and only requires an hour of baking—plenty of time to whip up a souvenir for junior to take home with him! To make the clay, mix together two cups of flour, a cup of salt, one to one and a half cups of cold water, and two tablespoons of cooking oil.
You may even want to put together a “Babysitting Ideas Kit” that you can easily take with you. In this kit, you might stock craft supplies such as popsicle sticks, crayons, construction paper, safety scissors, and other items that the children can use to make crafts. You might also stock it with age-appropriate board games that you can play together, DVDs (especially the favorites of whomever you are babysitting), and even color sheets printed from the Internet.
Have trouble getting the kids to sleep at nap or bed time? Why not initiate dance time about two hours before it’s time for sleep? This will not only give them some healthy exercise and keep them entertained, but it will also sap their energy so that when bed time rolls around they are more than ready to hit the hay!
Organize a scavenger hunt! Prepare index cards with pictures of the items each child is supposed to find around the house. These items can be “prizes” that you’ve brought over yourself, such as treats, books, and toys, or they can be typical household items (remember safety rules!). If you bring the scavenger items yourself, you might make it so the child gets to keep each item he/she finds, or you can collect and exchange them for a treat or toy.
If you find that the child you are babysitting is a bit rowdy (or a lot, in some cases), try to institute a reward system. Use a treat like gummy bears, M&M’s or red rope licorice. The idea is that the child can have the treat before he goes home or before you leave as long as he was good. Each time he is naughty, a little of the treat is taken away.
The babysitting ideas mentioned in this article are just the icing on the cake that is babysitting entertainment! Kids are chock full of imagination, so with a little creativity on your part you can keep them entertained (and well behaved!) for hours!