What to leave a babysitter: a fill-in info sheet
A sitter who has never met your kids should be able to handle a normal evening, and a bad one, from a single page on the counter.
When you leave your child with a babysitter or a new caregiver, write everything down. Do not rely on a verbal rundown at the door or a text you send later. One page, in plain language, in a spot the sitter can see. The checklist below covers what the American Academy of Pediatrics says to provide: how to reach 911 and you, who your child is medically, the feeding and sleep plan, the house rules, and what to do in an emergency. Fill in the blanks, print it, and leave it where the sitter will be sitting.
Reviewed against current AAP and CDC guidance
Before you leave: the 60-second walkthrough
Hand the sitter the sheet and walk through it once together. Show them where the first-aid supplies, a flashlight, and exits are. The AAP recommends a quick house tour that points out fire escape routes and any problem areas, and telling the sitter to leave the house right away in case of fire. Confirm they can reach you, and that they know to call or text you with any question, no matter how small. If you can, hire a sitter who has had first-aid training and knows CPR, and who is at least 13 and mature enough to handle a common emergency.
1. Address and how to reach help
- Full home address (street, unit, city) — written exactly as the sitter would read it to 911
- 911 for fire, police, or medical emergency
- Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222 (free, confidential, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
- Your cell number
- A backup contact who can come quickly — name, relationship, cell number (the AAP suggests a neighbor's number)
- Your child's pediatrician — practice name and phone number
- Where you will be and your expected return time
- Nearest cross street or a landmark, in case the sitter is asked
2. Who your child is (medical)
- Each child's name, date of birth, and approximate weight
- Allergies — food, medication, environmental — and exactly what a reaction looks like for your child
- If your child has a severe allergy: where the epinephrine auto-injector is and when to use it
- Any medical condition the sitter should know about
- Medications: name, dose, and time — written out. The AAP says the sitter should give no medicine or food unless you have instructed it
- Health insurance information, if you want it on hand
3. The evening plan: feeding, nap, bedtime
- What to feed and how much (bottle ounces, or the specific meal and portion)
- When to feed it, and what to do if your child refuses
- Allowed snacks and drinks; anything off-limits
- For high-choking-risk ages, cut food small and stay with your child while they eat
Give no food the parents have not approved. When in doubt, text and ask.
- The bath or pajama routine, if there is one
- Teeth, story, lovey, nightlight — the exact order your child expects
- Screen rules: whether any screen is allowed, what, and for how long
Children settle faster when the routine matches what they know. Following your written order is the goal, not improving on it.
- Place your baby on their back for every nap and at night
- Use a firm, flat sleep surface — a crib, bassinet, or play yard with a fitted sheet only
- Keep the sleep area bare: no pillows, blankets, bumpers, quilts, or soft toys
- If your baby falls asleep elsewhere, move them to the crib on their back as soon as possible
Back, bare crib, every time. This is the single most important instruction on the sheet for a baby.
4. House rules: what's allowed, what isn't
| Rule | Your answer (fill in) |
|---|---|
| Answering the door | Do not open the door to anyone you are not expecting |
| Leaving the child alone | Never leave the children alone in the house or yard, even for a minute |
| Doors locked | Keep exterior doors locked |
| Screens / phone | TV, tablet, internet — allowed? what and how long? |
| Going outside | Allowed? where? (yard / walk / not at all) |
| Snacks | Allowed snacks and drinks; anything off-limits |
| Visitors | No friends or guests over while sitting |
| Pets | Feeding, doors, anything to watch |
5. If it's an emergency, call 911
- Has collapsed, can't be woken, or is limp or unconscious
- Is having a seizure
- Has trouble breathing, is gasping or wheezing, can't make noise, or turns bluish
- Is choking and cannot cough, cry, or breathe
- Has a serious injury, heavy bleeding, or a burn
- Anytime the sitter believes it is a life-threatening emergency
- Steps: Call 911. Give the full address out loud. Stay with the child and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Call you right after.
Choking and poison: what to do
- Choking, can still cough or cry: let your child keep coughing and watch closely — coughing can clear it
- Choking, can't cough, cry, breathe, or makes no sound: this is an emergency. Call 911 and begin choking first aid (this is why a CPR/first-aid-trained sitter matters)
- A child who goes limp or unconscious: call 911 immediately
- Suspected poison — swallowed a medicine, cleaner, plant, or unknown substance, but is awake and breathing: call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222
- Poisoning plus collapse, seizure, trouble breathing, or can't be woken: call 911 first
Keep the sheet current
Update the page when the plan changes — a new medication, a dropped nap, a different bedtime. Keep it in the same spot every time so any sitter, including one you call in a hurry, knows where to look. A printed copy on the counter beats a buried text message when seconds matter.
Quick answers
- What is the most important information to leave a babysitter?
- Your full home address written exactly as it would be read to a 911 dispatcher, your cell number plus a backup contact, the pediatrician's number, and Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Add your child's allergies and any medications. These are the items a sitter needs first in an emergency, and the ones hardest to find quickly if they are not written down.
- What number should a babysitter call for a possible poisoning?
- Poison Help, at 1-800-222-1222. It is free, confidential, and staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Use it when a child has swallowed a medicine, cleaner, plant, or unknown substance but is awake and breathing. If the child has collapsed, is having a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be woken, call 911 first.
- What safe-sleep instructions should I leave for a baby?
- Write that the baby goes down on their back for every nap and at night, on a firm flat surface — a crib, bassinet, or play yard with a fitted sheet only — and that the sleep area stays bare, with no pillows, blankets, bumpers, or soft toys. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends every caregiver follow these rules every time, so state them plainly rather than assuming the sitter knows.
- Does my babysitter need to be CPR certified?
- It is not legally required, but the AAP says to be sure the sitter has had first-aid training and knows CPR, and is at least 13 and mature enough to handle a common emergency. Training matters most for choking and for a child who stops breathing. If your sitter is not trained, make the 'when to call 911' instructions on your sheet especially clear.
- When should a babysitter call 911 instead of calling me?
- Immediately, without waiting to reach you, if a child can't be woken, is limp or unconscious, is having a seizure, has trouble breathing or turns bluish, is choking and can't cough or cry, or has a serious injury or heavy bleeding. The sitter should call 911, give your address out loud, follow the dispatcher, and call you right after. Write these triggers on the sheet so the sitter doesn't have to decide under pressure.
Sources & further reading
Both parents, one shared log.
ParentFlow syncs feeds, sleep, and diapers across caregivers — no group texts.
App Store Google Play Open Web AppThis guide reflects current AAP and CDC guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.