Fun Games and Activities To Play While Babysitting

List of 20 awesome things to do while babysitting!

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So what is babysitting? Babysitting is when a Mom or Dad have commitments and/or engagements and want or need to be kid free for a period of time. And who should they call upon as their most trusted babysitter?

Well, if they have the option, an Aunt is a great choice for this very task. We’re a trusted resource for parents and it’s also a great way for us to build strong bonds with our niblings (especially the younger ones).

But what do you do with them when you’re babysitting? Turn on the TV and let the time pass until Mom and Dad get home? Not if your’e an awesome babysitter.

Go in with a plan to have fun, be safe, and bond with these little ones. Playing with them is the best way to bond in my opinion.

Need some ideas on what to play or how to have fun? I’ve put together a list of games and activities that babysitters can play during your visits. Enjoy them!!

Bubbles

What kid doesn’t love to play with bubbles? It’s fun to blow them, but what every kid loves to do is POP the bubbles. That’s why I prefer to have a bubble maker around so I can pop them too.

This bubble maker creates over Frog Over 500 bubbles per minute!

Get creative! See if you can..

• Make a bubble snowman – catch and stack 3 bubbles on top of each other before they pop!
• Have the kids count how many bubbles they can pop before you count to 10

Click here to check it out on Amazon:

Bubble Maker

Play Doh & Play Doh Sets

Play Doh is also a fan favorite for nearly every child. It’s not only for fun, it’s also functional. Play doh is great for exercising their fine motor skills.  Kids need fine motor skills for writing, eating, and tying their shoes, etc.

You can do so much with it too! Roll it, flatten it, chop it, cut it, poke it, squish it, pinch it, mix it and more!

I like to have both a play doh sets so they have some tools to work with while making their masterpieces. However, it’s also a good idea to have extra on hand. The more colors the better!

Click here to check them out on Amazon:

Play Doh

Play Doh Playset

Make Believe

Playing make believe comes naturally to children and it’s a great way to build a bond with them. I find that sometimes all they need is to set up a scenario and then they’ll take it from there.

Here’s a thought, mold some fish and sharks out of play doh, turn on the bubble maker, and make believe you’re under the sea!

Coloring

When you find yourself babysitting your niece or nephew (which many Aunts do on a regular basis), it’s a good idea to have an action plan.  Picking out a movie to watch or playing a board game can be a lot of fun. But you know what? You’re gonna want to have a quiet activity planned too – like coloring.

•  It helps them develop their fine motor skills!
•  It’s relaxing!
•  It promotes creativity!

Drawing

Drawing is sort of my thing, but I know it’s not everyone’s strong suit. My niece and nephews often ask me draw them a picture of their favorite characters and superheroes. We’ve gotten to the point now where I have to do a good job because they want them framed!

I highly suggest Art for Kids Hub on YouTube. This channel breaks down all the steps to drawing popular cartoon characters, to emojis and more! He does it all with his kids drawing with him! It’s a kid friend channel and fan favorite in my family.

Scavenger Hunt

Send them on a scavenger hunt! Whether you have one child a few, it’s an easy way to add fun to your babysitting duties. Plus, you can turn almost anything into a scavenger hunt!

Get your Spring Scavenger Hunt Printable!

Would Your Rather

Select the first player and have them ask a question that begins with “Would you rather…?” The player will provide two scenarios for the other players to choose from.

Each player must pick one of the two scenarios he or she would “rather” do.

“Both” or “Neither.” can never be the response. You must choose ONE of the two options given.

I’ve created some questions to get your game started. Click here for 20 FREE would you rather questions for kids!

I Spy

To begin, one person looks around the room and spies something. The person keeps it a secret. Then they say out loud, “I spy with my little eye, something… The spy must give a descriptive clue, i.e. something orange, something that starts with R, etc. The item must be visible to the other players.

Whoever guesses correctly then becomes the new spy.

20 questions

One player is starts the game by picking a word and keeping it a secret. They are the word keeper.

Everyone else is a guesser.

Each guesser takes a turn asking one yes or no question.

We usually start off the game with the first questions being is it an animal? Is it a vegetable? Is it a mineral?

The word keeper must answer the questions honestly. Lying is never allowed.

If any of the guessers figure out the secret word in 20 questions or less, they become the word keep for the next round.

If the word is not guessed, the word keeper for that round goes again.

Build a couch or pillow fort

Stack pillows and couch cushions in a square space, leaving room in the middle to sit.

Place a blanket over top.

Us this space to tell stories, read a book, or better yet…as safety for your sock wars!

Sock war

This was a favorite game of ours when we were growing up. Your ammunition? Dirty socks!

Establish boundaries and safe zones.

Take off your socks and fold them into a ball. Each player tries to hit their opponent with their dirty sock. The game only ends when you’ve had enough.

Use the forts you just built as home base for each side.

This is safe play because socks won’t hurt anyone, but it’s also loads of fun to hit someone with a sock.

Mega Bloks

Lego sets are great when kids get older and can read and follow directions for putting them together. However, I like Mega Bloks because they’re super easy to clean up, they’re great for little hands, and I won’t limp for an hour if I accidentally step on one.

Build a tower, knock it down! Let their imaginations sore with this kid friendly toy.

It’s great to bring in other toys such as stuff animals, action figures, LOL surprise dolls, etc. to build a home, bed, school, or anything else you can come up with.

Click here to check them out on Amazon:

Mega Bloks

Paint a Rock

I literally just used this paint a rock kit with my niece and nephew the last time I babysat them.

My niece Layla is older and had a great time getting detailed and making her rock look like the ones on the box.

My nephew, Julian is only 3, but he didn’t care. He went to town mixing colors on his rock and had a blast.

Get creative! Paint these rocks, allow them to dry, let the kids hide them and then add them to your scavenger hunt!  

Layla and I didn’t put on that many coats of paint so our rocks dried pretty quickly. I can’t say the same for Julian’s so just keep that in mind if you want to hide them immediately. Let the kids know the more paint you put on, the longer it’ll take for them to dry.

Click here to check them out on Amazon:

Rocking Painting Kit

Build a Puzzle

When you’ve had enough active play and you’re ready for a quiet activity, I suggest doing a puzzle together. It’s relaxing but it keeps their attention because they have to focus on putting the pieces together.

Sit down together and build this underwater scene!

Click here to check them out on Amazon:

Under The Sea Puzzle

This giant floor puzzle by Melissa and Doug is made from durable, extra-thick cardboard pieces. It’s broken into 48 pieces which is not too many pieces where they get overwhelmed and lose interest. It’s also not too few pieces where they would complete it in 4 seconds.

Minute to Win it Games!

M&M Challenge

Supplies needed:

M&M’s

Table

Straws

Empty Cup

Kitchen Timer

Setting up the game:

Start by spreading M&M’s on the table or inside a bowl.

Hand each player a straw and empty cup. Place the cup next to the child on the table.

Objective:

Players must suck up one M&M at a time and place it into the empty bowl next to them. They cannot use their hands to pick up the candy.

Players have ONE MINUTE to suck up as many candies as possible and drop them in their empty cup!

The player who transferred the most M&M’s is the winner! Everyone gets to eat their M&M’s though!

Variation:

Put the empty cups farther away on another table and have them walk their M&M’s to the cup! This will get messier so if you want a simply clean up, have them closer. However, if you don’t mind the mess, try it – IT’S FUN!

Balloon Challenge

Supplies needed:

Inflated Balloon(s)

Kitchen Time

Free Space

How to Play/Objective:

I suggest allowing one person to go at a time to avoid injury, but use your discretion based upon space.

Players will each take an inflated balloon, toss it above their head and keep it up by lightly taping it into the air.

They have ONE MINUTE to keep it above their head. If it falls below their chin, the game starts over.

Variations:

Add more balloons! Think it’s too easy with 1 balloon? Try 3!!

Too hard to keep it above your head? Change the rules so that they only have to keep the balloon in the air, not above their head.

Cookie Challenge

Supplies needed:

Cookies

Empty chair or floor space

Kitchen timer

How to Play/Objective:

Sit in a chair or on the floor. Give a cookie such as an Oreo to each player. Have them lean their head back and place a cookie in the middle of their forehead.

When the timer begins, players can only use their facial muscles to move the cookie from their forehead to their mouth.

They can tip their head and move their neck, but players cannot touch the cookie with your hands.

The cookie must remain in contact with their face. They can’t try to toss it from your forehead and catch it in your mouth.

If a cookie falls before it reaches their mouth, they must start over by placing it back on their forehead.

The cookie must actually go in your mouth to count.

Variations:

Give them 2 or 3 cookies to start. After the first cookie makes it to their mouth, they must remove it and start over with another one on their forehead. The challenge is completed when all 3 make it to their mouth before the minute is up.

Popsicle/Dice Challenge

Supplies needed:

Popsicle sticks

5 Dice

Kitchen timer

How to Play/Objective:

Players must hold one end of a popsicle stick in their mouth.

Take each die and one by one stack them on the other end of the popsicle stick on top of each other.

They must stack 5 dice in a tower at the end on the stick.

Players have ONE MINUTE to complete this challenge.

If they dice fall off, have them pick it up and start over before the time runs out.

Variations:

Use fewer dice in the tower

Spaghetti Challenge

Supplies Needed:

Six uncooked penne or tube shaped pasta per player

One uncooked piece of spaghetti per player

Empty table space

Kitchen timer

How to Play/Objective:

Place the pasta around the edge of the table so that the open end faces outward.

Players must stand at the table with their hands behind the back.

When the timer starts, the player can then pick up the spaghetti with their hands and put it in their mouth.

The player then goes around the table skewering the pasta, one at a time, with the spaghetti.

If the spaghetti breaks, just give them another piece

To win, all six pieces of pasta must be on the spaghetti within ONE MINUTE!

Card Shark!

Supplies Needed:

1 Deck of Playing Card

Kitchen Timer

How to Play/Objective:

Shuffle 1 deck of playing cards.

One player at a time goes unless you have more than 1 deck of cards

Players make 4 piles of cards with each pile containing only one suit in ONE MINUTE!.

Variations:

To make it harder! Player must put 1 pile in order from ace to king!

Even harder! Player must put 2 piles in order from ace to king!

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