Babysitting is a large responsibility. For a period of time, you are the caregiver for a small child. Many different scenarios present themselves during that time.
To make sure you’re safe, a free online babysitting course provides you with some of the information you need. There is a great deal of information available. Here are some of the most relevant sources of information regarding childcare.
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1. Care.com: Guide to Getting a Teen Babysitting Job
Care.com has a lot of information for babysitters available on their website. This particular Guide to Getting a Teen Babysitting Job focuses on the steps you should talk to begin babysitting. It includes some of the most useful courses to enroll in.
They also talk about how to fit babysitting into the rest of your schedule. Additionally, there are some interesting points on the business side of babysitting. Mentioned in this article are topics such as setting your rates, and how to find your clients.
Many of the references in the article are to other online babysitting courses that are free. However, some of the recommendations do include courses with fees. They make compelling reasons why some courses would be worth attending in person and worth the cost. It is also important to note that you need to be 14 years old or older to sign up with Care.com.
2. Red Cross’ Babysitting Handbook
The Red Cross offers many different babysitting courses all over America. While these require payment (around $25 depending on your location), they do publish their Babysitting Handbook. As a free online babysitting course, it is a great source of information.
This is a free resource, and it covers all the material that you would learn in the course. Topics covered include basic safety, first aid, and how to react when faced with an emergency situation. It also includes information about child development, how to deal with children, and other important details.
This provides a great way to learn about things in an academic sense. However, it lacks the hands-on experience that a classroom course provides. It also does not provide certification unless you take the in-person course. This is extremely important, especially to see demonstrations of first aid techniques.
3. Virginia Cooperative Extension Babysitting Basics
Virginia Cooperative Extension publishes many different informational guides on their website. The Babysitting Basics guide focuses on the basics of babysitting. It is a great free online babysitting course, and it covers similar information to the Red Cross’ Babysitting Handbook.
It also looks at the responsibilities of a babysitter. A quick quiz at the beginning lets you evaluate if babysitting is something you want to consider. Throughout the handbook, there are interesting activities to build your knowledge relating to child care.
It is focused on H4, a teen group association, although that doesn’t make the information less valuable. You will find some references to certification and evaluations that aren’t included in the free online version of the course. To learn more, reach out to the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
4. KidsHealth Kids and Food: 10 Tips
One of the most important parts of babysitting includes feeding the children well. To find out what children need and ways to get them to eat well, KidsHealth has published these 10 tips. They cover some of the more common troubles faced when feeding children.
A significant amount of the topics covered are based on long-term habits. As a babysitter, you may not get the chance to build these types of relationships with food. However, it covers some important points that help you provide the right nutrition to the children you babysit.
5. USDA Choose My Plate
The USDA is the federal government program which builds the recommendation of consumption for Americans. The USDA Choose My Plate course is centered on their recommendations for children. It highlights what is optimal for children of all ages to eat. With this knowledge, you are better able to provide the best nutrition to the children you watch.
There are games and interactive learning tools for you to use. To encourage children to eat healthily, there are tips on making eating fun. With these tips meal times are easier for you and the children. It provides easy learning tools and valuable information.
6. Allergy Free Table Babysitting Online Training Course
Food is a major component of babysitting. Allergy Free Table offers a free online babysitting course focused on dealing with allergies. The severity of allergies varies from child to child. If the children you are watching have food allergies, it is important to understand the implications.
The course covers the dangers of food allergies, how cross contamination occurs, and how to deal with an emergency. With this information, you are confident in your ability to watch children who suffer from food allergies.
The course takes approximately 15 minutes to complete online. The format is somewhat interactive and requires high-speed internet to use. It includes links to more specific information, if it is applicable to the children that you babysit.
7. LifeScript 14 Fun Babysitting Games
While food and safety are an important part of babysitting, you need to keep the children entertained as well. LifeScript has some great ideas on ways to keep the children you care for involved with fun games. It does a great job of staying relevant to babysitting relationships.
Interacting with children is a big part of being a good babysitter. These 14 Fun Babysitting Games help you find age appropriate activities. It is a good resource for longer term clients, where your usual games have gone stale. For the novice babysitter, this is a great way to come up with some base ideas on child interactions.
Final Thoughts
Babysitting is usually one of the first jobs you will have. It comes with a great deal of responsibility, and you need the right knowledge to make sure you are doing a good job. Find the right information through a free online babysitting course offered by many reputable sources. By learning about these critical topics, you ensure you’re providing safe, quality care.
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