How to Become a Babysitter with No Experience

As you’d expect, your duties as a babysitter will revolve around taking care of children. Your exact responsibilities will depend on the age of the child you’re babysitting.

As a babysitter, you may have to do the following tasks:

• Change diapers
• Bottle-feed babies
• Bathe and dress young children
• Prepare meals and snacks
• Supervise children and keep them safe
• Plan activities for children
• Transport children to and from school or other locations
• Help children with their homework
• Get children ready for bed
• Do light housekeeping
• Inform parents about their children’s behavior

We spoke to former babysitter Jennifer Preston, who now owns the agency 30A Babysitters. She said some of the most important babysitting responsibilities include communicating with parents, sticking to families’ normal bedtime routines, and entertaining kids.

In theory, babysitting is a job that virtually anyone can do and that doesn’t require any prior experience or qualifications. However, in practice, it’s usually better to have certain qualifications and experience, and many babysitting gigs have relevant requirements.

Certificates for babysitters

There are many certificates in babysitting and first aid that you can obtain to show parents you’re serious about your job and get an edge over the competition.

Preston emphasizes the importance of an up-to-date pediatric CPR certification, saying that, “No one should babysit children without one.” She got this qualification herself when she was in high school, and she also has a food safety certification that she earned early on in her babysitting career.

These types of qualifications don’t usually take long to obtain. For instance, it only takes 4 hours to complete the Red Cross’s Babysitting Basics certification course, which teaches you how to care for children and handle emergencies.

Why babysitters need safety training

Safety training isn’t just useful for landing jobs—it can boost your pay, too. According to a Care.com survey, 66% of parents are willing to pay more for babysitters who have at least some safety training. 1

What’s more, the skills you learn really might save lives. Preston told us that her pediatric CPR certification has been put to use a few times in choking situations and that her employees have also dealt with similar emergencies.

“Sitters on my staff have needed to administer back blows or Heimlich on several occasions,” she said. “So far no sitter has had to administer chest compressions or mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but that is not impossible given the nature of working with children.”

In addition to the Red Cross, you can see if there are any affordable first-aid courses offered by a local fire department, hospital, YMCA, or school.

Professional experience required for babysitters

Many people start babysitting without formal experience working with kids. However, if you’re inexperienced, it’s probably easier to get work babysitting for people you know than for professional agencies, which are likely to have stricter requirements.

For example, Preston’s company only hires sitters who have a professional background working with children. “Experience and knowledge are so important when caring for other people’s children,” she said. “I learned that through my professional volunteer experiences and education.”

She also noted that you should only consider babysitting if you already have childcare experience. “If someone has never worked with kids before, they should not start by doing it solo without the parents around,” she added.

How to gain experience working with kids

There are many ways to get experience working with kids. Here are just a few examples:

• Teaching
• Tutoring
• Coaching (e.g., for sports teams)
• Nannying
• Volunteering with local organizations, community centers, or churches

We asked Preston about her own career trajectory, and she told us that she started babysitting in high school and then became a live-in nanny for a short time.

“After that, I moved on to work on a degree in education, as I wanted to be a science teacher,” she said. “I volunteered at a local elementary school for a year and had a blast with the kids. I also worked in a Sunday school.”

Preston eventually found herself working for a professional babysitting agency and then, years later, started her own agency.

Other skills that are necessary for babysitting

There are a few other hard and soft skills that are very useful to have in your babysitting quiver:

• Responsibility: To do any type of childcare of work, you need to be highly responsible. You also need to come across as responsible to parents—taking care of children is a big deal, and you need to be able to convince them that you’ll take it seriously.
• Patience: To be a good babysitter, you need to be patient and empathetic. Young children often have trouble expressing themselves and controlling their emotions. Handling their behavior requires a deft touch.
• Language skills: If you speak another language besides English, it’ll be a big asset. It will open up a market of people who otherwise might have trouble finding babysitters who can communicate with their kids.

The first two skills are the most crucial. If you get frazzled easily, you’re disorganized, or if you just don’t like kids, this might not be the right job for you.

How old do you have to be to babysit?

In most places, there’s no legal minimum age to babysit. However, there are exceptions. In Maryland, for example, you need to be at least 13 years old to babysit. 2 Moreover, how old you have to be to babysit is more than just a legal matter.

Preston’s company only hires people aged 18 years or older, and some platforms like Care.com also have the same minimum age requirement. If you’re under 18, you may find it easier to get work through people you know rather than through professional babysitting agencies or platforms.

Even then, some parents may feel more comfortable having an older babysitter looking after their child. You might also need a driver’s license if you need to shuttle the children around or pick up groceries.

It can be tricky to land your first babysitting gig, especially if you have no experience. The key is to prove that you’re the right person for the job.

1. Create a resume and collect references

Understandably, parents can be hesitant to leave their child in the care of a stranger. It’s your responsibility to reassure them that their child is safe with you.

To do this, it’s worth creating a resume. This might seem like overkill for a babysitting job, but it gives you a chance to demonstrate that you take the work seriously (as well as showcase any certifications you have).

Obviously, if you have experience taking care of kids, highlight it, even if you weren’t paid. For example, if you’ve babysat for a relative or a neighbor as a favor in the past, include that. You can also ask the person to write a recommendation letter for you, and note in your cover letter or in interviews that you’re happy to provide them as a reference.

2. Look for babysitting jobs

Once you’ve created a strong resume, it’s time to send it out to potential employers. Here are some of the best ways to find babysitting jobs:

• Volunteer: According to Preston, “The best way to find babysitting gigs is to first volunteer to work with children at a school, church, or summer camp.” This will give you the chance to meet parents and children, who will then be more likely to choose you as a babysitter.
• Register with local babysitting agencies: Preston also recommends finding a local agency to work for once you have enough experience. “Working for an agency will help to eliminate the more difficult tasks of contracts, billing, and making sure policies are followed to keep you safe,” she said. You can search for babysitting agencies on online directories like Yelp or Google.
• Browse general-purpose job sites: You can search for all sorts of jobs in your area (including babysitting gigs) on job search sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter. You may also be able to find local gigs on Craigslist.
• Sign up for babysitting platforms: There are several apps and websites, including Care.com, Sittercity, Babysits, and UrbanSitter, that are built specifically for connecting babysitters with parents. To sign up for some of these sites, you might need to submit to a background check and spring for a paid membership.
• Post on Facebook groups: Keep an eye out for local parent or community groups on Facebook. These groups are a good place to advertise and find clients.
• Put up ads: Consider putting up ads for your babysitting services around your neighborhood. Try community bulletin boards, local shops, churches, schools, and family doctors’ or pediatricians’ offices.
• Babysit for people you know: Many people get their start by babysitting for their friends and family. If you do a good job and let them know you’re in the market for more work, they’ll probably introduce you to other parents in need of a babysitter.

3. Interview with the family

Once one of your feelers has paid off and you’ve heard back from someone, you’ll probably need to conduct an informal interview with them before they officially hire you. This might be via a phone or video call, but they’ll probably prefer to meet you in person.

To seal the deal, you’ll need to make a good impression. Try to come across as professional without seeming stiff. Be friendly and engaging and allow them to get to know you as a person. If their child is there (and they might be!), this is a great opportunity to show that you’re good with kids.

In the interview, make sure to discuss these key job points:

• Your responsibilities (be explicit about what you’ll be expected to do)
• When you’ll need to be available
• Your hourly rate

4. Get your agreement in writing

Preston strongly recommends asking parents to sign a contractual agreement. Along with basic information about your role and responsibilities, this should include the following key points:

• The address and contact details for the next of kin.
• A line that releases you from damages to the property that occur while you’re babysitting.
• A line releasing you from liability for injuries that may occur while you’re babysitting.
• A request for pets to be put away in another room while you’re in the home.

Preston explained that her reasoning for asking that pets be kept in a separate room is that any pet, no matter how nice, can cause an injury from jumping up or playing too rough. “Or they could go into protect mode once the parents leave and pose a bite risk,” she added.

Preston also said it’s a good idea to ask for upfront payment to avoid any problems getting paid. However, if you’re working through a platform or agency, you may not be able to get paid until after you’ve completed the job.

5. Prepare for the job

Before your babysitting gig, you should collect any information you might need. Here are a few good places to start:

• The parents’ phone numbers
• The children’s names and ages
• Bedtimes
• Whether the children are allergic to anything
• Additional care requirements

Preston recommends doing a bit of extra preparation to ensure the safety of the kids and researching the ways they can get hurt. “Check that rugs are secure and do not slip; if they do, put them away,” she said. “Check that furniture that kids may climb on is secure.”

6. Be a good babysitter

You’ll only succeed with a babysitting side hustle if you do your job well. After all, failing to adequately care for the children or not quite meeting parents’ expectations could cost you your current role and even future jobs. By contrast, going above and beyond can broaden your job prospects and increase your earning potential.

Here are a few tips Preston offered for doing a good job as a babysitter:

• Plan fun activities: This could mean games, arts and crafts, or an outdoor activity, for example.
• Send a message after the parents leave: Many parents want an update 30 minutes after they leave.
• Engage with the kids: Don’t rely on screen time, and stay off your own phone unless you’re communicating with the parents.
• Clean up: It’s expected that you’ll keep the house tidy while you’re there. Always clean up after the kids and yourself.
• Be safe: Lock the doors, and don’t answer the door without first asking the parents, even if it’s a pizza delivery. If the parents didn’t tell you in advance about someone coming to the door, don’t answer until you get in touch with them.
• Closely monitor young children: Avoid activities that will distract you from checking on young children. If you’re minding a child less than 6 months old, stay in the same room with them, and constantly monitor them while they’re asleep. For children less than 1 year old, check on them every 15 minutes to make sure they’re sleeping soundly and breathing properly.

In some cases, you may be able to relax once the kids have gone to bed. “If the kids are all asleep and the dishes are cleaned and the house is tidy, you can enjoy some personal time,” said Preston.

Finally, do your best to maintain a good relationship with each family you babysit for and agree to any reasonable requests they make. This is the key to landing more babysitting jobs in the future, whether it’s with them or someone else they recommend you to.

As a babysitter, you’ll be free to set your own rates (unless you work through an app that sets them for you).

In 2017, Care.com found that the average rate for a babysitter in the US was $14 per hour, but this has climbed since then. 1 Recent surveys suggest that the average is now closer to $18.

Factors affecting your hourly rate

As a babysitter, your hourly wage will depend on several factors:

• Your experience: The more experienced you are, the more reliable you’ll seem and the more parents will be willing to pay.
• Your age: Preteen babysitters often earn less than sitters in their late teens or 20s. If you’re getting into this side hustle while you’re still very young, you may need to set your initial rates low and increase them over time.
• Your responsibilities: You can charge more if you’re expected to take on additional responsibilities, such as driving the children to after-school activities or cooking dinner for them.
• Location: Large cities and suburbs typically have higher rates than rural areas and small towns to reflect their higher living expenses.
• Number of children: It’s fair to increase your pay with each additional child because multiple children require more attention and energy.
• Ages of the children: You’ll usually get paid more to take care of young children than older children because young children need extra supervision (and can be more of a handful).

Preston also told us that tipping is extremely common for babysitters who work through platforms or professional agencies since they’re a part of the service industry. According to her, “18–25% is the norm.”

How to set your rates as a babysitter

The best way to figure out what rates to charge is to do a quick search online or ask your friends and family about how much babysitters with your experience are being paid in your area.

Preston started out at minimum wage when she was very young, and then went from there. “As I got older, I adjusted that based on my skill and age, and I charged $15 per hour,” she said. “Now I own a sitter service and we charge a premium base rate that includes the operating cost for the service, my time, and the sitters’ hourly rates.”

Minimum wage laws don’t currently apply to freelance babysitting gigs, but you can still check the minimum wage in your city and state and use it as a benchmark to determine how much you want to charge. If your rates are any lower than that, you’re probably selling yourself short.