The babysitter’s activity kit: what to bring so kids actually have fun

Parents remember the sitter whose kids were laughing when they got home, not the one whose kids watched three hours of cartoons. You don’t need a giant bag of toys. A small, well-chosen kit does more, especially if it’s about what these kids love.

Step 1: Ask one question before you go

When you confirm the booking, ask the parent: “What are the kids into right now?” Dinosaurs, a favorite movie, horses, soccer, trucks. That one answer is the secret to the whole kit, because a maze about dinosaurs is far more interesting to a dinosaur kid than a generic maze.

Also ask their ages, and whether there are any rules about screens, snacks and bedtime.

Step 2: Pack the kit

• Two or three puzzles about their favorite thing. For kids under 6, mazes and dot-to-dots. For 6 and up, word searches and crosswords. Make them in a minute.
• A silly story. Kids pick words (an animal, a food, a silly sound), then you read the story out loud with their words in it. It’s the single best icebreaker for a new family. See silly stories.
• A spot-the-difference page. Great for siblings to race on.
• A coloring page. For when you need ten quiet minutes, like while you make dinner.
• Crayons or markers and a pencil. Don’t assume the house has working ones.
• One simple game. A deck of cards or a set of dice goes a long way.

Tip: Print a little more than you need. The second maze always gets asked for.

Step 3: Have a plan for the evening

1. Arrival: a quick game or the silly story, so they warm up to you.
2. After dinner: puzzles and coloring while you clean up.
3. Wind-down: a calm activity before bed. Not a race, not anything exciting.
4. Bedtime: a short read-aloud story. You can make one on any topic, so the dinosaur kid gets a dinosaur bedtime story.

Different ages, same evening

Siblings of different ages are tricky: the 4-year-old can’t do the 9-year-old’s crossword, and the 9-year-old is insulted by the toddler maze. Make the same topic at two different age settings and everyone gets their own version.

Leave something behind

A finished puzzle on the fridge, or a note about what the kids did, tells the parent you took care of their kids, not just watched them. It’s also how sitters get rebooked.