Source
r/AskReddit•
abaaa

I'm going to be babysitting for the first time, and I have no clue what activities I should do with the kids!

I'm going to be babysitting one 2 year old girl for one family, and two boys (2.5 and 4 years old) for another family. I don't want to do girlie girl stuff with the girl, even though everything that she owns is pink. The boys are obsessed with superheroes and star wars.

I want to teach them science stuff, but I need some help with some ideas for kiddie experiments/games/activities.

Posted Sep 27, 2009, 7:09 PM UTC

120
shockfactor•

Teach?

You're babysitting.

Your job is to keep the kids alive.

Board games, videos, a small meal, non-gambling card games, coloring books, crayons, sidewalk chalk, maybe throwing/kicking a ball in an enclosed back yard if the weather permits.

Oh and fyi, 2 year olds are often uncooperative.

3
abaaaOP•

I know I should keep the kids alive, but I can't help but want to do something more than just coloring and giving them chocolate milk.

1
shockfactor•

Kids that young aren't ready for experiments- You'd invariably end up frustrated while they break beakers and spill chemicals, then run around the room yelling.

2
[deleted]•

Seriously! I've never once seen a kid that age successfully light a bunsen burner.

2
immortalagain•

don't sleep with the dad iv seen that happen so many times.

3
RageKage•

Fill up something (sink, tub, large bowl, ect.) and gather some objects from the house.

A cork, a cotton ball, an action figure, ect.

Ask them for their predictions of which objects will sink or float. Write them down so they can see which ones they got right.

Explain to them why things float in water and why some sink. Fun, quick, not too messy, good for both boys and girls.

3
blaspheminCapn•

Is there a park you can walk to? That'll eat up a lot of time.

Also, Bubbles - lots of bubbles. Take turns having one of them blow, while the other ones run around and pop them.

2
abaaaOP•

Love the bubbles idea!

1
lanismycousin•

after you get them to sleep

invite your bf over

2
abaaaOP•

Nah, they won't be sleeping, I'm only sitting during the day. Plus that's weird.

1
BlackJacquesLeblanc•

You sound really enthused -- good for you! You might want to stay away from introducing too structured activities, unless you're a trained elementary teacher that is. Suggest you start off by participating in their activites -- make believe, tag, whatever -- with them, to build trust and to learn more about what makes each kid tick.

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
abaaaOP•

What! When I was a kid my mom forced me to read and do hooked on phonics. And my favorite book was a chemistry dictionary with pictures on it. I wouldn't call that stealing a childhood!

2
[deleted]•

[deleted]

2
bonafidebob•

No no no. The ENTIRE EXISTENCE of a 2 year old is consumed with science stuff. They're still figuring out basics of momentum, gravity, states of matter, causality. There's TONS of fun stuff to do here, and it's all play. Just stacking blocks on top of each other and then knocking them down is science stuff for a 2yr old. Blow up a balloon and let the air out, let it fly around the room, let them feel the air coming out of it. at 2 you won't get far with games, but you can play 'which hand has the marble' for a while, don't forget to mess with 'em now and then by leaving the marble behind your back, or putting it where they can see it and still offering a choice of closed hands -- keeps 'em on their toes!

2
mysimplelife•

I don't know what you should make with the girl, but you could help the boys make superhero costumes from household items... just don't give them the scissors, that's your part.

1
abaaaOP•

Interesting idea, I hope their parents don't hate me for making more costumes than they already have haha.

1
bug_mama_G•

Playdough is the perfect activity if you have access to some simple ingredients and a stove. This stuff is cheap, simple and safe and easy to clean up. Throw in a cooking/chemistry lesson then have fun. The best part is they are all sitting in one spot and easy to keep tabs on.

1
yettobenamed•

Just be patient. With kids that young you will be lucky to do any one thing for more than 5 minutes.

Go to the park, let them get dirty. Be willing and enthusiastic about whatever stupid make-believe game they want to play.

While I admire you immensely for wanting your time with the kids to be enriching for them, I have to agree with other posters here:

Your job is to keep them alive. That is really all the parents expect. Sometimes they expect the kids to be clean at the end of the day too - depends on how relaxed the parents are.

Good luck. Damn, you are going to be tired.

1
misimiki•

I assume you are female.

Let them watch tv and then you can spend your time on the phone to your friends.

0
[deleted]•

Sit them down and read to them from the KING JAMES BIBLE!

They'll be so damn scared you'll never get them to go to bed. OK, bad idea.

0
abaaaOP•

The scary part of that is that one of the families would probably LOVE it if I read them the bible. I'd never!!!

0
taggart97•

Seriously...? If your asking a question like this perhaps your the one who needs to be babysat.

THEY'RE KIDS, play some games with them and make sure they don't die.

0