Babysitting Beginnings M E M B E R ’ S G U I D E

18 U.S.C. 707

College of Agricultural Sciences

Cooperative Extension

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Contents

Session 1

3 Babysitting Responsibilities

Session 2

5 The Business of Babysitting9 Babysitting Time Planner10 Babysitting Information Form/

Babysitting Record

Session 3

12 Understanding Children

Session 4

15 Fun with Children

Session 5

22 Sitting Safely

Session 6

26 Sharing Tool Kits and Portfolios

Written by Claudia Mincemoyer, 4-Hcurriculum development specialist,Department of Agricultural andExtension Education; Jan Scholl, 4-Hfamily living curriculum specialist,Department of Agricultural andExtension Education; and DebraGregory, extension educator,Huntingdon County

Acknowledgments

The following cooperative extensionstaff and volunteers reviewed this 4-Hproject: Janice Alberico, CED,Lawrence County; Marge McElwain,4-H volunteer, Lawrence County; JanetLawrence, 4-H volunteer, LawrenceCounty; Katherine Dickinson, 4-Hvolunteer, Lawrence County; JackieMoyher, 4-H volunteer, WestmorelandCounty; Sandra Hall, extensioneducator, Lebanon County; VickiLewis, extension educator, LycomingCounty; Linda Yungwirth, extensioneducator, Tioga County; MarilynNorman, 4-H volunteer, Tioga County;Helaine Brown, extension educator,Montgomery County.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative ExtensionWork, Acts of Congress May 8 and June 30, 1914,in cooperation with the U.S. Department ofAgriculture and the Pennsylvania Legislature. T. R.Alter, Director of Cooperative Extension, ThePennsylvania State University.

This publication is available in alternativemedia on request.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed tothe policy that all persons shall have equal access toprograms, facilities, admission, and employmentwithout regard to personal characteristics not relatedto ability, performance, or qualifications asdetermined by University policy or by state orfederal authorities. It is the policy of the Universityto maintain an academic and work environment freeof discrimination, including harassment. ThePennsylvania State University prohibits discrimina-tion and harassment against any person because ofage, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, nationalorigin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation,or veteran status. Discrimination or harassmentagainst faculty, staff, or students will not be toleratedat The Pennsylvania State University. Direct allinquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policy tothe Affirmative Action Director, The PennsylvaniaState University, 201 Willard Building, UniversityPark, PA 16802-2801, Tel 814-865-4700/V, 814-863-1150/TTY.

© The Pennsylvania State University 2001

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Babysitting is a very important job.Wherever there are families with youngchildren, babysitters will be needed.Parents place the children they love inthe babysitter’s care, and they expect thebest! This book will help you learn theskills you need to be a responsible sitter.Remember, you must like to be aroundyoung children to be a good babysitter!

What Will I Learn?

� How to solve problems

� How to keep children safe and happywhile you babysit

� How to talk to parents and children

� How to be better prepared as afuture parent

� How to make career choices—youmay become interested in being acamp counselor, a full-time childcareprovider, or an elementary schoolteacher

� How to manage your money andreach goals

What Can I Expect?

First impressions are important! Thefirst time you babysit, you should get toknow the parents and children. If youare well prepared, the parents will trustyou, and you will have a happier andsafer time with the children.

You are babysitting to take care of thechildren and to keep them safe until theparents return. You are selling theservice of “caring” for the children, andthat service includes the way you feeland the way you act.

Discuss with the parents if they haveany expectations about your handlingother household chores. Remember thatyou should clean up anything you usewith the child—for example, youshould pick up toys and clothes andwash dishes after a meal or snack youserve the child.

Be prepared to handle emergencies thatmay occur. You’ll learn more about thisin a later session.

You should have permission of yourown parent/guardian before agreeing tobabysit.

As a sitter,remember. . .

� You are in charge, but you are notthe parent.

� You must be responsible.

� You must like children.

� Babysitting is a business arrange-ment.

� You should be neat and clean.

� You should wear comfortable,washable clothes.

� You must be reliable.

� You should know how to followinstructions.

� You should never leave the childrenunattended.

� You should model safety practices.

Session 1: Babysitting Responsibilities

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Session 1 Worksheet

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters DoThree of my favorite memories from early childhood were:

1.

2.

3.

Babysitters Share (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

Share with your group or a friend why these were your favorite memories.

Share past babysitting experiences (if any in your group already babysit).What characteristics do you think a babysitter needs?Share what you think they are.

Babysitters in Action (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

Role play a situation in which you are the babysitter and a friend is the parent. Youhave just arrived and are discussing expectations and rules.

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Creative Job Hunting

Finding a babysitting job is the firstchallenge you will face. The followingtips can help you get started.

� Before you start earning money as ababysitter, you might considervolunteering to gain experience. This isa great way to practice before youstart your babysitting career. Go to alocal church, temple, or othercommunity group with youngfamilies and ask if they needbabysitting help. The experience willbe great and you may get some newbabysitting jobs.

� Word of mouth is probably the bestway to find babysitting jobs. Tellfamily and friends who have youngchildren that you are willing to carefor them. Younger siblings andrelatives can give you a great start tobabysitting. You may start out bywatching children while the parentsare at home. You have just as muchresponsibility when the parents arehome in another room as you wouldif they were away.

� Make a business card to leave withparents or family and friends. Makesure your parents/guardians approveof your advertising methods. Doing agood job with the children is the bestadvertising for future work.

� If you have friends who babysit, youmight make yourself available tosubstitute for them.

� Check with community activity andservice groups that have children’sactivities.

� Check with local exercise and fitnesscenters to see if they need child careworkers while parents attend class.

� Do children need to be supervisedwhile they walk home or ride a busfrom elementary school? Offer yourservices for these after-school hours.

� Offer to watch an elementary-agedchild in your home for a few hoursafter school. Make sure this arrange-ment is acceptable to your parents.

� Team up with another sitter to workfor two families who might go outtogether.

� Ask for a reference from a familyyou’ve already babysat for. Specifi-cally, find out if you can haveanother family call them for arecommendation about your skills.

� Plan a party with other babysitters forchildren; charge per hour or perchild.

Accepting a Job

When you accept a babysitting job, askhow you will get there. Make sure yourparents know how you will get to andfrom the babysitting job.

Know something about the families youagree to babysit for. Don’t babysit forstrangers. Your parents should know thepeople or take the time to meet thembefore you go to a new home. For eachfamily you babysat for during thisproject, complete the BabysittingInformation Form on page 10.

How Many is TooMany?

Although it might seem like a good ideato agree to sit several children at onetime to make extra money, you shouldknow how many children you canhandle. The ages of the children alsowill determine how many you can safelytake care of at once. Two toddlers aremore difficult than two school-agedchildren. Also, you might need moreexperience before you babysit forinfants. Finally, if the parents did notgive you permission, don’t keep extrafriends or children from the neighbor-hood.

Session 2: The Business of Babysitting

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Getting Paid

Know in advance what you will chargefor babysitting. This can save possibleembarrassment for you and the parents.You are doing a service for the parentsand should expect to be paid an agreed-upon fee. Ask your friends what theyare charging for babysitting, then say toparents, “The hourly rate in this areais. . . .” You also should consider thefollowing:

� You might charge hourly fees, feesfor more than two children, fees forlate evenings or nights, and fees fordoing extra chores. If you sit formore than one child, your fee shouldbe higher. Don’t be afraid to set yourown “base fee,” as long as it isreasonable.

� You may ask ahead of time for thepayment to be in cash, not a check.

� Expect to be paid when the job isfinished, upon the parents’ return.

� If parents do not pay you at the endof the babysitting time, or if theyhave other problems about paying,you can decide not to babysit forthem in the future.

� You may want to open up a bankaccount for the money you earnwhile babysitting. Plan how you willuse your money.

� Keep a calendar to list the dates andhours that you will be babysitting.This will help you keep records andnot overlap jobs.

� Complete the BabysittingInformation/Babysitting Record onpage 10 for each family you babysit.

When You Arrive

When you first arrive at the housewhere you will be babysitting, talk tothe parents and ask questions. The moreinformation you have before the parentsleave, the easier your job will be. Arriveat least 15 minutes early so you haveplenty of time. It’s also good to allowthe children to become comfortablewith you while their parents are stillthere. Make a good first impressionwhen you meet the children. Smile,look them in the eye, kneel down totheir level and say their names. Intro-duce yourself or remind them of yourname if you babysat them before. Tellparents about other babysitting jobs youhave had.

Beforethe Parents Leave

� Ask about where these items arelocated:� Smoke alarms� Carbon monoxide detectors� Electrical fuse box� First-aid supplies� Flashlight� Needed medication

� Ask to be shown how to lock thedoors and windows.

� Ask for instructions about how towork the telephone.

� Ask if there are any pets in the homeand how to take care of them.

Family Rulesand Routines

Family rules are important to follow.Ask what rules will be in effect, for bothyou and the children, while you babysit.Talk about rules for each of these items:

Telephone

Ask the parents how they would liketheir phone to be answered. If ananswering machine is available, parentsmay want that to be used. Don’t callyour friends just to chat. Use the phoneonly for emergencies.

Visitors

Ask if the parents are expecting anyvisitors or deliveries. Ask about rules ifthe children say they want to visitfriends or have friends come over. Donot open the house door or let anyoneyou don’t know into the house. Keepdoors and windows locked. If you heara suspicious noise or have an unex-pected visitor who will not leave, call aneighbor or the police. Also, rememberthat your job is to take care of thechildren. Babysitting isn’t a time foryour boyfriend or girlfriend or friend tovisit.

Food

Parents may tell you what snacks orbeverages are available to you and thechildren, but don’t raid the refrigerator.You may want to bring along somesnacks for yourself to enjoy after thechildren have gone to bed.

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Television /Computer/Video Games

How long can the children watch? Askwhat types of programs or specificprograms are O.K. to watch. Whatchannels are off-limits? Are there videosthat the children can watch? Can thechildren play video games or computergames? If they can, how long is longenough? After the parents have left, befirm in turning off and shutting downwhen you are supposed to.

Don’t watch programs of interest to youwhen the children are still up. Stay awayfrom frightening programs such asmonster and ghost movies. The televi-sion is not the babysitter! Do some ofthe creative activities in this project,play a game, make up a rhyme, or reada story with the children.

Bedtime

What time? Bathing? Check on sleepingchildren several times throughout theevening. If the parents are going to behome very late, find out if there aresleeping arrangements for you.

Behavior

Ask how the parent wants you to handlemisbehavior. Remember to stay calm.Speaking in a slow, soft mannermay calm down childrenwho are yelling orfighting.

When theParents Return

Give the parents a report of whathappened while they were gone. Tellabout any accidents, phone calls,problems, or unusual events. If some-thing went wrong or the childrenmisbehaved, don’t be afraid to tell theparent.

If the parents are late in returning, callyour parents to let them know you arestill on the job.

If the parents agreed to take you home,be alert for any signs that they are notable to drive safely, especially because ofalcohol. If you suspect a problem,politely call your parents to make otherarrangements to get home.

BabysittingDos and Don’ts

Do:

� Finish studying before babysitting.

� Be on time.

� Know the families before you agreeto babysit.

� Snack only if food is offered by theparent.

� Watch television only if the childrenare sleeping. Make sure the volume isturned down so you can hear thechildren.

� Stay with the children at all times.

� Remember what the parents ask youto do—take notes to rememberspecial instructions.

� Be cold- and illness-free when youbabysit.

Don’t:

� Try to combine a date with a sittingjob.

� Snoop through personal items in thehouse.

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Session 2 Worksheet

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters Do (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Check off the activities you did at home or with your babysitter’s group.

Date Adult Initial

Role play a new family who wants to hire a babysitter.

Complete the Babysitting Information/Babysitting Record Form for a familywhere you babysit. If you aren’t babysitting yet, complete with a parent or guardianto practice. This is where you can keep track of information about yourexperiences, including how much you were paid.

Begin a portfolio of your babysitting work. A portfolio is a collection of notes, pictures,journal entries, drawings, photographs, and/or projects that relate to children you carefor. You can use big envelopes, a scrapbook, manila folders, or a box in which to storeyour portfolio items. Bring this to all of your babysitting sessions. You may want to addto it after each meeting.

Complete the My Family Rules worksheet on page 12. What rules does your familyhave?

Practice making a time schedule for a babysitting job. Use the Babysitting TimePlanner on page 9 to help you.

Make a sample business card for your babysitting services.

Babysitters Share (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

Share with the group or a friend the rules in your family and why you have them.

Discuss your business card with an adult. Check to see that all importantinformation (name, age, fee, important characteristics you offer) is included.

Babysitters in Action (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

Use the Babysitting Information/Babysitting Record Form when you babysit.Complete a Babysitting Time Planner for your next babysitting job.

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Babysitting Time Planner

Name: Club/Group:

Activities I want to do with the children:Activity How long will it take?

Notes about my babysitting job:

Things to tell parents

Problems I had

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Babysitting Information Form/Babysitting Record (Make a copy for each new family.)

Name: Club/Group:

Use a copy of this form for each family you babysit for. Don’t write on this copy in your project book. Do not submit these records forexhibit or judging. You can put this in your journal or portfolio. It is an easy way to keep track of past jobs and possible future jobs.

Family’s name:

Children’s name(s) and ages:

Where parents can be reached (name/location):

Telephone/cell phone/pager number (if available):

Address/Directions to house:

Length of Assignment:

Time parents expect to return:

House rules:

Who can visit?

How long can they stay?

Who can the children visit?

What are the television rules?

When is bedtime?

What is the bedtime routine?

Where are the following located? Telephone:

Thermostat:

Flashlight:

Emergency kit:

What are the following emergency numbers? Relative or friends:

Fire department:

Police:

Are there specific instructions (medicine, etc.)?

Are there other chores to complete?

What food is allowed? For the children:

For the babysitter:

Travel arrangements to and from babysitting:

Payment received:

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My Family Rules

Name: Club/Group:

Think about the rules or traditions you have in your family. Write a rule if you have one in each of the categories. Write why youthink the rule is important or needed. (Note: You may not have rules in your family for all of these categories.)

About bedtime :

About television:

About visitors:

About friends:

About homework:

About social events:

Other rules:

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You may babysit children of differentages for different families. Be preparedto take care of children from infancythrough school age. Babies have verydifferent needs from older children andneed special care. Toddlers like to beentertained and require lots of energy.Preschoolers love games and activities.School-aged children still need yourattention and guidance, but are moreindependent. This section discusseswhat to expect from children at differ-ent ages.

Ages and Stagesof Children

Infant (Birth to 1 Year):

� crying can mean hunger, diapersneed a change, loneliness, etc.

� never leave baby alone on dressingtable

� know how to change diapers, bathe,and feed infants

� handle baby carefully, supportinghead

� be careful not to “toss” baby up inthe air

� babies need constant attention: warmsupport, nourishment, and play

� babies like to be with other people

Because infants grow and change sorapidly, their needs and wants changeoften throughout the first 18 months.More information on what infants arelike can be found on the 4-H Web site,http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu. Click on“curriculum resources” to find the“babysitting” button.

Toddler (1 to 3 Years):

� snacks frequently

� gets into everything

� says “no!” often

� toilet training usually taking place

� wants to do his/her own thing

� constant attention needed

� may like cuddling

� may initiate play

� hide and seek, guessing games aresuccessful

� often seems to be not listening

� can often get what you want donewithout making a big effort out of it

� begins to use some words such as“tata” or “bye-bye”

Preschooler (3 to 6 Years):

� might say “why” often

� imaginary playmates common

� likes to think he/she is in charge

� shouldn’t be left alone

� needs comforting or distractionwhen parent leaves

� sleeps less

� is more independent

� often doesn’t want to go to bed

� may have bedtime ritual

� likes quiet activities before bed

� should be checked every 1/2 hour

� may not be completely toilet trained

� may have bad dreams or fears andneed comfort until asleep or back tosleep

� can make a game of tasks that needto be done

Session 3: Understanding Children

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School-Aged Child(6 to 10 Years):

� usually the age with the greatestchallenge

� developing many interests

� might argue that something’s “notfair!”often

� wants to be responsible

� enjoys activities such as makingpopcorn, games, crafts

� likes to talk about his/her interests

� may not want a babysitter

� may be jealous of time and attentiongiven younger children

� needs definite plans for amusement

All Ages:

� show love and acceptance

� develop self-confidence by praisingand making children feel useful andimportant

� understand things from their pointof view

� make each child feel special

Dealing withChildren’s Behavior

Knowing what children are like atdifferent ages makes behavior problemseasier to understand and deal with. Thebest strategy is to avoid behaviorproblems before they start!

Provide a variety of things to do. Under-stand what the child is like at variousages. Just before you go to your job,read about the age of the child you willbe caring for.

Expect good behavior. Request andsuggest instead of order and command.We all feel the same way; we respondbetter to positive suggestions than tonegative ones. For example, you mightsay, “Walk over here with me,” insteadof “Don’t walk on the grass.”

Give an older child fair warning beforeyou do something. Be gentle but firm.Don’t let the child talk you out of yourdecision. For example, you might say,“In a few minutes it will be time to putaway your truck and go with me to thestore,” or “As soon as this TV show isfinished, it will be time to get ready forbed.”

Enforce the rules of the parents’ house.Children may test a new babysitter tofind out what rules will be enforced.Knowing familiar rules is a form ofsecurity for the child. You can’t make upyour own.

Temper tantrums are a temporary loss ofcontrol. Most children have themoccasionally. Stay calm. A tempertantrum is a normal childhood experi-ence. Don’t let your temper flare. Don’twalk off and leave the child. The bestthing to do may be to let the child cry

or give a reassuring hug. Don’t referback to the tantrum unless the childbrings it up. Tell the parent about anytemper tantrums and how you re-sponded.

Discipline is helping the child learn self-control. It is not punishment. Punish-ment is physically, emotionally, orverbally hurting a child.

Never spank or hit a child. Try todiscipline by using consequences. Forexample, you might say: “We’ll have toput your tricycle away if you continueto bump into people.” Of course, youmust follow through. Toddlers mightneed just a time-out, or a few minutesby themselves to quiet down. A generalrule is one minute for each year of age.Often you can avoid a disciplinesituation by planning ahead. If you seeonly one cupcake left and two children,cut it into two pieces or don’t offer it.

Bedtime does not have to be a difficulttime for a babysitter. Avoid problems byletting the children know 15 to 30minutes ahead of time that bedtime isapproaching. Wind down with quietactivities such as quiet games, songs, orstories before bedtime. Excitable gamescan wake children up and make itdifficult for them to relax for bed.Snacks, if any, should be light, such as acookie or fruit and a small glass of milk.If a child refuses to sleep, let him or herstay in bed and read or do a quietactivity.

Adapted with permission fromBabysitter’s Program. (1996). Amherst,MA: University of MassachusettsExtension 4-H Youth and FamilyDevelopment.

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Session 3 Worksheet

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters Do (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Check off the activities you did at home or with your babysitter’s group.

Date Adult Initial

Practiced changing a baby’s (or doll’s) diaper.

Calculated how much it would cost to take care of a baby for one month.

Discussed with my helper or a friend some activities I could do if I babysat childrenof different ages.

Role-played with my helper or a friend how to get a child who doesn’t want to turnoff the television to go to bed.

Babysitters Share

Have you ever noticed that children are not all alike? Talk with a friend about the differences you notice among children you babysit,younger sisters or brothers, or other children that you know. Are their ages different? Write down some of the differences youdiscussed.

Babysitters in Action

Write at least two new things you learned about children’s behavior:

How will what you learned about children’s behavior help you when you babysit?

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Play is a child’s work. As a babysitter,you should play with the children youbabysit and not just “watch” them. Playactivities should not be too hard or tooeasy for the age of the child. Try books,fingerplays, making musical instru-ments, learning a song, or makingplaydough. For young children, the“making” and “doing” is the mostimportant part of the activity. Don’tworry about the end result!

This session includes some fun activitiesand information that help childrengrow and develop in different ways.More activities to do with children canbe found on the 4-H Web site,http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu. Click on“curriculum resources” to find the“babysitting” button.

Language andReading withChildren

Some children have had much moreexperience with stories and music thanothers. As a result, it’s not possible tosay that one book or song will always bepreferred by a three-year-old andanother by a five-year-old. When youselect a book for a child, you need toknow something about the child’sinterests. The following suggestions mayhelp you:

Children from one to two years oldusually prefer a story that is made up.

They especially like a story or songabout themselves. It takes only a fewsimple ideas accompanied by actions tomake a “story” for them. The storymight go something like this: “Juan is afine boy. He has brown eyes (point tothem). He has curly brown hair (point).He likes to eat his cereal. . . .” Dressing,eating, and playing all make good ideasaround which to build a story that avery young child enjoys. The story maybe spoken or it may be “sung.”

Children from one year old on like tolook at picture books. The picturesshould be large, and there should beonly one or two pictures on a page. It isgood if the pictures are of real objectsthat the child can recognize (a ball, acat, a car).

Young children also like to turn thepages of a book. They sometimes like totell stories that they make up about thepictures. Turning pages and talking areactivities that children enjoy and animportant part of having a story “read”to them.

As children get older, they like longerstories, but still are interested in familiarthings: mothers, fathers, grandparents,aunts, brothers and sisters, animals,playthings, food, etc. They like toimagine parts of the story.

Children like to see the pictures in abook that is being read. They like to sitin the reader’s lap and help hold thebook. If you are reading the story tomore than one child, have them sit in

front of you and hold the book in onehand with it facing the children. Readthe story by looking at it sideways. Thisis not difficult to do with simple storiesthat you know well, but may take somepractice for other stories. Children oftenlike to talk about what is happening inthe story before it is read or while youare reading. It’s a good idea to stop andlet them talk about their ideas. Hearingwhat they think and feel is moreimportant than finishing the story.

Adapted with permission fromBabysitter’s Program. (1996). Amherst,MA: University of MassachusettsExtension 4-H Youth and FamilyDevelopment.

Fingerplay LanguageActivities

“Home Sweet Home”

� A nest is a home for a robin (cuphands to form a nest)

� A hive is a home for a bee (turncupped hands over)

� A hole is a home for a rabbit (make ahole with hands)

� And a house is a home for me (makeroof with peaked hands)

“Quiet Cats”

� We are little pussy cats (use hands,crawl, or tip-toe)

Session 4: Fun with Children

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� Walking round and round

� We have cushions on our feet

� (whisper) And never make a sound

“Taller, Smaller”

� When I stretch up, I feel so tall

� When I bend down, I feel so small

� Taller, taller, taller, taller

� Smaller, smaller, smaller, smaller

� Into a tiny ball

“The Apple Tree”

� Way up high in the apple tree (pointup high)

� Two little apples smiling at me(make two circles with hands)

� I shook that tree as hard as I could(wrap hands around “trunk” andshake)

� Down came the apples and (twocircle hands come down)

� Mmmm, they were good! (rubtummy)

“I’m a Little Teapot”

� I’m a little teapot, short and stout

� Here is my handle, here is my spout

� When I get all steamed up, hear meshout

� “Tip me over and pour me out!”

“The Itsy Bitsy Spider”

� The itsy bitsy spider climbed up thewaterspout

� Down came the rain and washed thespider out

� Out came the sun and dried up allthe rain

� And the itsy bitsy spider climbed upthe spout again

Music & Movement

To children, music means activity. Theyoung child likes to “dance!” Preschoolchildren like songs with actions. Theyusually like to play “Farmer in theDell,” “Here We Go ‘Round theMulberry Bush,” and “Duck, Duck,Goose.” By five or six, children likesinging games with more complicatedactions such as “In and Out theWindow” and “Lobby Loo.” Whenchildren are four, five, or six years old,they start to like to “just listen” tomusic.

Making Musical Instruments or Toys

Children love to help make and usemusical instruments. Children mayhave more interest in using and experi-menting with instruments that theymake. Some of the following examplesare too hard for young children to makewithout help. You’ll have to patientlyhelp them and be satisfied if theirresults are less than perfect. You also canmake these at home and bring themwith you when you babysit.

Drums� Tape the top securely on an oatmeal

box or a margarine container.

� Cut the ends off a large can, coverboth ends with rubber inner tubing,and lace the tubing together; or use aplastic snap-on lid on each end.

� The end of any cylinder-shaped con-tainer can be covered with construc-tion paper or fabric scraps. Try anysurface that is available. Compare thedifferences in the sounds they make.

� Drumsticks can be your hands,spoons, pencils, dowels, or sticks.You may want to wrap one end ofthe dowel or stick with cloth, or tiecotton on it to make a differentsound.

Tambourines� Remove corks from bottle caps.

Flatten the caps and punch holes inthem. Make sure there are no sharpedges. Tie caps to the edges ofaluminum pie pans or paper plates.

� Put bottlecaps, buttons, or stones inan aluminum pie pan. Place anotherpie pan face down over it. Punchevenly spaced holes around the rimand lace together tightly.

Shakers� Use film containers, plastic eggs,

baking powder cans, oatmeal boxes,or boxes with lids. Experiment withdifferent sounds by putting drybeans, macaroni, rice, buttons,stones, etc., in them. Tape togethersecurely. Little children like to putthings in their mouths, so be surethey cannot get to the contents ofthe shaker.

� Staple paper plates together withsomething that rattles inside. Usefairly large objects, and place thestaples very close together so thecontents will not fall out. Place tapeover the staples, or lace the edgeswith yarn after holes are punched.Attach tie strings for musical hats.

Swish or Sandpaper Blocks� Glue sandpaper, rough side out, to

one side of two 2-inch-square, 1-inch-thick wooden blocks. Rub thesandpapered sides of the two blockstogether for sound effects. Be surethe blocks are smooth and do nothave splinters.

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Cymbals and Bells� Make cymbals from jar lids, saucepan

covers, or aluminum plates. A spoolmay be attached as a handle.

� Finger cymbals can be made bypunching two holes in the center oftwo matching jar lids, large buttons,or bottle caps. Fold a fat rubber bandin half and push each end throughthe holes. Put your thumb andforefinger through the loops andclack away. Sew small sleigh bells toelastic and make a wrist band ofbells.

Kazoos and Horns� Tape waxed paper over one end of a

cardboard tube (from paper towels ortoilet paper). Hum into the open endwith your mouth open a little. Thismay take a little practice. A differentsound is made if you make threeholes in the tube with a pencil. Thewaxed paper also can be held in placewith a rubber band.

� Blow across the mouths of different-sized empty plastic soda bottles.Different sizes give different tones.

Water Chimes� Put water in eight glasses. Start with

an almost full glass on the left, andend with a small amount of water inthe eighth glass. The tone of the fullglass will be deep and clear. Add orpour water from the other glassesuntil you have the eight musicalnotes of a scale. Tap the glasses gentlywith a spoon, a pencil, or yourfingernail. If you want a short note,put your finger on the rim of theglass, and the sound will stop. Fill anumber of glass containers withdifferent amounts of water. Carefullystriking the sides of the containerswith different utensils will makethem ring out with varying degreesof sound.

Reprinted with permission from: Goodtimes with music and rhythm. (1989).Lagoni, L. S., D. H. Martin, et al. In:Good Times With Child Care, pp. 206–221. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado StateUniversity Cooperative Extension andThe National Network for Child Care(NNCC).

Creative Activities

What is Creativity?

Creativity means expressing yourself inyour own way. Children are naturallycreative. They see the world throughfresh, new eyes and then use what theysee in original ways. One of the mostrewarding parts of working withchildren is the chance to watch themcreate. They do it all the time, all bythemselves. You can encourage thenatural creativity that is already there!

Children display creativity in manyways, but especially while doing art,language, music, and fantasy activities.Children can express their ideas andfeelings through their artwork, usingcrayons, paint, scissors, glue, playdough, and other craft materials. Theyalso can express their ideas and feelingsthrough language, either through storiesthey tell or creative “plays” and “pre-tend” games. Music is the expression ofideas and feelings using movement. Itincludes dancing, singing, playinginstruments, and using the body tomake movements such as leaping like afrog or exploring how many ways tomake a circle with the body. Fantasy isexpressing ideas and feelings by pre-tending. It can include playing “make-believe,” daydreaming, talking withimaginary companions, and readingfantasy books.

Your local library has lots of books ofcreative activities for children. Here aretwo you might want to try with yourclub or a friend.

Outdoor Play

Take the children you are caring for ona walk outside. As you walk, talk to thechildren about what you are seeing.Here are some ways you can do this:

� Look for different shapes and colorsof leaves.

� Point out wildflowers. Discuss theirfragrance, shape, and color.

� Listen to the different sounds in theoutdoors.

� Notice the birds, and talk about thedifferent kinds. Tell the childrensomething about how they live,where they get their food, and otherthings of interest.

� Observe the sky: cloud formations,sunrises, sunsets, different colors,rainbows, and the stars at night.

You and the children will think of otherthings as you walk. Scavenger hunts arefun with older children.

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Accordion People

Cut strips of construction paper about2" wide and 12" long. Demonstrate afan/accordion fold. Let children try itwith a strip of the paper. Encouragethem to think of creative ways ofmaking heads and feet to attach to eachend of the folded strip to make aperson. Stretching the accordion foldsmakes the person short or tall.

Uncooked Play Dough

� 2 cups flour� 1 cup salt� 2 cups water (approximately)

Mix together the flour and salt. Addenough water to make a dough theconsistency of stiff cookie dough. Colorby adding food coloring to the waterbefore mixing, or by kneading in drytempera after mixing. The dry temperagives deeper, more brilliant colors. Thedough can be air dried or baked in a225°F oven for 2 to 3 hours.

Reprinted with permission from: Goodtimes being creative. (1989). Lagoni, L.S., D. H. Martin, et al. In: Good TimesWith Child Care, pp. 239–253. FortCollins, CO: Colorado State UniversityCooperative Extension and TheNational Network for Child Care(NNCC).

Activities with Food

If you are going to make snacks or doany activities that require food, makesure the parents have given you permis-sion. Ask if the child is allergic to anytypes of food. Then it’s time to getstarted! Wash your hands and have thechildren wash theirs. A good way toknow that you’ve washed long enough isto sing the “ABC” song while washing.When the song is over, your handsshould be clean. Don’t let childrensample any food until it is ready to beserved. This also can help prevent thespread of germs.

Children love to cook and participate infood activities. They also have shortattention spans. Give them quick,simple jobs, with one instruction at atime. Repeat directions as often asneeded. Never leave the children alone,and don’t be upset with spills andmesses—they’re to be expected. Thechildren also can help with clean-up.

Toddlers love to feed themselves;however, be careful about food becom-ing trapped in their small airways.Nutritionists give us the followingadvice:

� Check baked goods for nuts, whichare the number one food-relatedchoking hazard for children.

� Avoid hard or difficult-to-chew foodslike raw carrots or other crunchyvegetables, hard candy, jelly beans,nuts, and lollipops. Spread thick andsticky peanut butter very thinly.

� Cut grapes into quarters and hotdogs into fine, lengthwise slices. Dicemeats. Chop apples and firm fruitsinto very small pieces.

� Keep an eye on small children whenthey are eating. They might eat in ahurry and stuff too much food intheir mouths, or not chew their foodwell.

� Feed children only when they areseated. Don’t allow them to run orplay with food while chewing.

Adapted from: Nutrition and YourChild. Baylor College of Medicine,USDA/ARS Children’s NutritionResearch Center.

Food Ideas for ChildrenThe following recipes are quick, easy,and fun to make with children.

Smiley Faces

You will need:� Rice or popcorn cakes� Peanut butter� Bananas� Plastic knife� Raisins� Napkin or plate

Spread peanut butter on a cake. Usetwo banana slices to form eyes. Shape asmiling mouth with raisins.

Apple Smiles

You will need:� Apples (washed)� Peanut butter or cream cheese� Miniature marshmallow� Knife or apple slicer� Plastic knife� Napkin or plate

Wash apple, leaving peels on. Cutapples into quarters. Spread one quarterwith peanut butter or cream cheese.Add 3 or 4 marshmallows near the skinside of the quarter, for teeth. Cover withanother apple quarter so the sandwichlooks like a smile.

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Toys

Infants

Infants need bright-colored toys ofmany textures. Because infants puteverything in their mouths, toys shouldbe washable, nonbreakable, and have nosharp edges that might cut or scratch.Toys should be large enough so theycannot be swallowed, and they shouldhave no small attached pieces (like eyeson a stuffed animal or bells on a shaker)that could be pulled off and swallowed.Choose toys for them to look at, feel,chew on, hold, and drop. Good toys forinfants include: rattles, squeak toys,blocks, crib mobiles, stacking toys andrings, push-pull toys, stuffed animals ordolls, nested boxes or cups, books withrhymes, simple picture books, noise-making toys, small soft toys for throw-ing, strings of beads (large, plastic), andmusic-making toys.

Toddlers

Toddlers are active and enjoy climbing,running, and jumping. They need toysto meet these needs. They also areinterested in doing things with theirhands as the small muscles in theirfingers become more developed.However, toys for this age group shouldbe simple and require little coordina-tion. During this period, toddlersbecome interested in playing withothers and in imitating grown-upactivities. Dress-up clothes are great forthis!

Toddlers also are interested in gettingtheir hands into things such as paint,play dough, crayons, and chalk. Theylike to scribble and mix colors. Whentalking to young children about theircreations, you should say “Tell meabout your picture,” rather than “Whatis it?” Toddlers still put toys in theirmouths, so you will need to watch forobjects with small parts. Also, watch outfor items such as paint and chalk thattoddlers may try to eat! Toys should besturdy and should not have sharp edgesor points. Toddlers enjoy balloons, butcaregivers should be careful to keepuninflated or broken ones out of reach.Children can suffocate if they swallowthese.

For a more complete listing of suggestedtoys for children, go the the 4-H Website at http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu. Clickon “curriculum resources” to find the“babysitting” button.

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Session 4 Worksheet

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters Do (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Check off the activities you did at home or with your group:

Date Adult Initial

Practiced reading aloud to a younger child, a friend, or my helper.

Visited a library and talked with the librarian about children’s books and reading tochildren.

Made a picture book for a child.

Learned and did a fingerplay with a child, a friend, or my helper.

Made play dough.

Made a musical instrument.

Prepared a nutritious snack for a child, a friend, or my helper.

Brought in toys from home or a friend’s house and talked about what age child theywould be best for.

Babysitters Share (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

Talk with a friend about toys you have seen advertised on television, or use one ofthe toys you brought to the meeting.

Do they help a child be creative? Share your discussion with the entire group.

Share some toys and activities that you really liked when you were younger. Whydid you like them so much? Do you still have any of your favorite toys?

(continued)

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Session 4 Worksheet (continued)

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters in ActionInvite young children to one of your babysitting sessions. Plan several activities to do with the children. If you can’t have childrencome to your session, do this on your own with a younger brother or sister, neighbor, or friend. When you are finished, talk withyour helper about what went well and what you would have changed. Write your answers below:

What went really well about my activity session with a younger child:

Things I would have changed:

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Handling Accidentsand Emergencies

Accidents are one of the leading causesof injury and death. Children are notoften aware of dangers and don’t thinkof what might happen to them orothers. Children are curious andsometimes excitable and impulsive.

The best way to handle emergencies isto use prevention strategies!

First, make sure your babysitting toolkit (see Session 6) is safe, with no smallitems that could choke a child. Loosebutton eyes should be sewn on tight,plastic toys should be wiped clean, andall broken toys should be fixed ordiscarded before you enter the home.Carry nothing into the home that couldpotentially harm a child—a sharp pairof scissors, medicine, or even cosmetics.

Take a copy of the Red Cross Babysitter’sHandbook or a similar guide as areference for unusual emergencies. Your4-H group leader can help you get acopy of the Red Cross Babysitter’sHandbook, which is up-to-date and fullof safety information.

Make sure you know where theparent(s) are and where they can bereached by phone. Also, locate thedoctor, poison control, and emergencyphone numbers. In most communities,the emergency medical system can be

located by dialing 9-1-1. Be sure toknow where the phones and anyemergency supplies (especially the syrupof ipecac and activated charcoal) arelocated in the home.

Do a safety check of the home while theparents are still there—look for stacks ofitems above the refrigerator, extensioncords, anything on the floor that couldcause a fall, dangling curtain cords orplastic bags (esp. dry cleaner bags) thatcould prevent a child from breathing,cleaning products, knives, sharp coffeetable edges, and the location of outletsin the play area.

Get yourself settled in—remove yourcoat, use the bathroom, etc. while theparents are still there—so you can givethe utmost attention to the children inyour care when the parents leave. Donot do anything that will distract youfrom them.

Some of the most common accidents inthe home are poisoning, choking,burns, electrocution, and injuries fromfalls.

Poisons and Choking

There are many types of poisons in ahome. Pills, household cleaningsupplies, many houseplants, laundrydetergents, cosmetics, and some artsand crafts materials can be problems.Young children and especially infantslike to pick up things and put them intheir mouths. They do this naturally.You may have to get down to their levelto determine some of the hazards thatare in their path.

Also, be wary of giving children anyfood that smells or looks old, eventhough some food poisoning may notbe detectable to any of your senses.Children also may have allergies tocertain foods. The best practice is togive children only the medicine or foodthe parent says to give them.

Prevent food poisoning by washing yourhands carefully before and often duringfood preparation. Soap up your handscompletely in warm water, working thesoap in and among your fingers andunder your nails. Singing the “alphabet”song is a good way to know you arespending enough time scrubbing.Washing hands is important, as manygerms are carried by hands. Rinse welland dry on a clean towel.

Also, it’s very important to wash yourhands carefully after using the bath-room or changing a diaper.

Session 5: Sitting Safely

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Certain foods such as hot dogs, grapesand cherry tomatoes are associated withchoking. Cut foods into small pieces.Try to keep mealtime calm, and watchthe children chew their food. Keep theservings small, allowing children to havemore as they need it. For more informa-tion on feeding children safely, refer tothe food activities section of thisproject.

Children shouldnever bite onballoons. They canbreak, and a piececan lodge in thethroat and causesuffocation.

What to TellEmergency Workers

Stay calm on the phone. Speak clearlyand give information so emergencyworkers can picture what is happening.They will help you!

Say, “This is an emergency. My name is__________________ and I am ababysitter. I have (have not) called theparents yet.

“I am at __________________(give an address or directions), and thephone number is ______________(in case you get cut off ).”

Answer any questions, keeping in mindthat the tone of your voice and youractions are as important to the child asthe medical person talking to you onthe phone. Children must know you arecalm and confident, even if you don’tfeel that way at the moment.

Medical persons likely will ask you:

1. What kind of emergency you have.

2. How many people are involved.

3. What the injury is, what the personlooks like, the child’s color, thehotness or coolness of their skin, howfast their heart is beating, etc.

Listen to what the medical person says.He or she may want to keep you on theline. If you feel that you need to dropthe phone or hang up and call theparent, let the emergency worker knowthis before you do it.

To help you cooperate with emergencymedical staff, here is a checklist of skillsyou might learn to be prepared:

� How to clean and dress small cutsand wounds.

� How to make and apply a coldcompress.

� How to make and apply a warmcompress.

� What Syrup of Ipecac and activatedcharcoal look like and where they arelocated. Never make a decision touse these without first calling thePoison Control Center.

� How to read household productlabels for instructions on poisonemergencies. Recognize that allpoisons are not treated the same way.

� How to cover an injured child whilecalmly talking to them, smiling, andlistening.

� How to use the Heimlich maneuverfor a baby and an older child.

� How to apply pressure to stopbleeding.

� How to explain the situation toemergency personnel.

� How to recognize and prevent shock.

� Use of safety gates on a stairway.

� How to secure cabinet latches andoutlet covers.

In anEmergency

In an emergency, stay calm and focus onthe situation, as you will be makingdecisions. Let the child and otherchildren in the house know that you arecompetent and in control of thesituation. They will look to you. Try tocall a neighbor or someone to watch theother children, or sit them downsomeplace away from the injured personor emergency situation but where youcan watch them. Talk in low soothingtones and smile—even if you don’t feelconfident at the moment.

Your biggest decision in an emergency iswhen to call for emergency (9-1-1) helpand when to call the parents. When indoubt, call the emergency medicalsystem (9-1-1 in most communities) orthe poison control center first and tellthem you are the babysitter. Be ready togive information about how to locatethe parents. If there is a fire in thehouse, take the children and call from aneighbor’s house.

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Situations

Practice the following role plays untilyou feel confident. You may want to aska nurse, emergency worker, or othermedical professional to guide you inthis exercise. Discuss how each of thesesituations could be prevented.

� A young child got some shampoo ora fleck of dirt in his or her eye.

� A child has a nose bleed.

� A child is vomiting.

� A child has taken a prescriptionmedicine.

� A child is standing there with a bonepoking out of his/her arm.

� A child stops breathing.

� A child has an earache.

� A child is choking.

� A child has gum in his/her hair.

� You suspect the child has fallenwhile in a swimming pool orbathtub.

� A young child has cut him/herselfon a sharp object.

� A young child fell in the swimmingpool and is no longer breathing.

� A child fell into a swimming pooland is thrashing in the deep end, andyou do not know how to swim.

� A child was stung by a bee or sees abee on his/her arm.

� A child put his/her hand on a hotstove.

� The parents come home and want toknow what happened.

General Guidelinesfor TreatingEmergencies

� Force yourself to be calm. You willthink more clearly, be able to handlethe situation better and describe it tomedical help, and reduce the panicand possible shock symptoms of thechild.

� In case of a fire, walk (don’t run) tothe nearest exit from the home. If thehouse is dark and smoking, move onyour hands and knees, as there willbe some air close to the floor. Do notopen any door that is warm or hot tothe touch. If the child is on fire, havehim or her stop, drop to the floor,and roll back and forth until the fireis out.

� To stop bleeding, use a clean 4"-by-4" bandage, a towel, or a compress,and apply steady pressure.

� Do not move anyone who has fallenor who you suspect has broken abone, unless there is a greateremergency (such as a fire) that wouldfurther injure the person. In thiscase, follow the emergency medicaldirections for moving someone.

� Do not allow the child to rub awound or eye injury. If you need torinse a chemical from the eye, lowerthe affected eye to prevent transfer tothe other eye, and rinse in coolrunning water.

� Minor burns should be treated byrunning cool water on the injuredareas.

� Do not give an unconscious personanything to eat or drink.

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Session 5 Worksheet

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters Do (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Check off those activities you did at home or with your group:

Date Adult Initial

Made a first aid kit to take into a home or use at a playground.

Participated in a first-aid training session.

Role-played at least four emergency situations.

Babysitters ShareDiscuss emergency situations you have heard about or in which you have been involved. How did the people involved respond?Which responses were good? Which responses could be improved?

Babysitters in ActionShare what you learned about handling emergencies with your parents, a school class, a parent you babysit for, or another adult.

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This is the final session in yourbabysitting project! You will share yourbabysitting tool kit and/or portfolio.The kit can be completed at home orduring this session, depending on howyour helper plans the sessions. Theportfolio (introduced in Session 2 ofthis project) should include things youcollected that relate to babysitting whiledoing this project.

Why a BabysittingTool Kit?

When carpenters build houses, they usetools. Babysitter’s tools are the thingsyou need to play with and care foryoung children. A tool kit can supplyyou with the necessary materials andequipment. Parents will likely feel thatyou are a serious and interestedbabysitter when they learn you areprepared. Children will like the tool kitbecause it will have new and differentitems for them to use. You may want tosave your kit items as a surprise or for aspecial time with the children.

What is a Tool Kit?

The tool kit can be a cardboard box, asmall canvas bag, an old shoe box, ashopping bag, or a brown paper bag.Any kind of container will work—evena small suitcase or a backpack—as long

as some of the items will fit inside. Youmay not want to take all of your kititems on every job. Select items that arespecific for the age of child you arecaring for.

Inside the Kit

Include creative and fun ideas, activities,and toys. You can make some of theitems in the kit or you may include usedtoys if they are clean and safe. Part ofthe fun is building your kit! It doesn’tneed to be expensive! You can includeyour own used toys or find good ones atgarage sales or thrift stores.

Suggestionsfor Kit Items

� Crayons� Balls� Pencils� Blunt scissors� Colored paper� String� Colored yarn� Pipe cleaners� Old magazines for cutting� Notebook� Old envelopes and stamps� Small plastic toys� Story books� Flashlight� Doll� Fabric scraps� Puppets

Session 6: Sharing Tool Kits &Portfolios

Evaluate Your Kit

As you build your kit, think aboutsafety, creativity, and the ages of thechildren. Also, make sure everything inyour kit is clean and sturdy.

Congratulations!

You have learned the steps in BabysittingBeginnings that will help you care foryoung children.

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Session 6 Worksheet

Name: Club/Group:

Babysitters Do (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

I made a babysitting tool kit.

I made a babysitting portfolio.

Babysitters Share (Date and have an adult initial when complete.)

Date Adult Initial

Share your tool kit at a meeting or with another group of youth or adults.

Enter your tool kit or portfolio in the county fair or 4-H Roundup.

Babysitters in ActionI took my kit on a babysitting job!

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I Pledge:My Head to clearer thinking,My Heart to greater loyalty,My Hands to larger service, andMy Health to better living,For my club, my community,My country and my world.