I need ideas that my 17 y.o. babysitter can do with my 2 1/2 y.o. son while she babysits him, please?

Question

My son is in his own home 2 days a week, instead of watching tv I want to get ideas on motor skill activities, songs, games, crafts, art projects that his babysitter can do with him. Please help. Any ideas would be helpful. She watches him all day 8 hours.

Answer 1

Start them early with reading.. buy those simple alphabet books and start teaching him. For his motor skill, buy those toys that challenges his mind. You could find them in a toy store, make sure is appropriate for his age (or you could go a year advance).

Answer 2

At almost any music store you'll find kid songs, the macarana is a good one, story songs and learning songs are good. Have your babysitter do arts and crafts with him, take out a piece of paper and have her color, put a crayon into his hand and have her guide his hand if he doesn't know what to do. Go to www.crayola.com for printable art pages. Sometimes they could use finger paints, or take a picture frame and put his handprints around a photo of him for daddy or someone. If you allow her, and if you have a playset in the backyard or near, have her go put him in a swing and gently swing him. She can do the original things such as patty cake and peek a boo. She should definentely read to him, get a few books and soon he will get an idea on which is his favorite. He should take a nap after lunch sometime, so that should give your babysitter a break. When he wakes up get some bubbles and have your babysitter blow some, even try to get him to blow some. If she takes out toys and counts them with him, pointing to each one and saying 'One, Two Three..." or saying the name of each one, will help his talking skills for when he's older. Try to keep him away from TV the best you can, and if your babysitter reads, get a new book every now and then, if they do arts and crafts, go onto the internet and find a new project, ect. Good luck!

Answer 3

There is a lot she can do. I use to baby sit two young kids (ages 2 and 3) that were very active. I couldn't get them to watch TV even if I tried.

I would reccommend some time for arts and crafts.
(orientaltrading.com sells wonderful craft kits at pretty low prices)

They could make their own puppets and put on a puppet show.

Also let him get involved with making his lunch. Make it a fun project. I would make just simple pudding or cookies with the kids and they loved it. They like to mix it & be involved. Making sugar cookies and decorating them is fun too. Or for less sugar, make sugar-less jello or sugar free cookies.

I know a lot of kids like making club house type items. Go to your local retail store and ask for a large box they do not need. Then the babysiiter and your son can turn it into a club house, by cutting out windows, doors, and painting and drawing on it.

She can read a new book to him. Those are very fun.

It's warm outside now in most places. They could play outside. The kids I babysat loved it when I would blow bubbles and they would run after them and try to pop them.

I think the possibilities are endless. :)

Answer 4

on nice days you can take some big paper... put it outside and let him paint with his feet. I worked at a daycare and on we did that kind of stuff. Or if you dont mind hanging things on your walls (using sticky tack) you can build a farm. Have your sitter make up a big "barn" using construction paper and print out pictures of farm animals. Have your son color them and then pick where in the "barn" he wants them to be. And with the sticky tack they can be moved to suit his mood.

Also, have a bubble popping contest. Sounds corny but kids LOVE bubbles especially jumping around popping them.

Answer 5

you could always get craft sticks and like make crafts out of that.
or finger paints work good with little kids

Answer 6

buy some puzzles and games and stuff for her to use.