Babysitter Kit

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It is Day 3 of my Book Inspired Craft Week. When I am trying to decided on books to include I try to think of books that have some significance to me or someone in my family. Books I loved as a kid, books I read to my kids when they were little, books that my kids have loved as they have gotten older, etc. The book I chose for today kind of fits in a couple of those areas. 

When I was a kid I read all of the Babysitter's Club books. I can still picture the shelf that they were on in our local library, right next to all of the Nancy Drew books (which I also loved) and the Sweet Valley High  books (which I was never really into). I did a lot of babysitting as a young teen and loved the idea of the babysitters club. I remember wanting to make my own babysitting business with flyers and everything. 

Now as my girls started getting to that same tween/preteen age that I was when I enjoyed the original Babysitter's Club boons they have come out with the new graphic novel version. It has been kind of fun to see my girls enjoy a series that I read when I was their age, even if it is a new version.

The other thing that has been kind of fun about these books for my girls is the representation that they have found. In the 3rd book you find out that Stacey has Diabetes. For my little Type 1 Diabetic it was really cool to read about a girl like her. In another book one of the girls is learning sign language to communicate with a little deaf boy she is babysitting. That is another favorite of my girls'.

For this project I made a babysitters bag to use to put together a babysitting kit, by putting iron on vinyl on a canvas tote bag. Fill it with age appropriate toys, books, coloring books, activities, etc., as well as any other supplies you may want to have on hand, tissues, bandaids, a book for you to read after the kids go to sleep, etc. I also added some vinyl to a little notebook where you can write down any information you may want to keep track of, emergency information and phone numbers, things you want to remember, track how much money you have earned, or whatever else you want to have written down. 

How to Make a Babysitter Kit

You will need:

• Cricut or other cutting machine
• vinyl in desired color
• iron on in desired color
• EasyPress and Mat, or iron
• canvas tote bag
• small notebook
• a variety of toys, book, activities, and other things to fill your bag, see list below for ideas

Instructions:

Download the Babysitter designs- Best Babysitter Ever and Babysitting Book

Cut out the best babysitter ever design out of iron on, don't forget to mirror your design

Press the design onto the bag according to the vinyl instructions

Cut the Babysitting book out of vinyl and stick on the cover of the notebook

Gather up some things to put in your bag, it may change depending on the age of the kids you are babysitting but here are a few ideas of things you may want to include:

• board books or picture books
• coloring books and crayons
• activity books (sticker books, paint with water, etc.)
• small age-appropriate toys
• age-appropriate card games
• age-appropriate puzzles
• snacks (check with parents on this one)
• small first aid kit or bandaids
• hand sanitizer or wipes
• tissues
• personal items for you
• a book to read if you are there after kids are in bed
• emergency contacts