Fam · Free printable
Babysitter checklist (free printable template)
One sheet, two sides: the parent half holds everything a sitter needs to know, the sitter half is an arrival walkthrough and an end-of-night log. Print free — no signup, no email gate.
Most babysitting disasters are information problems, not behavior problems. The sitter didn't know the toddler gets two books, not one; didn't know the yogurt is a dessert in this house; couldn't find the flashlights when the breaker tripped. A babysitter checklist template solves this before the front door closes: parents fill the info sheet in 10 minutes once, then reprint it (or update one line) for every sitter. The same sheet doubles as a standing house guide for grandparents and other caregivers — fill it in once, tape it inside a cabinet, and every caregiver after that starts informed.
Parent side — the info sheet
Fill this in while the sitter watches, not after they arrive: it doubles as the verbal briefing. The address line matters more than parents think — a sitter who has never had to say your address to a 911 dispatcher will hesitate; one who copies it onto the sheet won't.
| Field | Write it here |
|---|
| Our cell phones | |
| Home address (sitter copies it down) | |
| A nearby adult we trust | |
| Where we'll be + venue phone | |
| Kids' full names + ages | |
| Allergies / medications | |
| Doctor + preferred urgent care | |
| Poison control: 1-800-222-1222 (US) | |
| Wi-Fi + house alarm code note | |
| House rules we enforce | |
Anything unusual tonight: meds due at a certain time ☐ · grumpy-before-dinner kid ☐ · dog instructions ☐ · other: ________
Sitter side — arrival walkthrough + night log
The checklist a sitter runs in the first 15 minutes, then the log to fill in through the evening. Parents: read the walkthrough too — it's the briefing you'd give out loud if you remembered everything.
| On arrival | Done |
|---|
| Walk through the house — exits, first-aid kit, flashlights, circuit box | ☐ |
| Confirm bedtime routine for each kid (order matters: pajamas, teeth, book, lights) | ☐ |
| Confirm what's OK to eat + what's off-limits (both for kids and for you) | ☐ |
| Screen rules: which devices, how long, which shows/apps | ☐ |
| Outdoor rules: backyard only? bikes? helmet always? | ☐ |
| Stranger protocol: nobody comes in, phone stays answered for parents only | ☐ |
| What counts as an emergency worth calling 911 before the parents | ☐ |
| When parents expect to be home (write the time down) | ☐ |
| During the night | Notes |
|---|
| Dinner — what they ate | |
| Bedtime — actual time, how it went | |
| Anything they asked for that wasn't on the list | |
| Meltdowns / fights / falls (time + what happened) | |
| Meds given (which kid, what, what time) | |
What a babysitter actually does: the duties, plainly
- Safety first: eyes on the kids (especially under 5 and in water — never leave a kid in the tub), doors locked, nobody in without a parent's okay.
- The routine, their way: your job is continuity — same bedtime order, same rules, same "one more story" limit the parents set. New games are fine; new rules are not.
- Basic care: dinner or snacks from the approved list, hands washed, teeth brushed, one band-aid + one hug for every injury.
- The log: write down what happened. Parents read it the moment they walk in, and a good note is why you get asked back.
- Not a duties list: dishes beyond the kids' plates, deep cleaning, or errands are housekeeper territory — the checklist keeps that boundary honest for both sides.
First time babysitting? Tips for beginners
- Arrive 15 minutes early. The overlap is when the briefing happens — rushing it is how rules get lost.
- Copy the address onto the sheet and put your phone face-up where you'll see it. Two minutes that fix the worst-case scenarios.
- Do the walkthrough room by room — where the kids' cups are, where the first-aid kit is, which light switch is the porch.
- Default to boring: the nights that go wrong are the ones with new experiments. Read, play the games they already love, follow the routine.
- Text the parents a photo at bedtime. One picture of two sleeping kids buys more trust than any report.
- When unsure, call. Parents would rather answer ten small calls than one quiet guess — and no sitter ever got fired for calling about a rash.
Looking for sitting work? The flyer, honestly
If you searched this as a sitter wanting a flyer to advertise yourself: a simple one beats a designed one. Half a page, big type — name, neighborhood, a certification line (Red Cross babysitting course, CPR), availability ("weekends + school holidays"), and a parent-references line. Print a few and hand them to families you already know; neighborhood apps and school boards outperform telephone poles for actual bookings. This page's checklist doubles as your interview sheet — showing up with your own printed checklist is the strongest first impression a young sitter can make.
More from Fam
Babysitter checklist FAQ
What should be on a babysitter checklist?
The parent's cell numbers, the full home address, an emergency contact who lives nearby, each child's allergies and medications, the bedtime routine in order, screen and food rules, and the poison-control number (1-800-222-1222 in the US). This printable has all of it as fill-in fields, plus the sitter's arrival walkthrough and night log.
Is there a free printable babysitter checklist template?
Yes — this page is it, free to print with no signup or email gate. Print one copy per sitter, or print once and reuse it as your standing house guide; "Save as PDF" from the print dialog gives you a copy to type into later.
What are a babysitter's duties?
Keeping the kids safe, following the family's existing routines and rules, serving approved food, and leaving the parents a written log of the night. Cleaning beyond the kids' dishes and any errands are outside a standard babysitting job — the checklist keeps that boundary clear for both sides.
Tips for a first-time babysitter?
Arrive 15 minutes early for the briefing, copy the address and emergency numbers onto the checklist yourself, do a room-by-room walkthrough, stick to the routine rather than inventing new activities, and text the parents a photo once the kids are asleep. When anything is uncertain, call — parents reward callers and remember sitters who guessed silently.
How do I make a babysitter flyer?
Keep it to half a page: name, neighborhood, certifications (babysitting course, CPR), availability, and references. Hand printed copies to families you already know rather than posting publicly. Bring this checklist to the interview — sitting down with your own printed plan is the most convincing reference a new sitter has.
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