When you choose to be a babysitter, you can be a good one or one that is there in the house but who is not really interacting with the children. If you want to ensure that you get more babysitting jobs, to make it more fun for the children and to make the job easier on you, you will want the kids that you babysit to be happy. Coming over armed with a variety of games and activities will help make that happen.
Outdoor Activities
Take the children on a nature walk right in their own backyard. You can look for squirrels, birds, rocks and leaves. Ask questions, such as how many colors can they can see on the leaves or what does tree bark feel like, suggests the Free Kid Crafts website. Be quiet and listen for a while. Let the kids tell you what they hear. Let them collect some interesting pieces out in the yard, and come in and make a nature collage with them.
Making Food
If you have permission from the parents, you can make some easy treats that you can all enjoy. Chocolate Crackles are fun and easy to make, according to “Kids’ Cookbook” by James Mitchell. Get 2/3 cup chocolate–milk, white or dark. Break it up and put it in a microwave-safe bowl, along with 1 tbsp. honey and 4 tbsp. butter. Microwave for 30 seconds or until the chocolate is melted. Stir the mixture until smooth, and then stir in 1 1/3 cup cornflakes until the cornflakes are completely covered. Put a spoonful of the mixture into each of a set of paper cupcake cases, cool to room temperature, and put them in the refrigerator until they set.
Crafting
Most kids like to make macaroni necklaces. You will need rubbing alcohol, food coloring, macaroni and yarn or thin elastic cording. Dye the macaroni by mixing 2 to 3 tbsp. rubbing alcohol with a few drops of food coloring. Put some macaroni pieces in a plastic bag with the food coloring mix. Let them dry on paper towels. Do this with a few different colors. Cut your yarn or cording to be the length you want it for the necklace. Put on one piece of macaroni, and tie it to one end to keep the rest of the macaroni from falling off. String the rest of the macaroni, leaving a few inches on the end to tie it off.
Homework
Having a babysitter help with homework will probably be more fun than having parents do it. If the children you are babysitting are old enough to have homework, this is a good activity to do before you put them to bed.
Singing
Even if you think you cannot hold a tune, sing some songs with the children you are babysitting. Not only do kids like to sing, music can reduce stress, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. If the children are uncomfortable with mom and dad gone, some fun sing-along songs, such as the “A-B-C Song,” “B-I-N-G-O” or “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” might help the children forget all about their fears.
Photo Credit
- two female kids painting picture with chalk image by fotosergio from Fotolia.com
