Novice babysitters gain vital first aid and caring skills with Red Cross

Is there a young person in your life who is kind-hearted, attentive and loves caring for little children when given the opportunity? He or she may be an ideal candidate for one of the Canadian Red Cross' Babysitting and Youth Programs.

Available to children over the age of 11 who want to become babysitters or may be babysitters already, the Babysitting Course offered by the Canadian Red Cross gives young people who aspire to be caregivers the tools they need to provide basic child care and to safely respond to potential emergencies with first aid skills.

This hands-on and easy-to-follow course can prepare youngsters to interact with children of all ages in a babysitting capacity. In addition the course can help them to apply for their first job as a babysitter.

Spanning eight hours, the course is taught by trained experts and covers a wide breadth of material, including how to care for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children, as well as how to create a safe, emergency-free environment and provide first aid if necessary.

The course features plenty of best-habit tips for novice babysitters about to enter the field. Packing a kit prior to heading out for a day or evening of babysitting is one of the most significant practices a new babysitter can do and it can make a substantial difference on the quality of care he or she can provide to children.

To make the most of each kit, young people should aim to bring a Red Cross babysitter's manual, which he or she will be provided with once they take the course, along with a flashlight, batteries, a cell phone, diaper wipes, hand cleanser and first aid supplies like gauze, bandages, gloves and tape.

That's not all a well-prepared babysitter should have on-hand, though! Making a connection with children can make all the difference in the world, especially if youngsters have never spent any time away from their parents. A good babysitter can help a child feel comfortable and at-ease with books, DVDs or toys that are age-appropriate and fun to play with.

Another great way to engage little ones is with arts and crafts projects. By packing crayons, construction paper and other kid-friendly materials, a babysitter can help children explore their creative sides and channel their energies into something lovely and unique.

As the world leader in First Aid and CPR courses, the Red Cross is the best place for young people to gain the vital preparedness abilities in case of a major emergency and will allow them to maintain children's safety while parents are away from home. But more than that, the Red Cross can also allow young people to make the most of their caring natures and gain remarkable abilities.

For more information on how the young person in your life can get started on this great path, please click here or head to your local Red Cross office to learn more!