Babysitting Games & Things To Do While Babysitting

Babysitting Games and Activities

Here are over 70 fun ideas for babysitting activities!

These babysitting games are both entertaining and educational.  Use these activities to promote speech and language development, thinking skills, and fine and gross motor skills.  Play is such a great way to have fun children, while also helping build their skills!

Be led by the child’s interests

Let the child guide you. Find out what the children are interested in. What are their favorite things?  Observe them and engage in their play.  It's such a great way to connect and build trust. Ask the parents about the child's interests before your first babysitting shift. This way you can come prepared with some great ideas.  Plan ahead to have a few enjoyable babysitting games or activities prepared, so you'll start with some fun ideas to engage the children.

Be guided by the parents

Ask the parents if there are any activities or games they’d like you to help with.  Tired and time-poor parents will be delighted to have your input!  Are there activities or outings they'd like you to do with the kids? Some families want the children to spend more time outdoors playing in the yard. Parents might want you to get the kids out of the house for a play at the local park.  Others might like you to spend unhurried time at home, unwinding. Also check if there are things the parents don't want you to do too (e.g., limits on tv or gaming).

There are literally hundreds of baby sitting games to play. Here are a few to get you started.

Gather craft supplies for babysitting

Collect some craft supplies for babysitting.  Make a box of fun art and craft items for kids. A well stocked craft box will help you find inspiration and plenty of things to do with children. This is especially helpful for rainy days when you're indoors and looking for inspiration!  Bring along your own craft box, or ask the parents if they have some supplies they’re happy for you to use.

Some craft supplies include

• Plain & colored paper
• Cardboard
• Glue
• Glitter
• Crayons, pencils, markers
• Scotch tape
• Cardboard boxes or tubes of all sizes
• Egg cartons
• Paper cups
• Pipe cleaners
• Pom poms
• Popsicle sticks
• Stick-on googley eyes
• Felt
• Ribbons
• Fabric scraps
• Paper plates
• Paint
• Paint brushes
• Small scissors
• Old magazines

20 Fun art and craft activities for babysitting

Here's a long list of babysitting ideas to keep the children inspired with art and craft.

1. Make some homemade playdough - use a simple microwave recipe.
2. Create a folded paper chatterbox for a fun, interactive game.
3. Make funny animal masks - use cardboard or paper plates, crayons, ears, feathers. and elastic or ribbon to make masks of favorite animals.
4. Design funny faces - use paper plates with paint and glitter to make funny faces .
5. Outline hand or foot prints with crayon. Mom and dad will love this!
6. Make an alligator - use egg cartons with green crayons and paint.
7. Thread some stylish bracelets - with cheerios on fine elastic.
8. Make a colorful collage - with glue, paper and pictures from pages of magazines.
9. Paint an abstract artwork with brushes, rollers, stencils, stamps, sponges of all shapes and sizes.
10. Make art with stickers - place stickers (e.g., frogs, butterflies) on coloured paper to make an easy ‘no mess’ artwork.
11. Use stencils  - trace with stencils, paper, crayons or paint and rollers.
12. Draw a life sized self-portrait - trace around the child’s body lying on butcher's paper for a life-sized portrait.
13. Create an under the sea scene - use lots of green paper (cellophane and wrapping paper) to create a background.  Stick on shapes for fish and coral and undersea life!
14. Make hand puppets - use colorful socks to create simple puppets for your hands.  Glue on or sew on some buttons for eyes and some stands of wool for hair.
15. Design aerodynamic planes - create your own flying machines with some basic printer paper. Try different designs to see who can fly further.
16. Create fun pasta necklaces - use pasta tubes, paint, glitter and elastic to make some stylish necklaces.
17. Adopt a pet rock - design a pet rock with rocks, paint, markers, and sticker-eyes.
18. Design spoons for a Spoonville - use wooden or plastic spoons to create characters for your own spoonville.
19. Cut out snowflakes - fold paper and cut out sections to make snowflakes to create your very own snow scene! 
20. Make music shakers - use small plastic bottles filled with rice to create your own shakers.

20 Great indoor babysitting activities and games

There are lots of fun babysitting games and activities to play indoors. Sometimes the simplest thing will entertain children for hours. Who doesn't love a pillow fort? Or a pretend train trip in cardboard boxes?!

1. Hold a puppet show using sock puppets and boxes for sets.
2. Take turns reading to each other, invent stories, listen to audiobooks.
3. Make a story book about the child - ‘all about me’!
4. Play with Lego.
5. Create a blanket or pillow fort.
6. Sing and dance to favorite songs on Spotify.
7. Create music with instruments or with improvised kitchen implements.
8. Play board games.
9. Play card games.
10. Have fun with dress ups.
11. Play hide and seek.
12. Build an indoor cubby house with lots of boxes.
13. Bake and decorate cupcakes.
14. Host a teddy bears' picnic.
15. Take pretend train rides sitting in big boxes, lined up like carriages.
16. Go indoor camping in a blanket fort.
17. Play ten pin bowling with plastic cups.
18. Play the Freeze / Dancing Game, switching music off and on.
19. Play Simon Says.
20. Use TV and technology - ask the parents what limits they set and work within this.

20 Active outdoor activities for babysitting

Getting outdoors is so beneficial for children's health and wellness. Outdoor activities also give you lots of things to do when babysitting. Whether you’re at home or taking the kids to the local park, there are plenty of ways to explore the outdoors. Always get parents' permission before you go on outings. Remember to take hats, bike helmets, sunscreen, water and snacks. For smaller children be sure to take the nappy bag, with all the essentials. Here are some ideas for outdoor play:

1. Play in the sandpit.
2. Blow bubbles.
3. Go on a treasure hunt around the yard.
4. Make mud cakes in the yard.
5. Use a roller brush and water on the fence to pretend to paint.
6. Plant a herb garden.
7. Visit the local park to play.
8. Ride bikes.
9. Ride scooters.
10. Skate board.
11. Lie on the ground and watch the clouds.
12. Play ball games.
13. Have a teddy bear picnic at the park.
14. Draw a chalk hopscotch on the footpath.
15. Play basketball.
16. Kick around a soccer ball.
17. Football.
18. Create chalk art on the footpath.
19. Take an 'awe walk' where you look for 'awesome' things.
20. Create your own obstacle course in the backyard with boxes and brooms.

10 Easy things to bake or make with kids in the kitchen

Baking is such a great activity to do when babysitting children. It often works well with children who are 4 years of age and older. Get permission from the parents to use the kitchen and their ingredients to bake. Or offer to bring ingredients along and get reimbursed.  Importantly ask the parents about any food allergies, to avoid issues. Plan ahead to ensure the space and the activity is done safely with the children. You might choose a 'no bake' recipe to avoid using the stove or oven. Or you might choose to bring along something pre-baked and spend the time on decorating. Remember to always keep small children away from hot stove tops, ovens, hot water, and sharp objects in the kitchen. Always make sure you turn appliances off at the wall. Here are some fun baking ideas to get you started:

1. Create and decorate gingerbread people.
2. Make jelly cups - fill clear plastic cups with different coloured jelly.
3. Put frogs in jelly - put chocolate frogs into jelly cups when they're half set.
4. Pour homemade icy poles.
5. Make 'funny face' cookies - put frosting on a plain cookie with white icing and add candies on top to create faces.
6. Roll ‘no bake’ chocolate truffles.
7. Make a ‘no bake’ slice.
8. Decorate muffins and cakes with colored frosting and decorations - sprinkles, mini marshmallows, m&ms.
9. Make fruit skewers.
10.  Make pancakes.

Engaging Kids Activities for Seasonal Celebrations

Using the seasons and events is a great way to plan fun things to do while babysitting. It helps mark special occasions and also teaches children about the months and seasons of the year. Use a calendar to show the children the year and where the month and day falls.  Some special days and celebrations you can plan for include:

• February 14th - Valentines Day - cut out and color in love hearts to hang around the house.
• March 17th - St Patrick's Day - make anything green - jello, cupcakes or cookies!  Draw a 4 leaf clover.
• April - Easter - make an Easter bonnet, go on an Easter egg hunt.
• May - Mothers Day - make a gift or card for mom.
• June - Fathers Day - make a gift or card for dad.
• July 14th Bastille Day - eat croissants for morning tea.
• October 31st - Halloween - make a costume or a basket for trick or treating.
• December 25th - Christmas - make decorations for the tree, bake cookies, write a letter to Santa.
• Ask about traditions their family celebrates.

We hope these ideas help you find lots of great things to do when babysitting. You'll be the best babysitter with these games and activities. We hope you enjoy these babysitting ideas and feel free to send through new ideas for us to add to the list!