Babysitting Games

This Babysitting Games page contains more babysitting activities and theme ideas in addition to this site's original babysitting activities for theme nights page (and a good source for covering the basics of plannng and advertising).

The ideas and suggestions below are a good resource even if a babysitter isn't interested in doing the whole theme night. There are still some creative suggestions for snacks, games, and crafts for kids.

Part of being a successful babysitter is having creative babysitting ideas to keep the kids entertained, and the ideas below can be used on that next babysitting job.

Babysitting Games and Activities for Preschoolers

E-I-E-I-O: Down on the Farm Night

• Provide a straw hat and handkerchief for kids to wear and have their pictures taken in front of a door decorated like a barn door. The barn door can be done from art paper, construction paper and markers - the more rustic the better. The pictures can be taken with a digital camera and printed out. They don't need to be the best quality.
• Have a craft project to create a frame for their photo taken when they came. This can be something simple like precut haystacks, barns or tractors.
• Have the kids make no-bake haystacks as an activity and them eat them for a snack.
• Play barnyard babysitting games like Duck, Duck, Goose or Pin the Tail on the Donkey (or Cow or Horse).

Little Chef Night

• Have a small apron and chef hat for kids to wear and have their pictures taken in the kitchen or with a bowl and whisk.
• Have a kids' craft project to create a photo frame of a fancy cake (think wedding cake). Have the kids decorate it using actual sprinkles or glitter.
• Have pre-baked sugar cookies with a variety of icings and toppings. Let the kids decorate the cookies. They can eat one as a snack and take one home. (Note: Be sure you have cleared the toppings with the parents in the event that any kids have food allergies.)
• Have some preprinted, kid friendly recipes bound with construction paper that the kids can take home. Have them decorate the outside of their "cookbook" and add pictures or stickers to the inside (leave some blank pages!) to go with the recipes.

Babysitting Games and Activities for All Ages

Drive-in Movie Night

• Rent or borrow a projector that can be hooked up to a computer that plays DVDs. Set it up in the backyard - pointing to the side of your house or your neighbor's (if they agree). Instant movie screen!
• Set up blankets, bean bags and large throw pillows for comfortable viewing.
• Set up a concession stand of popcorn, juice and limited candy.
• Give kids a set number of tickets when they arrive to "spend" on the movie and snacks. These can be simple raffle tickets that can be bought at most office supply stores or ones that you can make yourself.
• Rained out? Take it inside and put the movie on the ceiling!

Sock hop night

• Get songs from the '50s - either by download or via CD from the local mega-discount store.
• Make a mini-jukebox out of a shoebox or other box you have handy. Cover it in plain white or brown paper and decorate it like a jukebox. Tube lighting is great to add some special effects!
• Have some fake coins or tickets that the kids can use to "play" songs from the jukebox. Set up specific times for requests and take the coins or tickets as part of picking the song the jukebox plays.
• Have a soda fountain or '50s diner to serve the treats: ice cream sodas or sundaes, french fries and mini-hamburgers.
• Have a sock hop dance or a limbo contest.

Hawaiian Luau

• Get Hawaiian luau music via download or CDs from a local discounter.
• Wear your best Hawaiian gear and have the kids wear theirs.
• Get inexpensive plastic leis from a local toy supply or discount store (many have them in the party aisle).
• Have Hawaiian decorations: paper lanterns, colorful flowers (make them out of construction paper!), grass skirts (which can be cut and spread out to serve as a skirt for the table), anything that looks Hawaiian
• Play Hawaiian games: Pin the Coconut on the Coconut tree; limbo; hula-dancing contest w/ a Hula hoop or adapt other games to have an island theme
• Make Hawaiian crafts: "Grass" skirts out of construction paper or brown streamers; flower leis out of artificial flowers or even real carnations which are usually very inexpensive

Those are some great babysitting game and theme night ideas to add to a babysitting activities list. Even a seasoned babysitter can find ideas (even if not for a whole theme night) that can be used to keep the kids entertained and busy.

And be sure to check out all the Money and Kids babysitting resources .