When I started my blog I was writing posts about onesie extenders and behavior charts and baby bibs–and now my baby is babysitting! My how times have changed! I have always tried to blog about things that are relevant to me. Stuff I actually use and need and want! And 2 years ago I would have never guessed I would be blogging about a babysitting kit–but this is where the path led!
She started babysitting during the summer and I told her, “Listen, these ladies aren’t paying you to watch movies with their kids. They are paying you to play with their kids and keep their house clean.” I put her on Pinterest and told her to check out all the fun ideas there were….and she went for it! Two weekends she spent making activities and games and her first few paychecks she spent at the dollar store to buy stuff! So I thought I would share all the fun stuff! (she actually has a whole box full of stuff that’s in her closet…and when she gets asked to babysit she just goes through it and picks out activities for the proper age of the kids!)
I actually added some fun heat transfer vinyl from Expressions Vinyl –cause everything is better with vinyl! (this is called confetti!
Here are some random things she picked up at the dollar store.
Giant dice (they come in handy for lots of games) chalk, frisbee, jump rope, ball, foam (or playdoh), stickers, puzzles, and coloring stuff. And then she created these fun games:
She said this is one of the kids most requested game! So easy and the kids love playing animals!
TREASURE MAPS
Anytime I get a fun package I save all that brown paper packaging they use to wrap around it…She keeps them and sometimes they make “treasure maps”
You could also create a car mat
FISHING GAME
Another thing she created was a fishing game. She drew all these fun fish (and I laminated them– love my laminater!!) We clipped some paper clips on each fish. Had a stick, added a string and glued a magnet on the end!
We printed out a few of these and laminated them and use those giant foam dice from the dollar store!
she also plays THIS OLAF ONE
This is just paper plates and a paper towel tube! fun to try to ring around the tube!
She also has a couple don’t eat pete printables in there…(She will grab a bag of marshmallows or fruit loops to use as treats!)
LASER MAZE
She creates these laser mazes down hallways! fun and easy activity! The kids love this one! Just yarn and painter’s tape!
RAINBOW SCAVENGER HUNT
This is fun for inside or outside! Find something that matches each color!
Her painting it…(just proof that she actually did this herself!)
My kids fought over these last summer! who knew two cans could be so much fun!
These I spy bags are great for quiet time…and really cheap to make!
MARBLE RACE
She sliced a pool noodle in half (you can get this at the dollar store!) and threw in a couple marbles
BUBBLE WRAP–always handy to have on hand!
Super cool to use as a road for cars
or a fun hopscotch mat
any of these would be super fun–and most things are found around the house!
Also super fun to play inside or outside! Or ditch the plates and just see how long each person can keep a balloon up in the air!
TIN CAN BOWLING (you can also flip these upside down and toss things in them.)
She played this one a lot this summer
MARSHMALLOW BUILDING
A quick and easy activity that you can eat! Just toothpicks and marshmallows!
Last but not least:
TARGET TOSS
She went through my scrap fabric and found some squares and filled with rice. Then fold up the edges and wrap with a rubber band!
Then she makes a target on the ground with painter’s tape and they toss them into the target!
We played at home and both kids took turns tossing them in to see how close they could get!
She sometimes takes the cans from tin can bowling and the kids can try to toss them into the cans!
So there you go! Fun ideas that are totally cheap and easy!
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Susan says
What a great idea. My girls babysat lots when they were younger. They each had a collection of tried-and-true games that they’d play with the kids. I’ve shared tips I wish parents knew before they hired a babysitter (yes, personal experience can teach a lot, can’t it?). http://organized31.com/tips-on-hiring-a-teen-babysitter/