Babysitting Camp ideas...

[prettysocks]

Alright! So I'm planning another Guide camp, and it's in November. The girls will be completing their Red Cross babysitting course on Saturday. I need ideas to do with them on Friday night, and Saturday night, and Sunday morning.

The ideas I have so far (sticking with the theme of babysitting, learning to be a good babysitter, working with kids) are:
-making homemade playdough
-making placemats

That's all. There will only be about 20 girls, not a huge group. I'm looking for ideas that the girls would be able to bring to their babysitting jobs. Crafts, games, anything that they would be able to do without a parent's help, that is cheap/free for them, and that would keep the kids away form the TV!

What can you, being fabulous camp counselors, come up with? :rolleyes:

[runrachrunn]

What about creating or decorating a box that could hold all sorts of crafts and games? Like a babysitter's kit. My sister had one when she used to babysit, and she used to put in all sorts of stories and decks of cards and puzzles. Used to keep the kids occupied for hours.

[campnerd99]

What about 'baking' Rice Krispie Squares? It's something that can be very eaisly done with kids as it doesn't really have the risk of a hot stove and can keep kids busy.

[Marzz]

You could have them make a memory matching card game with index cards and stickers. You know the one where you place all the cards face down and you turn over two cards and if you get a matching picture, you take the cards and go again, if your pictures don't match, it's the next person's turn. It's a very easy game to make and a fun game for kids to play!

[CAMPFRIEND]

I think that you should also look at games to play outside like tag or somthing. If the weathers nice go out!

[prettysocks]

Oh, I'm looking for games! But remember, when you're babysitting, tag is a bit lame if it's just you, an 8 yr old, and a 2 yr old. I'm looking for ideas that they can teach or use with kids whilst babysitting.

Thanks for your ideas so far, guys!

Any ideas of what to put in the "babysitting box" idea that runrachrunn threw out there?

[YUrocks!]

How about making Jello Jigglers / Knox blocks? They can be cut into cool shapes and are easy and fun to make. I used to do them with kids when I was a babysitter.

I loved someone else's suggestion about making a babysitter kit. You could have them make little games and things that can be put in it. Or they could make their own resource binder, where they put your playdoh recipe, etc in it.

Other ideas ... have them create games in small groups of 4. One group could do a generic scavenger hunt of things you find around the home, one could make a matching game, one could make cards of a "truth or dare" nature, (but appropriate of course). If you have 5 groups each make something different, they could then share them with the other groups and everyone would leave with a box of cool resources.

[runrachrunn]

I should have finished my thought -- my sister had playdough, a couple of travel games (yahtzee and boggle I think), a deck of apples to apples cards that she made herself, some fine tipped markers so the kdis could make their own cartoons, and then some other stuff. She also always keeps a first aid kit in there too, which generally becomes handy at some point when some kid bonks themself.

[prettysocks]

Tiny first aid kit! Good thinkin'!

[prettysocks]

More ideas I've thought of.. incase you guys are interested!

-rainstick (easy, quick, noisy afterwards)
-fingerpaint - can make it at home even (keeps 'em occupied for a while, pretty picture to keep)
-puzzle (draw a picture, cut it up.. the smaller and more pieces, the older the kid is! and they do the whole thing if they can use scissors)

[code3cadet]

I love fluber teach them to make Fluber. At OMSI where I work in the Early Childhood Department we make Fluber and the kids love it.

[runrachrunn]

cadet, wanna share that recipe???

[code3cadet]

Make Flubber!

Flubber Materials:


#1 - Large Container
1 1/2 cups very warm water
2 cups Elmers white glue or all purpose washable clear glue*
A few drops of food coloring and/or glitter if using clear glue
Mix this combination thoroughly

*available by the gallon at Discount School Supply: (800) 627-2829 or www.earlychildhood.com.

AND

#2 - Small Container
1 1/3 cups very warm water
2 level tsp 20 Mule Team Borax
Mix this combination thoroughly

Directions

Use your hands to mix the contents of the Bowl #2 into the Bowl #1.
Lift and turn the mixture until it is fully combined. Discard any leftover liquid.
If kept in an airtight container, the Flubber will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Keep the Flubber away from your carpet and hair, as it will stick! Use white vinegar as a solvent.
This recipe makes enough Flubber for six children.
What happens to the Flubber when...

it is stretched?
it is rolled into a ball and bounced?
it is stretched over the opening of the jar?
an object (golf ball, etc.) is rolled on it?
What else can you do with flubber?
...make it and find out!

A Closer Look:

Flubber is a polymer made by a chemical reaction. Polymers are very long chains of repeating units. When the two solutions are combined, polyvinyl acetate chains (a polymer from the white glue) are linked together in a 3-dimensional arrangement by borate ions (from the Borax) and other chemical bonds. This produces the thick, sticky polymer called Flubber.

If you go to this web site there is other Early Childhood thing to teach http://www.omsi.edu/visit/playground/activities.cfm

[code3cadet]

If you do not have

Play Dough Recipe

Microwave Play Dough

Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl, stir well:
1 cup salt
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons cream of tartar
Add the wet ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
food coloring

Stir until you get a smooth consistency
Cook in microwave on high for three minutes*
Knead dough for about one minute
Return to microwave and cook for two minutes*
Knead dough for about one minute

*cooking times may vary depending upon microwave

Regular Play Dough

Combine the following ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup salt
1 tablespoon alum

Add:
3 tablespoons salad oil
2 cups boiling water
Knead as soon as it cools
Add flour for consistency

[code3cadet]

If you Need any more thing Just ask. I will ask the teachers and other People I work with for more things to do

[CAMPFRIEND]

Good ideas. I have looked how to make those. I got them now. Arts & crafts next year will be better!