Whether you’re an old hand at looking after children, or just starting out in the enjoyable, rewarding world of childcare and babysitting, you’ll always be on the lookout for fun activities to keep the little ones entertained.
Every child is different and will appreciate distinct types of play, learning, and adventure, so parents and carers, this is for you too – you know your child best and when you leave your babysitter armed for the evening with some fantastic creative activities, you’ll enjoy your well-earned night out with your minds fully at rest.
We’ve pulled together eight fab ideas to make sure you’re always top of the babysitting list.
1. Plan a treasure hunt
A treasure hunt works really well outside, but is also one of the best activities for rainy days we know. You can pitch it at whatever level you need depending on the kids. For example, older children will appreciate clues that get them thinking cryptically, tearing round the house from one area to the next, then finally landing the prize – maybe check with parents to see what’s available! For example:
First clue: I live in the kitchen, but you can’t eat me (kettle).
Clue at kettle: You can draw me, but not with a pencil (curtain).
Clue at curtain: I’m alive and I grow, but I don’t move on my own (potted plant).
For your younger charges, simply give them a list of things to find in the house – more of a ‘scavenger hunt’ approach. Perhaps ‘something orange’, ‘something belonging to Mummy’, ‘something that smells nice’, or ‘something that can be read’.
2. Throw a tea party
Tea parties are wonderful when role play involving other children starts to develop. This is generally between 12 and 24 months. Go to the kitchen and ask the children to choose what they’d like to play with (non-breakables). Once you have the tea party set up, play games like serving biscuits – ask the kids about their favourite biscuit! – counting in (pretend!) sugar cubes, pouring the milk, and pouring the tea. Pouring real liquids is very important for hand-eye coordination, control, grip strength, and development of fine motor skills.
3. Make a rainbow jellyfish
Animal activities are always fun. We love this idea for rainbow jellyfish – grab some cereal boxes and thin paper from the recycling box, cut into shape, add bright colours with paint, pen, or pencil, then enjoy playing with the little ones in your underwater world.
Tip: this also works with an umbrella as the body of the jellyfish. Cut out and Sellotape the eyes and some tissue paper tentacles onto the umbrella, and watch the children ‘swim’ round the house! The umbrella is also a great fancy dress idea for an underwater-themed party.
4. Shadow leaf drawing
Forest themed crafts are wonderful for connecting children to nature.
Shadow leaf drawing is fabulous for slightly older children with more developed hand-eye coordination. If there’s a wooded area near you, fantastic. Go for a wander before you’re due to babysit and grab some leaves. If there’s a garden where you’re babysitting, pop outside with the children and ask them to choose some leaves. Then simply peg them onto some string and enjoy the drawing! Older children will enjoy shading, colouring, and tracing the edges of the leaves in detail. Little ones may need more help but will improve their pencil grip and fine motor skills.
5. Leaf rubbing
More fun nature entertainment with the same leaves you used for shadow drawing. Simply pop your leaves under some thin paper, vein side up, and get the children to turn a wax crayon or oil pastel on its side and rub it over the imprint.
6. Hand painting
Hand painting is failsafe entertainment. There are loads of animals you can make with a handprint – peacocks, giraffes, crocodiles, zebras, elephants, fish – just have a go at turning your hand different ways round on the paper, let the paint dry, then add features, feathers, fur, or fins with a pen.
How about making a note for Mum and Dad for when they get home that appears to be coming from the animal’s mouth? Ask your small charges what they’d like to write for Mum and Dad, and write it for them if they can’t quite grip the pencil yet, or help them with their letters.
7. Make edible paint
This winning combination of getting messy, eating, and painting is a wonderful art activity for preschoolers. Simply mix plain yoghurt with food colouring, et voila! Kids’ curiosity will be piqued as they stir the food colouring in and watch it gradually blend through the yoghurt. This slimy sensory play is exceptional fun, and no doubt will keep the children entertained for a good while.
8. Make car racetracks
Kids love Hot Wheels. You can create a fantastic shape activity for preschoolers simply by cutting out racetracks in different shapes. All you need is some old cereal boxes and coloured pens to create the grass and roads. The children can personalise their tracks with flowers, houses, and animals. Younger ones will enjoy whizzing their cars round the circle, triangle, square, and rectangle, and older ones will enjoy getting extra creative with their track design. This idea is also excellent for developing fine motor skills.
Enjoy putting these into practice. Childcare really can be child’s play with simple, stimulating resources taken from nature, around the house, and the recycling bin.