Keep Them Engaged: 11 Adventures in Babysitting to Consider When Planning Your Spring Schedule
Planning your spring adventures in babysitting? From nature walks to colorful crafts, you'll be the favorite sitter in no time.
Springtime is here, and for babysitters, that means new opportunities for childcare. As you plan your schedule, consider how to incorporate some seasonal fun for upcoming adventures in babysitting.
This post will explore 11 springtime activities that will thrill you and the kids! From outdoor adventures to crafts, we've covered you with fun activities that keep kids engaged and happy. Of course, with any of your adventures in babysitting, the most critical responsibility is to provide safe and caring supervision. So whether you're a seasoned babysitter looking for new ideas or just starting out, grab your chalk and sunscreen and get ready to have fun this spring!
Fun Babysitting Activities to Consider
Planning a schedule for babysitting doesn’t have to be intimidating. Taking care of kids is a balance of boundaries and setting expectations. With the right framing, even spring cleaning can be made into a series of games. Combine your scheduling and watchful eye with fun indoor and outdoor activities, and you’re spring babysitting will feel like a breeze!
Springtime Crafts and Activities
When planning babysitting adventures, the seasons can be a great inspiration. Whether thinking of activities for spring break or filling an evening here or there, consider these springtime crafts and activities to entertain the kiddos!
1. Make Flower Crowns
As babysitters, we call flower crowns a 2-for-1 deal. Not only are they a fun craft, but they’ll inspire imaginative play afterward! You can make them from dried flowers, fresh blooms, or cut flower shapes from paper. Make a simple headband by taping paper strips together, then have fun with some glue and colors. Follow up the craft time with a spring fairy parade!
2. Paint and Decorate Easter Eggs
Whether you celebrate Easter or not, playing will color is engaging and educational. Dying or decorating hard-boiled eggs allows children to be creative, learn about color theory, and make themselves a tasty snack for later!
3. Create Spring-themed Decorations for the House
If the kiddos were excited about flower crowns and decorating eggs, keep the craft theme going with some spring decorations. Make garlands, centerpieces, and wall decorations out of paper flowers. Don’t know where to start? You can make paper flowers from cupcake liners, coffee filters, construction paper, and anything else you can think of!
Indoor Adventures in Babysitting
One of the signs of an experienced babysitter is being able to flow big energetic activities into quieter, more relaxing ones. Transitions between inside and outside can create space for children to calm down or release steam. These indoor adventures in babysitting are perfect for quieter moments.
4. Read Books and Tell Stories
Make a cozy nook for reading. Break out all the blankets and pillows and snuggle up with a good book. Depending on the age, you might read aloud, flip through picture books, or encourage the child to read independently.
5. Bake Cookies and Make Snacks
If you’ve ever wondered how you will entertain children while you prep their snacks, this one’s for you! It might take a bit more time, but including the kids in the cooking or baking can be educational and fun. For inspiration, look to the seasons. You could make flower-shaped cookies or pick up spring veggies from the farmer’s market.
6. Build Forts
Every child loves building forts, and it’s more than just a fun activity. Getting to create their own space gives a child a feeling of autonomy. By building and decorating their mini home, they create a space of emotional and physical safety. Additionally, changing up the regular scenery of their house can be an imaginative inspiration.
Outdoor Adventures in Babysitting
Playing outside engages children of all ages when you have a beautiful sunny day (or even in the rain…hello, puddle jumping!). Whether you have a tiny backyard or access to a local park, nature inspires curiosity, engages all the senses, and challenges motor skills. You don’t have to stay in one place either. Grab a few bouncy balls or scooters and explore the neighborhood.
Before you go, always have a plan for timing, know the nearby bathroom spots, and get permission from the parents. With transition time, activities with children almost always take longer than expected. Plan smaller trips to start, and if they go well, you can start branching out to bigger adventures in babysitting.
7. Plant Flowers or Herbs in a Garden
Watching plants grow is magical for a child. Not only is gardening a tactile learning experience, but it will also teach responsibility. Planting strawberries or tomatoes in outdoor pots can be a ton of fun. Starting from seeds can be exciting too, and you can germinate a few in a paper towel for the children to see the process. Depending on where you’re planting (and the buy-in from parents), you could even start a bigger project in some backyard garden beds.
8. Play at a Nearby Park
If you have a park nearby, you can plan the whole week around it! Playgrounds are always fun, but bring your creativity to park play. Flowers will be blooming, and birds will be singing. Get curious about nature by learning to identify a few flowers or birds with the children. You can even scavenger hunt or collect a few petals to dry in a flower press.
9. Take a Walk or Bike Ride
A walk, bike ride, or scooter adventure is fun for everyone (and will burn some energy). Some children are content peddling up and down the same street, but others may need more engagement to enjoy a walk. Scavenger hunts or “I Spy” will make the outing feel more adventurous. You can even bring magnifying glasses or binoculars to let them explore the world through a different view. Use the walk to prep for a later project by gathering materials for a nature mobile.
10. Play Outdoor Sports and Games
When you’re outside, you have SPACE! As the educator, Erin Kenny, said, “Children cannot bounce off the walls if we take away the walls.” For the kiddos who are brimming with energy, plan plenty of time for outdoor sports and games. Tag never seems to get old, and there are endless varieties to spice up the game. If you have some planning time, you can create an obstacle course or scavenger hunt. You can even draw an obstacle course with chalk for the craftier kids, marking spaces to jump in or over. If you’re babysitting more than one child, take advantage of the group dynamic and play some group games.
11. Water Games
Water games provide endless entertainment if you’re fortunate enough to enjoy some warm spring days. Older kids will love jumping through sprinklers or tossing water balloons back and forth. If you care for younger children, set up a water table with scoops, buckets, and toys. For any age, exploring a local stream or pond is adventurous and can spark endless curiosity. Bring some nets and buckets in case you spot tadpoles or minnows!
For water games to be fun, you must provide a safe environment and plan for the children to enjoy them. Some children won’t want to leave the water, while others might be more sensitive to getting wet or cold. Ensure you know the family’s expectations about getting clothes wet, sunscreen, and water safety before planning a day of water games. Consider getting your lifeguard certification, so parents feel more comfortable sending their children off on watery adventures with you.
Fill Up Your Spring Babysitting Calendar with Call Emmy
Keeping kids happy with adventures in babysitting can be challenging, and you can’t expect smiles and giggles all the time. But with a handful of engaging activities in your back pocket, a compassionate attitude, and a vigilant eye, your job will go more smoothly, and the kids will have more fun. Call Emmy is a leading provider of safe and reliable childcare for families nationwide. Sign-up to become one of our childcare fairies today and start booking your springtime sitting. Your next adventures in babysitting await!