Babysitting ideas?

Question

I'll be watching 2 little kids (kindergarten and first grade) the whole summer. I'm looking for fun, somewhat educational ideas for activities to do with them. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Coloring educational books. Mother May I ?  Simon Says. There are alot of websites cater to that.

Answer 2

1.  Check out the summer reading program at your local library.  Take them to the library for actvities with other children and to check out their own library books.  Read to them and let the children read to you.  The first grader should be able to read short books independently.  Plan activities based on the books that they read (i.e. draw or make a puppet of their favorite character from a book, act out a scene from a favorite book).  

2.  Have the children keep a journal (single subject spiral bound notebook) for the summer.  They can write about what they did each day.  Encourage them to sound out words they do not know how to spell.  The kindergartener could draw pictures of what he/she did that day if he/she is not ready to write.  

3. Cook with them (bake cookies,  make rice crispy treats, or even jello) and let them help you with the measurements.  

4.  If you have access to a computer with the children check out pbs.org/kids.  There are lots of educational games for all ages.  

Have fun with them!

Answer 3

Take them on walks and the park and point out stuff to them.  My daughters are 3 and 5 and they ask all kinds of questions no matter what we do.  The library is a great place as well.

They love arts and crafts and creating things.  Anything can be educational when you interact with children.

Answer 4

Hide & Seek. ;D

Answer 5

Go for a walk or bike ride... thats always fun for kids. Bring them to a near by park, or library. Maybe if they have friends near by, or if a friends of yours has to watch kids, too, you could all meet up. That would be fun for the kids, and for you, too.

From experience kids like to bake cookies or other little things like that. I've also noticed that they like to play scavenger hunt, or other guessing sort of games like that.

If its a rainy day, play board games, color, and watch movies.

Nap time is important, so don't forget about that. Usually about an hour after they eat lunch.

Build things... legos, tinker tots, etc.

If you can handle it and get everything together mini golf in the house is good. Use some cups down for the holes and have the kids design the course.

Painting, drawing, crafts.

Play resturant, house, school.. I used to love that :]

and yeah!

Just have fun, and dont keep them locked up in the house for too long!

Good lucky!

Answer 6

We write on our sliding glass door/windows with washable markers and then wipe off with sponge.

Playdough/clay is always a hit.  There are so many recipes out there and these kids can help you make it!  Even more exciting!

Bake!!!  This age loves it!  Then they can eat it!

Water play- have a sprinkler?  Or one of those balls that the water comes out of?

Bubbles--- have them help you make homemade bubble wands...they make bigger bubbles.

Purchase a couple of kites or help them make their own.

This age still likes dramatic play... surprise them with a prop box or two.

Have the two children retell a favorite story.

Instruments and music.

Have a theme day...life farm or jungle and do various activities and snacks that relate to that theme.

Have a park that you can walk to?

Target has a great selection of outdoor games...croquet, etc.

Do science experiments...this age loves this and they are able to comprehend quite a bit of it.  An experiment a week is something they will look forward too!

Make your own icecream!  My after-school kids loved this!  We did it in a coffee can.

Have them choose  a chapter book and read a little every day.  These are older books but Kindergarten/First Grade will "get" the humor...Mrs. PiggleWiggle series.

It would be great to do a journal every day.  Start out by having them decorate a folder/binder and then every day give them a story starter and write a story.  Then place into binder or folder for a collection at the end of the year (the parents will love this.)

Art projects:  open ended if possible but this age is beginning to like crafts.  Crayon water color resist; they still like fingerpainting and regular painting, oil pastels, collages etc.

Have them compile a list of board games that they both want to play this summer and help them write the titles on strips of paper.  Then place in a decorated container (the kids can decorate) and every day when there is a slow period...pull one of the strips out and play that game.

Good luck!

Answer 7

ASK THEM TO PLAY TAG

READ ONE PAGE AND HAVE THEM TO READ WITH YOU

COLOR LET THEM COOK {PRETEND) WATCH TV PAINT

PLAY PEEK A BOO

Answer 8

um... i'm not sure of any in particular.  i know when i go shopping and i take my little sister, i bring dry-erase markers for the mirror when i go try stuff on.  she doodles all over her reflection... i'm not sure that that is educational though