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How to entertain a 5 year old?
I just started a babysitting job for a 5 year old girl today. I will be watching her every Thursday while my cousin works. I need some activities that I can do while watching her please keep in mind that I have no transportation and my cousin will be dropping her off at my house. I also need some quick lunch ideas because I am not a great cook. Thank you!
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Since it's winter and close to the holidays, there are unlimited things that will be fun to do. DIY crafts are fun for a 5 yr old. Have the cousin purchase construction paper to bring on Thursday. Look on line for more ideas but she can easily cut straight strips of different colored paper and glue one into a ring, feed the next one through, put glue on and hold it til it sets and continue til she has a long chain to decorate for the holidays. Or she can use all the green paper, trace hands, cut out and make a flat hand tree. Here's a photo in a blog to give you an idea how it goes.
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Feed the local birds. Cousin would need to provide a bag of bird seed. If you have peanut butter and empty toilet paper rolls, (start saving now) you smear the roll with peanut butter til it's coated and then roll it in the seed mix. Run a string through it and then hang from bushes or trees in the yard or if apartment, on the balcony.
Another is stringing popcorn to hang outside on branches for birds. If you can wield a needle and thread, have her hand you each piece one by one and once done, you let her hang the garland outdoors. Just use plain popcorn, microwave type okay.
Cookie baking is something all kids like to do but it can be messy and take a long time. However rice krispie bars are easy. A box of rice krispies cereal will have the recipe on it. Or look on line because I have done the microwave method to melt the marshmallows, add in right amount of butter and then stir in the cereal. Its fun to have mini m & m's to add in to make more Christmasy. She can help with stirring but the marshmallows can set quickly so it must be mixed quickly. You'd need to do most the stirring.Once well mixed, make sure she has washed her hands so they're clean, give her a dab of butter to grease the palms of her hands with and then she gets to spread the mixture into the right size bake pan for the amount made. SHe might need help spreading it evenly to the sides. Then it goes in fridge to set for a bit and you cut it into bars and you have a Christmas treat.
If there are any Christmas cartoons playing on tv like Rudolph the red nosed reindeer, sit with her to watch it.
Food can be easy, like top ramen with mixed vegetables cooked in, or fresh if you cut them up. Sliced hotdogs added to cheese and mac is another thing kids like. Breakfast for lunch is fun if you want to try french toast. You beat two eggs with a fork if no hand or electric beater, add a couple spoons of milk, Dip the slice of bread in it to coat each side with egg and then you fry it in a pan. It can be served with jelly or syrup or just a mix of sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on it. If she eats fruit, thats so easy to cut an apple into quarters and if she can't eat all, you eat some, or a half a banana is a good addition to lunch.
Asking your cousin what she likes to eat is probably the best and getting her to help you with cheap craft supplies is a great way to be prepared.
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