Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

01-10-2008, 6:17 AM kaitxo Joined on 08-21-2007 Be nice - I'm new! i need ideas ! i need ideas ! i babysit a 6,4, and 2 year old. and a 6 month old baby . i need games and such to keep the other ones entertained while i take care of the baby when it's not sleeping.! any input is much appreciated ! thank you !     Report

01-10-2008, 11:49 AM demoderby757 Joined on 02-22-2007 Richland County Along for the Ride Re: i need ideas ! i just started babysitting a 6 yr old a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old (who demands a ton of attention so i don't always have time to be up running around with them) a fun game i play with them is i take little 4" by 4" bags filled with dry beans and hide them (i have 10) and they try to find them and when they find them all i give them a little prize such as a tootsie roll or a few m&ms or whatever you would have as a prize to make it fun and keep them playing for a while.... then if the baby's sleeping let them hide half or all of them for u to find depending on what you'd want to do.... we have fun playing it.... hope it helps.... Babysitter757    Report

01-12-2008, 1:29 PM Mommy2Lots Joined on 11-15-2006 Houston,TX Super Sitter!! Re: i need ideas ! Try having them do a treasure hunt for certain things that are in the house, such as a yellow duck, a blue car, a big ball, a measuring cup, etc. Give them each their own list. For the younger ones, their list would have to be pictures since they can't read. Just draw and color them. They don't have to be fancy. The kids can usually tell what they are even if you're not an artist. Give them a grocery bag or old sock to collect the items in. You may have to direct the younger ones, like saying "Can you tell me where I would find a big ball?", etc. Coloring is always fun. For the 6 year old, give her some safety scissors, a glue stick, watercolor markers, and construction paper. Just let her have at it. You can help the younger ones, especially a 1 or 2 year old. 1 and 2 year olds can usually glue things together that have already been cut out and dabbed with glue. You may have to direct them as to where to put the item, if you're helping them make a certain project. Otherwise, let them paste it where they want it. I think free expression in art is important. 3 and 4 year olds can pretty much do anything, except cutting. The 4 year old can be taught to cut with safety scissors, if needed. Put some newspapers underneath the project area or all over the table, so clean-up is easy. After picking up the supplies, you can just scoop up all the papers and toss the whole mess in the trash. Duck, Duck Goose is an old, but still fun game. Same with Hide and Seek, Tag, and Freeze Tag. Kids these ages also love Memory cards and Hungry, Hungry Hippo. Stop and Read is a fun game I invented. If the little ones can't read, that's okay. They can still play. When it's time for them to read, just ask them to tell you what's in the pictures. To play Stop and Read, everyone sits in a circle. You need a timer or stopwatch (or clock). Give the first reader a book. That reader reads for 1 minute. At the end of 1 minute, you stay "Pass The Book". Then, the book gets passed around the circle for 30 seconds. At the end of 30 seconds, say "Stop and Read". Whoever has the book reads for 1 minute. The process continues until the book/books have been read. I hope these help. Enjoy! Parenting/Sitting Articles - If you view these, kindly return back to Babysitting Forums. ;-)    Report

01-13-2008, 3:22 PM babysitterlaura Joined on 08-12-2007 USA Getting to Know Us Re: i need ideas ! I love your "Stop and Read" game Mommy2lots!!!  That's very creative and sounds like alot of fun!  I will definitly be trying that!  Thanks for sharing!!    Report