A babysitter information sheet lists your home address, how to reach you, a backup adult, 911 and Poison Help (1-800-222-1222), your child's allergies and needs, routines, house rules and how to get out in a fire. Post it near the phone or on the fridge, and walk the sitter or grandparent through it before you leave.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) publishes a babysitting checklist on HealthyChildren.org. It lists this information to leave with every sitter:
Parents' phone numbers
Neighbors' phone numbers
Your pediatrician
Fire and rescue, and police (911 in the U.S.)
The Poison Help line: 1-800-222-1222
Your home phone
Your home address
The AAP checklist also suggests telling the sitter about:
Any allergies or special needs your children have
Feeding, bathing and sleeping routines
Where you'll be and when you'll be back
Fire escape routes and any problem areas in the house
Where emergency supplies are, such as a flashlight, a first aid chart and first aid supplies
Each child's date of birth and approximate weight, in case medical professionals need them
The AAP's "Finding a Sitter" tips add trusted relatives to the contact list and suggest explaining your house rules clearly, for example about screens, smoking or alcohol, and whether the children can go outside.
The AAP checklist says sitters should never give children any medicine or food unless the parents tell them to. If your child needs a medicine while you're out:
Write down exactly what the prescription label or your child's doctor says, word for word. Don't add your own changes or shortcuts.
Leave the medicine in its original container. The Red Cross advises keeping medicines in the containers they came in, out of children's reach.
Show the sitter where it is, and make sure everything else, including cleaning products, stays locked up and out of sight.
Tell the sitter to call you with any question. If they can't reach you, they can call your pediatrician or pharmacist, or Poison Help for a possible poisoning.
This guide gives no dosing advice. If you're unsure how much or when, ask your child's doctor or pharmacist before you leave.
The federal Poison Help site from HRSA lists the Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222, and says help is available 24/7 in over 100 languages. The AAP says calls are free, expert and confidential. Write the number large on your sheet. The AAP suggests displaying 911 and Poison Help on or near the phone, or asking the sitter to save them in their contacts. The Red Cross also recommends posting emergency numbers by all your phones.
Teach your sitter these rules from the AAP and Red Cross:
Call 911 right away if a child is unconscious, not breathing, or having convulsions or seizures after contact with a poison.
Otherwise, call Poison Help and follow their instructions. Bring the container to the phone if you can find it.
Do not make the child vomit, and don't give food or drink unless Poison Help or emergency responders say to.
In a fire, get the children out first. The AAP checklist says the sitter should leave the house right away and call the fire department from a neighbor's house or a mobile phone.
This is an example template to copy and fill in. It is not an official form.
Our address: street, apartment number, nearest cross street
Emergency: 911
Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222
Parent 1: name, cell, where we'll be
Parent 2: name, cell
Backup adult nearby: name, phone, address
Pediatrician: name and phone
Children: names, dates of birth, approximate weights
Allergies and medical needs: what to avoid and what to watch for
Medicine (only if needed tonight): name, time, and instructions copied exactly from the label or doctor
Routines: dinner time, bath, bedtime, comfort items
House rules: screens, snacks, outside play, visitors
Ways out: front door, back door, and our outside meeting spot
Supplies: flashlight, first aid kit, spare key
We'll be home by: time
A sheet works best when you go over it together. The AAP suggests that parents:
Meet the sitter ahead of time and check references and training
Make sure the sitter has had first aid training and knows CPR
Choose a sitter who is at least 13 years old and mature enough to handle common emergencies
Have the sitter spend time with you first, to meet the children and learn their routines
Show the sitter around the house and point out the fire escape routes
Store any guns unloaded in a locked cabinet, with the ammunition locked in a separate place
Provide and install the right car seats or booster seats if the sitter will drive the children
And the AAP's reminders for sitters: never open the door to strangers, never leave children alone in the house even for a minute, and call or text if there are any problems. If a baby is crying and can't be soothed, it's OK to put the baby in a safe place, like a crib, and walk away for a few minutes.
The same sheet works for grandparents, neighbors and anyone else who watches your kids. For a fuller list of numbers to keep at home, see our emergency contact list template.
Your address, your phone numbers, a nearby backup adult, your pediatrician, 911 and Poison Help (1-800-222-1222), plus allergies, medical needs and your fire escape route.
The AAP checklist says at least 13 years old and mature enough to handle common emergencies, ideally with first aid and CPR training.
Only if you tell them to. Write the instructions exactly as the label or doctor gives them, and leave the medicine in its original container.
1-800-222-1222. It works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 100 languages.
Family Ready: Emergency Plan is a free iPhone app, with an optional Family Ready Plus subscription. You can make a free Emergency Card for a child with who to call first, allergies, medications and key health details, then create a free, dated Emergency Snapshot PDF to leave with a sitter. Sharing directly with trusted people is part of the paid tier, and you see a preview before anything is shared.
Get Family Ready free on the App Store
Babysitting Reminders: Checklist for Parents and Sitters (AAP HealthyChildren.org)
Finding a Sitter: Tips for Parents (AAP HealthyChildren.org)
Poison Prevention and Treatment Tips for Parents (AAP HealthyChildren.org)