Babysitter Checklist and Emergency Information Sheet (Printable): What to Show, Tell and Leave Behind
What to show a sitter, what to tell them and the emergency information sheet to fill in and leave by the phone, from AAP and CPSC guidance.
Most of a good handover happens before you reach the door. A babysitter checklist printable should put three jobs in order: what you show, what you tell, and what you leave behind. The AAP’s babysitting checklist says a sitter should always have this information on hand. It covers parents’ phone numbers, neighbors’ phone numbers, the pediatrician, fire/rescue, police, the Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222), the home phone and the home address.
Babysitter Checklist Printable: What to Show, Tell and Leave Behind
Work through the list in order.
Show, Tell and Leave Behind
If your baby also spends days in group care, a daycare provider safety checklist asks a different set of questions than an evening at home.
Meet and Prepare the Sitter Before the First Night
The first handover should not be the first meeting. The AAP says to meet the sitter, check references and training in advance, and spend time together before the first night. That time lets the sitter meet the children and learn their routines.
The AAP also says the sitter should be at least 13 years old and mature enough to handle common emergencies. Age is a floor.
Ask about training directly. The AAP asks parents to be certain the sitter has had first aid training and knows CPR. So the question is simple: "Are you first aid trained, and do you know CPR?" Wait for a clear answer before you book the night.
Keep this babysitter checklist in one place so you can reuse it. If a sitter will come on a regular schedule, baby-proofing with a nanny or babysitter becomes a standing routine. Update the sheet whenever a number changes.
The Walk-Through: What to Show
A babysitter safety checklist starts at the front door. The AAP says to show the sitter around the house and point out fire escape routes and potential problem areas. Walk the actual route out, not just a wave toward the hallway.
Say the fire rule out loud. The AAP says to instruct the sitter to leave the house right away in case of fire and to call the fire department from a neighbor’s house or a mobile phone.
End the tour at the places the sitter will use most:
- The baby’s sleep space. Show where it is and how it looks when it is ready.
- The bath. Show where it is and what your rule is for using it.
- The kitchen. Show which cabinets and drawers stay shut.
- The door. Show how it locks and where the keys are.
A baby-proofing checklist for every room goes much further than a sitter needs. For one evening, these four stops matter most.
What to Tell the Babysitter About the Baby
What to tell a babysitter about the baby comes down to a short, spoken list. The AAP says to discuss feeding, bathing and sleeping arrangements for your children. Say what the baby eats and when, whether a bath is on the schedule, and where and how the baby sleeps.
Tell the sitter about allergies or specific needs. The AAP lists this as its own item, so do not assume the sitter will ask. Then say where you will be and when you will return. The AAP also says to leave a note with the children’s dates of birth and approximate weights, in case medical professionals need them.
Next come the house rules. The AAP says to make sure sitters understand your rules on:
- Media use: TV, internet and texting.
- Substance use: smoking or drinking.
- Going outside: taking your child outside.
The AAP’s sitter reminders add three firm lines. A sitter should never open the door to strangers. A sitter should never leave the children alone in the house, even for a minute. And a sitter should never give the children any medicine or food unless the parents instruct it.
Relatives deserve the same briefing as hired sitters. Baby-proofing a grandparent’s home is a separate project, but the tell list works for family too.
The Babysitter Emergency Information Sheet
A babysitter emergency information sheet is only useful if the sitter can read it in a hurry. The checklist above and the fill-in sheet below print cleanly, so print this page and fill in the blanks by hand. Treat the table as a babysitter emergency contact template, and as a babysitter info sheet printable you can keep on the fridge or by the phone.
The address goes at the top, and there is a reason. The AAP says to keep your street address posted by the telephone. It also says mobile phone calls cannot always be identified, although in many areas EMS can find the location of a 911 call using special technology. The AAP adds: always be prepared to tell the EMS dispatcher your exact location.
Picture this: the sitter is on a mobile phone in a house they do not know well, and the dispatcher asks where they are. If the full street address is printed at the top of the sheet, the answer is one glance away.
| Field | Fill in |
|---|---|
| Full home street address | __________________ |
| Home phone | __________________ |
| Parent 1 name and phone | __________________ |
| Parent 2 name and phone | __________________ |
| Where you can be reached | __________________ |
| Time you will return | __________________ |
| Neighbor name and phone | __________________ |
| Relative name and phone | __________________ |
| Pediatrician name and phone | __________________ |
| Child 1 birth date, weight | __________________ |
| Child 2 birth date, weight | __________________ |
| Allergies or specific needs | __________________ |
| Medicines the sitter may give | __________________ |
| Locked cabinets and key location | __________________ |
| Sitter bathes the baby? | __________________ |
| Emergency | 911 |
| Fire/rescue | 911 |
| Police | 911 |
| Poison Help (America’s Poison Centers) | 1-800-222-1222 |
Fill in the allergy and medicine lines yourself before you leave. Only you know what belongs there.
For any other problem or question, the AAP’s sitter reminders say the sitter should always call or text for help. That is why the parents’ names and numbers sit near the top of the sheet. Read the AAP’s emergency guidance at HealthyChildren.org before the night. In an emergency, the sitter calls 911.
For a swallowed product, the AAP says to call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, or call 911 if the child is unconscious, not breathing, or having convulsions or seizures due to poison contact or ingestion.
Overnight Babysitter Checklist: Sleep, Bath and Locked Storage
An overnight babysitter checklist adds three lines to everything above. Each one names a decision so the sitter does not have to guess.
Sleep. The AAP asks parents to discuss sleeping arrangements with the sitter. The CPSC says to place your baby on a firm, flat sleep surface, on their back, and alone with no added items in the sleeping area. So say three things: where the baby sleeps, which position, and what the crib looks like when it is ready. Show the empty crib, not just the room.
Picture this: it is bedtime, and the sitter walks into the nursery. The crib they see matches the one you described, and nothing extra sits in it.
Bath. The CPSC says to give constant supervision and stay within reach when your baby is bathing, and that children can drown in moments. A parent who is out for the evening can decide whether the sitter bathes the baby at all. Write that decision on the sheet.
The CPSC also says the temperature on your water heater can be set to 120°F (49°C) or lower to help prevent burns. Check that setting before the sitter arrives.
Locked storage. The AAP says to store medicine, cleaning and laundry products in their original packaging in locked cabinets or containers, out of sight and reach of children. It also says most childhood poisonings happen at home, often when a parent or caregiver is nearby but distracted.
The CPSC says safety latches and locks on cabinets and drawers can help keep children from medicines, laundry detergent and household cleaners. It says even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away. To work, the devices must be properly installed and reengaged after use. The CPSC adds that no device is completely childproof, so tell the sitter which cabinets stay locked and to re-lock them each time.
If your baby sleeps at two addresses, baby-proofing two homes when co-parenting means each home needs its own sheet, its own sleep setup and its own locked cabinets.
Home-Safety Basics to Set Up Before the Sitter Arrives
A kit of home-safety basics is one layer of the setup. Baby Proof Me’s Complete Care Safety Kit lists 12 magnetic cabinet locks, 6 safety strap locks, 24 outlet covers and 12 corner protectors. The magnetic lock kit comes with 12 locks and 3 keys. The strap locks use 3M adhesive with no drilling required, and they work as latches for cabinets, drawers and appliances. The product page warns that the kit is not a substitute for adult supervision.
Locks only help if the sitter knows how they work. Decide where the keys are kept and tell the sitter, then write it on the sheet. Also show the sitter how to re-lock each one after use.
The other pieces follow CPSC advice. The CPSC says to use corner and edge bumpers to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces, and to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges. It says outlet protectors should not be easily removed by children and should be large enough that children cannot choke on them.
Foster families have a separate job in preparing for a foster care inspection.
Before you walk out, check four things. The sheet is filled in and by the phone. The keys are where the sitter can find them. The water heater is at 120°F (49°C) or lower. The sitter knows which cabinets stay locked.
