The standard procedure is to order a pizza and put out a few movies for your babysitter and kids while you’re away, but here are some interesting alternatives in case the pizza and movies run out:
Scrapbooking- It’s a time consuming activity that is enjoyed by every age group. Even toddlers enjoy putting stickers all over the pages of their own photo books. Not only is it fun, but seeing pictures of the family is a great remedy for children that are prone to missing you when you leave.
Cooking- There are many easy recipes that kids and babysitters can follow to make dinner or snacks while you’re away. Instead of ordering takeout pizza, they can assemble their own pizzas with premade dough, sauce, and toppings. If you’re apprehensive about the oven being used while you’re not there, simply make some cookies, brownies, or cupcakes ahead of time and let the babysitter and kids decorate them with frosting and sprinkles.
Jewelry making- Stringing together beads and charms is an activity that can occupy children for a long time. Make sure the children are past the age of putting things in their mouths and that there is no choking hazard. Kids can even create and paint their own beads out of dried out play-dough or clay.
Scavenger hunts- Hide a bunch of simple objects around the house and create a treasure map for the kids and babysitter to explore. You can leave clues at each spot to help the kids find the next stop on their treasure search. The final treasure stash can be candy, money, a new toy, or anything you want it to be.
Board games- Kids are so into video games and computers that chances are they haven’t played a good old fashioned board game in quite awhile. Classic board games can be a huge hit with kids and a great way for babysitters to interact with them.
Shadow puppets- Kids love playing with flashlights and creating shadows on the wall. You can cut out shapes of characters and animals, glue them to popsicle sticks, and kids can create their own puppet shows.
Building forts- The babysitter can help the kids make forts out of blankets, chairs, pillows, and boxes. This is a great activity to do before shadow puppets, since the inside of the fort can make the perfect puppet show backdrop.
Making greeting cards- There’s always a holiday or birthday coming up, and encouraging the kids to make cards for people is a great time-consuming craft idea. If the child misses their parents, babysitters can even encourage them to make a welcome home card for when mom and dad return. This helps soothe and remind children that their parents will be back soon.
Pinterest- You can find a ton of great craft and activity ideas on Pinterest. Create a board solely for things the babysitter can do while you’re away, and you will always have new and interesting ideas for them.
The great thing about all of these activities is that the babysitter is likely to enjoy them as much as the kids!