Leader Instructions & Meeting Prep:
Cadette Babysitter Badge
The following slides will walk your troop through a virtual meeting to earn the Cadette Animal Helper Badge. When you share your screen during your meeting, be sure to click “Present” so girls see the full screen. Also, when you are sharing your screen in zoom, google meet, or another meeting app, please make sure you are sharing both picture and audio. For more information on using Zoom, visit gsnw.gl/VirtualMeetingHowTo
Many of the interactive activities included are shared through YouTube videos. Just click on the arrow in the center of the image to play the video, and the girls can see it too! You should try to review the slides before your meeting if possible, so you are familiar with the activities and any supplies needed.
This meeting will typically take approximately 60-90 minutes as written, depending on participation level and number of girls. As always, Girl Scouting is flexible, and troops may select the activities interest them most, add their own activities, or have girls do some of the steps afterward as “homework”.
When you send out your meeting invitation, be sure to let girls and parents know what supplies they should have on hand for the online troop meeting. They are things most girls likely have at home.
Cadette
Babysitter
Badge
Brought to you by Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes
Program Pillar: Life Skills
STEM
Outdoors
Entrepreneurship
Life Skills
Girls become better problem-solvers, critical thinkers, get better grades, and see STEM as the foundation for a meaningful and successful future.
Girls discover that they can better problems and overcome challenges, build social bonds, and become team players that care about protecting our environment.
Girls gain new skills,
build their confidence
and develop an entrepreneurial mindset over time.
Girls gain the skills and the inspiration to accept challenges, overcome obstacles, and take the lead.
5 Outcomes
Sense of Self Girls have confidence in themselves and their abilities and form positive identities.
Positive Values Girls act ethically, honestly, and responsibly, and show concern for others.
Challenge Seeking Girls take appropriate risks, try things even if they might fail, and learn from mistakes.
Healthy Relationships Girls develop and maintain healthy relationships by communicating their feelings directly and resolving conflicts constructively.
Community Problem Solving Girls desire to contribute to the world in purposeful and meaningful ways, learn how to identify problems in the community, and create action plans to solve them.
5 Outcomes
Sense of Self Girls have confidence in themselves and their abilities and form positive identities.
Positive Values Girls act ethically, honestly, and responsibly, and show concern for others.
Challenge Seeking Girls take appropriate risks, try things even if they might fail, and learn from mistakes.
Healthy Relationships Girls develop and maintain healthy relationships by communicating their feelings directly and resolving conflicts constructively.
Community Problem Solving Girls desire to contribute to the world in purposeful and meaningful ways, learn how to identify problems in the community, and create action plans to solve them.
Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the
Girl Scout Law.
Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be honest and fair friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and to be a sister to every Girl Scout.
Babysitter Badge
Badge Requirements
Steps:
Purpose:
When I’ve earned this badge, I’ll be prepared to babysit and will have tried out my skills on the job.
Step 1: Get to know how kids develop
Age groups: newborns, infants, toddlers, preschoolers, young kids (age 5-7), and older kids (8-10).
Questions to keep in mind when observing kids in each age group:
True or False
A baby can’t see or hear at birth.
The answer is…
False
While a baby’s vision is still very blurry at birth, a newborn can still see close up! They can only see about a foot in front of them so be very close to them. An infant’s sight fully develops at age 6 months.
True or False
A child is born right or left handed.
The answer is…
False
Most toddlers can use either right or left hand equally. They develop their dominant hand by age 2 or 3 years old. 90 percent of toddlers choose the right hand.
Fun Fact
When a 3 or 4-year-old covers their eyes, they think since they can’t see you, you can’t see them either! At this age, they think very literally and cannot process other points of view, only their own.
See kids in action!
Watch the one-year-old’s actions in the video. Pay attention to how the babysitter interacts with the child.
Let’s watch this video.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ptzJR0xl8C25WyzFui8FvVz-JK6EAby8/view?usp=sharing
Step 2: Prepare for Challenges
Interview a mom and babysitter
Find out babysitting tips from those who know!
Let’s watch this video.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12fPKjDEU70Qw1M5eZEKvHb7hwqL6FmSG/view?usp=sharing
Step 3: Focus on Play
Here’s some examples of safe toys for different ages.
Safe toys for infants: Newborn - 6 months
Soft Mobiles
Rattles
Stuffed Animals
Safe toys for infants: 6 - 18 months
Teething Rings
Stackable Blocks
Stuffed Animals
Safe
toys for toddlers: 1 - 2 year olds
Puzzles with Knobs
Musical Toys
Building Blocks
Large Plastic Toys
Safe
toys for Pre-K: 3 - 4 year olds
Larger Play Props
Pretend Play
Soft Balls
Story Books
Safe
toys for young school age children: 5 - 7 year olds
Small Play Props
Magnetic Tiles
Toy Cars
Board Games
Safe toys for older school age children: 8 - 10 year olds
Sports Equipment
Scientific Toys
Bikes & Scooters
Let's do a fun craft that you can do with kids you may babysit!
Magic Paper Towel Art
Supplies:
Step 1:
Fold a paper towel in half and cut it so that it looks like a square
There should be two squares when the paper towel is folded
Step 2:
Draw a picture on the paper towel square.
It can be anything you want, it’s best if you use multiple colors.
Step 3:
When you lift the top layer, you will see the marker got on the bottom layer.
Now color in the bottom layer.
Step 4:
Put the top layer back on top of the bottom layer and put the paper towel in the water.
Watch the magic happen!
Step 4: Find potential employers
Market prep - things to think about.
Now it’s time to market yourself.
Sample speech:
Hi! My name is______. I am ______ years old. I am fun loving and responsible. I love kids and I help my mom and dad take care of my ______ siblings. I have taken a babysitter certification course from ___________________ (organization name). I can work weekend evenings during the school year and sometimes during the day in the summer. My rate is ______. I would love this opportunity!
Safety tips
Create a flyer for yourself
Put your name, qualifications, babysitting interest, and how to contact you.
Questions to be prepared for:
Sample babysitting questionnaire
This will help you get to know the family and have the information you need when you start babysitting.
Create a parent form
Give this to the parent’s to fill out before they leave, this will let you know where they are and how to contact them in case of an emergeny.
Questions to include on your parent form
Address and phone number of workplace
House information:
Kid information:
Emergency numbers:
Step 5: Practice makes perfect
What is a parent helper?
Babysitting tip:
Are you watching more than one child?
Your schedule could include:
Babysitter Certification
Take a babysitter certification course
https://courses.kidproofsafety.com/product/babysitter-training-programs-teens/
https://www.expertrating.com/certifications/babysitting/babysittingcertification.asp
Congrats!
You have earned the Cadette Babysitter Badge!
Give service by: