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So you have been tasked with taking care of your friend’s children, but you are dreading that you won’t have enough fun and games to keep them busy while you’re there. What you need are a few creative ideas that will keep those kids happy! After all, the last thing that you want kids to say is that they are bored. Luckily, we have compiled a few tips below for how you can entertain any children you are babysitting.
Outdoor adventures
If it’s the right time of year, playing outside is a great idea. Some games you can play outside are softball, soccer, tag, hide and seek, and basketball. If you have the parents’ permission, you could even take the children to a local playground. Otherwise, you can stick to the backyard or front yard. And children are incredibly imaginative, so just agreeing to play outside will likely open up a world of possibilities for them. Another great part about playing outside? It will keep the children active and hopefully ensure that they fall asleep by bedtime!
Coloring books
On the other hand, if the kids are staying inside, you can get their creativity flowing with a coloring book. With smartphones and tablets, you don’t need to worry about messy books and crayons ending up getting scrawled on the walls. You can download coloring book apps on Google Play that are fun for kids and adults and that are cheaper and certainly cleaner than ‘real’ coloring books. A coloring book app is likely to have dozens more designs than you would find in an actual book.
Board games
Board games are another great idea for doing something fun together as a group. Board games work especially great if you are babysitting more than one child and need something to keep them occupied all at once. Of course, other games are suitable for just two players, such as checkers or chess, in case you are babysitting just one child. While many families will have their own board games, it is always a good idea to bring over your own just in case.
Cooking
Children love to feel like they are helping with grown-up activities, especially in the kitchen. Cooking a meal or snack together is a lot of fun and allows children to unleash their inner chefs. Be sure to allow them to participate in stages of the cooking process so long as it is safe for them. And making simple meals feel silly—like pretending that those spaghetti noodles are worms—is bound to provide lots of delight. Cooking with children can also present a great opportunity to teach them about nutrition and how to stay healthy.
Babysitting can be loads of fun as long as you come prepared with creative ideas about how to keep the children occupied. The above suggestions will ensure that the next time a friend, neighbor, or relative asks you to babysit you will have the tools you need to make sure your babysitting time is remembered as a fun and delightful one!
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