Babysitting is an excellent way for teens to earn some pocket money during their free time. Other than TV and mobile gadgets, there are many ways the kids you are caring for can have fun and be more engaged.
You can bet that most parents will be happy that you come prepared with planned age-appropriate games and fun ideas.
Read on to discover some fun games to play when babysitting and become the most in-demand babysitter.
🤓 If you’re wondering how much do you pay a teenager to babysit, then read this article.
Fun Babysitting Games
Babysitting games are a great way to interact and have fun with the kids you need to watch.
Games are usually made up of some kind of challenge, include rules and goals, and generally involve mental or physical stimulation.
Most of the games don’t have to be complicated and over the top; most times, the simpler they are, the better.
Depending on the child’s age, you can incorporate some educational games as well as purely entertaining games.
Here are some great educational game examples:
1. Number bowling
You can use either 6 or 12 plastic bottles of the same size filled with water or sand.
Fill each bottle a third to half full with water or sand and number each bottle, either 1 through 6 or 1 through 12, with a marker.
Arrange the bottles in a triangle, like bowling pins, and let your child roll a ball toward them to see how many pins they can knock over.
Depending on the age of the child, they can either:
1) Name the numbers on the bottles that they knocked over.
2) Count how many bottles were knocked over.
3 ) Add up the numbers on the bottles that have fallen.
2. Board games
Board games have been around for a while and have improved over time with a much more comprehensive selection. You should be able to find several classic games, such as Monopoly (for ages 8 and up) and Chutes and Ladders (for 4 years and up).
Most of these games come with instructions you can always refer to for guidance.
These board games will teach children how to count as they move their pieces around the board.
🤓 For more board games, check out our post here.
3. A-Z game
The A-Z game is fun and a learning activity requiring word creation using the alphabet as a guide.
A fun way to play this game is to choose a topic that kids will know (for example, animals or food) and have them name the first thing that comes to mind against each letter.
This type of game would be great for a budding wordsmith.
4. Eye spy
It is a great outdoor or indoor game where you identify easy-to-locate household items or other stuff within your surroundings and ask the kid to tell you what it is without revealing too much to them.
5. Minute It To Win It Games
You can adjust Min It To Win It Games to suit all ages. For younger players, any kind of stacking game or blowing game with balloons or straws is great.
🤓 Have a look at these Minute It To Win It Games for inspiration.
6. Junk In the Trunk
You need to load eight ping-pong balls inside an empty tissue box and attach it around the child’s waist using rope or an old pantyhose. They must jump, shake, bend, wiggle, and even contort to get all the balls out.
They cannot use their hands to hold or shake the box or to remove the ping-pong ball.s
If you want them to have an extra giggle, you should also join in the fun.
7. Four Square
You will need a tennis ball (or a bigger ball for younger players) and a large area divided into four squares (A-D).
In this game, players keep the ball moving by bouncing it into another player’s square, where it may bounce only once before being hit by that player.
You’re not allowed to catch the ball.
A player who lets the ball bounce more than once or reflects it out of bounds is out.
Once you’re out, you must move back to square D while all other players move up a letter.
If it’s just the two of you, you can also play this as a two-square version.
Watch this video to see how to play foursquare:
Great Babysitting Activities
Babysitting does not have to be a daunting experience. With simple ideas, you can have fun and involve children in activities that keep you, and the kids occupied.
Let’s look at some fun activities to entertain your charges:
1. Game of charades
Since the game requires the player to act out what is written on a charades card without uttering a single word and on a timer, come up with a list with easy-to-act-out ideas.
2. Arts and Crafts
When it comes to craft activities, the things you can make are limitless. You can create some amazing stuff using plain sheets of paper, colored paper, paper plates, cups, and even rocks.
You can make seasonally appropriate crafts like Easter baskets, Valentine’s day cards for mom and dad, Thanksgiving games, or Christmas decorations.
If they are feeling more artistic and looking for more creative craft ideas, try origami or get some craft kits to make friendship bracelets or beaded jewelry.
3. Outdoor Ball Games
If there is a garden or safe space outdoors, then playing ball games outside is appropriate for just about any age.
Some of my favorites include:
Soccer
You don’t need a team to play. Make a makeshift goal by drawing two lines for the goal. You play goalie and let them try to score a goal.
Baseball
Use a soft ball and throw it to them and let them try hitting it. They’ll have loads of fun, and you’ll get lots of exercise 😉
Catch
Simply throw a small ball to the child and let them try and catch it and throw it back at you. You can take a small step back after each throw to make it more difficult and exciting.
Piggie In The Middle
This is a ball game for three players. Two players stand opposite each other and throw a ball back and forth while the third player is in the middle, trying to catch it.
When the middle player catches the ball, they trade places with the thrower.
This game has no winners or losers, so it can go on for as long as the players want to keep playing.
4. Balloon Games
Balloon games can be played indoors or outdoors if you choose to play water balloon games.
For indoor balloon games, we recommend using a blown-up balloon to blow cups off a table.
Outdoor games can include balloon stomp or any water balloon games.
5. Movie Night
If you’re babysitting in the evening, then a movie night, with movie night snacks, is a must. Get into your favorite PJs and build a fort to make it even more fun.
Discover this babysitter’s top 5 babysitting activities in the video below:
Babysitting Ideas For 10 Year Olds
1. Science Experiments
Tweens love science experiments. There are so many fun experiments that you can find online.
Watch the video below for some really simple experiments with household items to get you started:
2. Baking
If you know your way around the kitchen and trust your baking skills, you can bake sweet treats using pre-mixed boxes of cake/cupcakes/cookies or brownies mix.
Decorating the cookies would be a great way to involve the children in the activity. Get the parents’ consent before starting.
3. Bean there, done that
You can use skittles or some type of bean and straws. A player must pick one piece of candy/bean from a paper plate by sucking it up with a straw and then moving it onto another plate without letting it fall off along the way. The first one to finish moving their candy pieces is the winner.
4. Cups pyramid
As the name suggests, you create a pyramid using paper cups, lightweight cups, or same-sized plastic containers.
Turn the cups so that they face downwards on a flat flooring surface to build the pyramid; arrange them in a row to get the pyramid’s base.
Step by step, add more cups to the first row and create more rows on top of each other.
5. Cotton balls
While blindfolded, the player must scoop cotton balls from one container into another using a spoon.
6. Chewing gum game
Simple and uncomplicated but brilliant activity; you can even play this game with your eyes closed. Chew gum, blow a bubble, and see who has the largest that stays longer without bursting.
7. Yank the paper
Place pieces of paper between paper cups to create a tower, starting with a single cup at the bottom, then a piece of paper followed by a cup, and so on and forth until you reach a height not higher than the players.
You play by yanking the paper off without touching the cups and keeping all the cups stacked on top of each other.
Please ensure the papers are large enough to leave some excess on either side so that a player has enough to hold onto when pulling it away.
Babysitting Activities For 6-8 Year Olds
1. Spoon race
This game requires you to run from one end of the room or an open playing area to the other with a spoon holding pieces of lego or a plastic egg in your mouth or hand. The pieces of lego are supposed to be put in a container on the other end; the first person to finish transferring their lego pieces is the winner.
The “egg” should stay on the spoon until one gets to the finish line without falling off. If it falls off, you lose and have to return to the starting line.
2. Scramble puzzle
It will be a great activity and interactive game to involve the kids since you’d need to make your puzzle using an empty cereal box. From the most colorful part, you cut it up in different shapes and sizes, mix them up, and put it back together.
For the slightly older kids aged 7-8, you can play using regular jigsaw puzzles to help with hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills.
3. Finish my phrase
A six-year-old vocabulary and sentence creation techniques might be limited, but you can find simple and fun phrases that would interest them and end up with a fun learning activity.
Create a list of incomplete sentences and have them finish them with provided word options to make a complete phrase.
4. Treasure hunts
Plan a scavenger hunt with a simple list of items that can take place inside the house or within the compound/backyard without leaving the home area.
If they don’t feel like they are up to looking for treasures, you can play using treasure hunt riddles instead.
5. Obstacle Course
Creating an obstacle course offers endless hours of fun, keeps kids active, and burns off excess energy.
You can build your course inside a large space in the house using furniture and blankets or outside using blocks, hula hoops, jump ropes, and anything you can find in the garden.
Each station can contain a different challenge, movement, or activity that the child must complete before moving on to the next.
Here are some excellent ideas will help you get started:
- Crawl through a row of chairs
- Twirl a hula hoop three times around your waist
- Jump over an object
- Toss a ring over a bottle
- Run around the garden
6. Shake your tail feathers
A classic and easy DIY game where you use empty tissue holder boxes filled up with different colored feathers or confetti, which is tied onto the waist using pantyhose or string.
The shaking part is the fun part; once the box is tied up, a player is required to shake their behind until the box is empty.
7. Lego game
Using lego blocks, you can build different characters like Star Wars, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones, Batman, or any other Marvel characters.
8. Build a fort with pillows
You can build a sturdy fort using pillows and spare sheets from the linen closet. You can read them a storybook or picture book or tell other fun, exciting stories inside the fort.
You can also create a castle by adding pieces of cardboard boxes around the built fort.
9. Soccer/football
It is a fun backyard game that only needs a regular-sized ball that you can kick to each other outside in the backyard or play catch. Remember to kick and throw the ball lightly so it does not hurt the child.
10. Ball toss
This game requires only buckets, deep enough containers, and small rubber or tennis balls.
Place the buckets on one side and toss balls into them while standing opposite them.
You can move the buckets further away to keep it more fun after every round.
11. Read stories
Reading them a short story is a great option when you all need some downtime. Let them choose their favorite book.
You can ask them to tell back what you’ve read and ask them questions about the story at the end.
Babysitting Ideas For 3-5 Year Olds
1. Playdough games
Playdough usually comes packed with a kit that includes cutters of different shapes. You can make various items from the playdough using cutters like pretend cookies.
Contain the play dough game in one area, so the dough does not get tracked to other areas of the house.
2. Bean bag games
A bean bag is versatile and can be used and incorporated into different exciting games.
You can hide it and have the kids look for it; you can try walking with it balanced on your head.
Look for an area with enough space where there are no nonbreakable items and toss the bean bag to each other.
3. Lip sync competition
Younger kids love to sing and dance and show off a little given the chance to perform. Put on their favorite kid-friendly music or nursery rhymes and take turns singing to their favorite tunes.
Rambunctious boys might even like to play air guitar or play drums on pots or buckets.
4. Puppet show
Make DIY puppets using an old sock and have a puppet show. Draw different “faces” on the socks to have different characters for the puppet show.
You can also switch off some lights, make shadow puppets on a wall, and shine a flashlight to create a spotlight.
5. Coloring and painting activities
On construction paper, draw and color simple letters and numbers. If you have access to washable paint, you can use those instead of colored pencils or crayons.
6. Separate candy
Use skittles, M and M’s, or different types of candy on hand; make sure you have a variety. From the mix of sweets, have the kids separate and group according to color type and reward the winner with candy if the parents are okay with it.
7. Hula hoop
Besides twirling the hula hoop around your waist, you can roll it in a place with enough space and have the kids try to catch it before it falls to the ground for a fun-filled game idea. They can also try to jump through it.
8. Hide and seek
A game of hiding is always fun; you hide out where the kids can easily find you and have them hide out as well, and then you go seek them out.
9. Fun chalk game
It is an already tried and tested game that works well if there is a safe sidewalk or area where the kids can draw using different colored chalks. Good thing you can easily hose it down once they are down or wait for the rains to wash it down.
Watch this video for some great indoor activities for toddlers:
How Do You Entertain A 2 Year Old Babysitting?
1. Chase/Catch
It might seem simple, but it is still a fun game to entertain a two-year-old. Perfect for outdoors. The only thing you need to do is chase after them and catch up with them. Run slowly to make them think they are faster than you, and you can’t keep up with their speed, giving them a sense of achievement.
2. Peek a boo
It is a perfect game for 2-year-olds by simply placing hands on your face and yelling peek-a-boo when you remove them should guarantee excited squeals from the toddler.
You can hide behind a wall, door, or seat and peep out, saying, “peek a boo.” Let the child be part of their game by telling them to hide out and do what you did.
3. Bubble game
Best done outside; water stains in the house on surfaces and furniture are not ideal. It might entertain only for a few minutes, but it still is an exciting game, especially on a warm day.
Let them run around trying to pop the bubbles you blow.
Add a little competition to keep it more interesting to see who will blow the biggest bubble.
4. Pretend games
With a 2-year-old, you will have hit the jackpot with pretend games since it provides endless playtime possibilities. You can play pretend doctor or a veterinarian game checking and treating their stuffed animals. Make a band using pans and pots for drums; clean them well after you are done.
On a hot summer day, if the parents allow, you can set up a cooking area outside by putting a little water in a bucket and giving the child plastic spoons and containers to pretend to cook.
Superhero games are another great classic babysitting game; by tying an item of clothing on your shoulders, you automatically become superheroes in capes.
Pretend to be different animals like pigs, dogs, cows, or cats by copying and playing out the animal movements and mannerisms and making animal sounds.
5. Fetch the ball
Simple but still a fun activity for a 2-year-old. All you have to do is throw a ball not far away and have the kid fetch and bring it back to you. Best played in a secure backyard or as an indoor game inside the house if there’s a bit of space.
6. Sandbox
Another fantastic outdoor activity that you can incorporate with other toys. The child can build sand castles or different things using differently shaped molds.
You can throw in different-sized containers and have them scoop sand into them; ensure you supervise the play time to ensure the child does not sneakily eat the sand or rub some in their eyes.
7. Building blocks
Building blocks are excellent game pieces of toys to keep busy and entertain kids. They can stack them or sort them out in similar colors.
8. Finger painting
A 2-year-old hasn’t probably figured out their motor skills; that does not mean they can’t participate in a fun painting activity.
Best done outdoors and not as an indoor activity because of the mess; you’ll need construction papers or cardboard boxes and washable, non-toxic paints in different colors.
