Babysitting Kits
Always bring your imagination and sense of humor.
Put all materials in a decorated and easy to grab bag:
old sheets or old clothes for dress up or making tents (optional)
crayons, washable markers, pencils, paper, safety scissors, craft materials. (include any or all of these)
First Aid kit (and the knowledge to use it).
Words to children's songs--Five Little Speckled Frogs, The Wheels on the Bus, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, There's a hole in the bottom of the sea, Mary Had a Little Lamb, etc. See Camp Songs.
Game ideas--hokey pokey, I'm a little teapot, duck duck goose, Ring around the Rosy, Motor Boat Motor Boat, Mr. Fox, Hide and Seek, 20 Questions, Oink, hand clapping games (see Party Games and Camp Games and Skits)
Usually I would only take some things, depending on how long I was going to be there,
what the kids already had, etc. The starred stuff especially, you need to get
permission to use. And you need to take into account the weather, no jump-ropes when
it's fifteen below! I kept it all in a box, taking the necessary stuff in a gym bag,
less conspicuous.
Kid Kits:
*Hair Things (sturdy, can be washed)
Especially for girls from around 7-11, things like scrunchies, ribbons, etc. For
some reason little girls love having people mess with their hair, as long as you wash the
stuff out afterwards in HOT water, you should be okay.
*Kool-Aid/drink mixes
Especially for longer visits, you can make them into ice cubes, I used them by making them
when I first got there, then using them at dinner in water... the kids think it is
hilarious
*Recipes
For EASY things, like party mixes or trail mixes, things that are easy to clean up!
*Crayons & Paper
Crayons, not ink or marker! Scrap paper is great, like reports from parent's work, my
stepdad used to bring home all the old lists from work, five years later we still haven't
used them all!
Book of Nursery Rhymes
Book of Riddles
Big Book of Puzzles
*Face Painting Stuff
*Crafts:
Paper Plates
Ribbon
Sewing Needle (big)
Colorful Yarns
Paper Grocery Bags
Rubber Bands
White Glue
Glitter (older kids only, unless you will clean up EVERY speck of glitter!)
Big Chalk
Cheap Construction Paper
Cheap Smocks (buy a pack of XXXL Men's Under Shirts, for little kids Medium)
Old greeting card faces (especially if you don't keep your old greeting cards)
Old magazines
Masking Tape
Scripture Stories (the Church sells those Stories for kids, great for reading to them
$2.50 apiece)
Funny Toys
Stuff like Jacob's Ladder, older toys like Jacks, etc., Yo-yo, jumping rope
KidFile
I used a simple system to keep track of each family, emergency numbers, allergies, and so
forth, put them in a binder, take it with me. Also helps if a friend is over, you
will need info on that kid too, if you've taken care of him, you already have it!
Little First Aid Kit --Sometimes you don't want to rummage around for supplies, if you
know where your kit is, you know where the supplies are...
Aspirin (for the babysitter!!!)
FHE Handbook
Great ideas for last minute stuff, especially the last section! ~Sarah Marie
My daughter did this as a Beehive and she uses this kit whenever she baby-sits. She uses a tote bag (Actually it is a canvas grocery bag-holds up better) In it she has her notebook of info, books, crayons, games, flannel stories, and the most anticipated item-a Disney video. She makes note of what each of her families have and brings in a video they don't have. Many times the parents will hand the video to me on Sunday because the kids just wanted to see it "one more time". We have quite an extensive collection. She will also bring a special "treat" to share with the kids. Her notebook has instructions for the parents and instructions the parents can fill out for her. She also has a list of emergency numbers and a small first aid kit. Needless to say, she is very popular as a baby-sitter and has really used this project over and over. Hope this helps. ~Kathy
We did this last year. It went really well. We invited the oldest girls in primary to come and join us, they thought they were pretty cool. Anyway, I just went to the store downtown and they gave me all their shoe boxes. I bought cute mac tac and that is how they decorated them. The same night I had a brother in our ward who is a EMT, come teach a little first aid. Things the girls might need to know when babysitting children. He gave them emergency # stickers, a pamphlet on first aid. Then we made up small (very small) first aid kits. They can add to them if they want. We put a couple recipes in, the girls brought some small story books. Then sent them home to keep filling the box. ~Rosilyn
Back several years ago, when I was in 4-H, we made a babysitting kit out of cardboard
detergent boxes (the kind that are the size of large powdered milk boxes -- the tops of
the boxes fold over and you insert a plastic handle through the holes. --
hopefully you know the kind) Anyway, we covered the box with material. One side had
flannel material (for a flannel board story) (one of the larger sides). On one of
the short sides of the box, we had matching shapes (more easily done nowadays with glue
gun and velcro). I can't remember what we had the other 2 sides, but you could use
your imagination. Then inside the box, we could put our stories and the other stuff you
need (plus all the other wonderful ideas that have been submitted).
I only wish I had my box now. I let someone borrow it, and I never got it back!!!
~Lorrie
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