Help please baby sitting

helcat26

Hi
I really need your help.
I am baby sitting for a 5 year old girl and 7 year old boy soon.
I am asking for advice on things/ activities we can do.
Evening 6pm to 11pm.


I usually do baking- but I know their mum disapproves and would like us to cut the sugar


I know they will both want to play games on a tablet. But unless I take mine (which I would rather not) they have to share which they do not like.
Also their parents do not want them spending endless amount of time playing tablet games- which I agree with.
I have access to all sorts of kids films some new so would happily watch those.
I have no family type board games for that age.
My ideal would be if we could keep busy-
Make something- craft something- not too messy
Make an approved snack- maybe popcorn?
Play a game
Watch a film
Have them tired to go to bed


Have any of you any suggestions for activities please?
My experience with baby sitting in the past say keep them busy and they do not fight

elsien

Surely the five year old isn't going to be up long enough to need lots of activities to keep them going. What time do the two of them usually go to bed? What's their usual evening routine. Is it a schoolnight or a weekend?
Rather than being a new and exciting person doing new things, which will probably keep them awake longer, sticking to what they usually do - tea, bath, book, bed or whatever might be the best way to go.

Tigsteroonie

At their ages, you only need to find activities for a couple of hours (6pm - 8pm) as they should be heading to bed after that time.

Activity level will depend on whether they've had a busy day at school before the babysitting, or a quiet day at home - they may need to let off steam.

Marvel1

Ask their parents what time their bedtime is if non school day.

clairec79

How long do you expect them to stay up?

Personally, as a parent, for kids of that age by then it's wind down time - reading, maybe a film

I'm sure they will have games which they'd love to introduce you to (which may be ok the first few times after repeated playing I want to bin them and internally sigh when they suggest getting them out AGAIN) - same as films when you know all the words

The things you suggest would be great for day time babysitting - not so go for evening/night time (I'd probably already have mine in their pyjamas if I was going out then)

helcat26

It is a Friday and their usual bedtime weekday is 10pm. Past experience has shown they will not go to bed if instructed to do so at that time but stay up till the parent gets home.


I do not approve of this but I can hardly send them to bed at 8pm if their parents usually have them up until 10pm.


I do not want to be new and exciting (firstly I am not new) I would be delighted if I was so boring they went to bed.
Best I have managed in past is bedclothes and snuggle on sofa. Apparently this is more than their Mum and Dad get them to do as they expressed sheer wonder last time!

helcat26

Maybe if I go earlier and make pizza with them for dinner with their dad before he and my husband (god rot him the swine that has dropped me in this) go out.
Then they can eat and maybe settle to a film?

elsien

Delegate your husband to babysit instead, as it was his bright idea?

Pollycat

helcat26 wrote: »

It is a Friday and their usual bedtime weekday is 10pm. Past experience has shown they will not go to bed if instructed to do so at that time but stay up till the parent gets home.


I do not approve of this but I can hardly send them to bed at 8pm if their parents usually have them up until 10pm.


I do not want to be new and exciting (firstly I am not new) I would be delighted if I was so boring they went to bed.
Best I have managed in past is bedclothes and snuggle on sofa. Apparently this is more than their Mum and Dad get them to do as they expressed sheer wonder last time!

Rather than you asking for advice on babysitting, the parents should be seeking advice on how to parent their children.

The Mother should be more concerned with a 5 year old and a 7 year old who refuse to go to bed until their parents come home from an evening out than with cutting sugar in their diet.

suejb2

Colouring
Glueing
Making pompoms
Tasting spoons
Card games, snap, pairs. All these are sit down crafts!

They must have some of their own games, Dolls lego etc

Den making
Indoor picnic
Don't try and fill every minute, you'll wilt before them. They are old enough to entertain themselves for a while.

Dvd or Cbeebies later on to slow things down

PasturesNew

When I was that age I'd have been in bed by 7pm. So it'd be some telly from 6pm until about 6.30pm .... then into jim jams and bed!