K-State Extension program prepares youth babysitters to provide reliable childcare option

MANHATTAN — A Kansas State University program that trains teenagers and others to safely care for young children can be a welcome choice for families struggling to find reliable childcare outside traditional business hours.

Tristen Cope, a family and youth development agent for K-State Extension's Chisholm Trail District, said the "Prepared to Care" babysitting clinics teach youth the fundamentals of caring for young children, including infant care, child development, first aid, CPR, safe sleep and age-appropriate activities.

Cope, who conducted her first clinic in 2021, shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic, said the clinics began partly in response to increased demand for childcare and opportunities for young people to earn money.

According to Child Care Aware of Kansas' 2026 data, 143,387 children younger than 6 have all parents in the labor force. Although the state has 3,929 licensed childcare facilities, only 200 offer evening care, 39 provide overnight care and 129 offer weekend care.

"Offering babysitting clinics and the ability to work with young families is a great way for teens to have a jump start into their first career," Cope said. "Being in a family home setting and working with children is a great way for teens to earn extra spending money."

K-State Extension babysitting clinics prepare teens with hands-on training in safety, diapering, feeding and more

The clinics, however, are about much more than earning a few dollars.

The course begins with business basics, helping participants understand what it means to operate a small business and how to keep themselves safe when working with families in their neighborhoods and communities.

From there, the training becomes hands-on. Youth practice diapering, feeding infants and exploring safe sleep environments. The clinics include developmental milestones from birth through preschool age, and learning how activities and interactions should change as children grow.

"I wish I would have had a class just like this when I was starting out babysitting," Cope said. "I've heard from youth who are taking the class or have taken the class in the past, and they go out and care for young children. And families really do appreciate the wealth of knowledge and resources that they're bringing."

Youth learn first aid and CPR, and they walk through everyday challenges that can make babysitting more complicated — including Division of Responsibility, a feeding approach developed by registered dietitian and family therapist Ellyn Satter. The concept establishes clear roles during mealtimes: Caregivers decide what food is served, when meals and snacks occur, and where children eat. Children decide whether to eat and how much.

"It goes back to what you as a caregiver have control over versus what a child has control over," Cope said. "Knowing that you and the child have a choice regarding meal times helps to reduce the power struggle."

Youth learn babysitting skills from identifying choking risks to age-appropriate play at K-State clinics

Another lesson helps babysitters better understand the risks of choking. Participants use a small tube, similar in diameter to a toilet paper roll, to identify objects that could present choking hazards to young children. Along the way, babysitters discuss ways to prepare foods such as grapes, strawberries and hot dogs to reduce the risk of choking.

The clinic also covers emotional development — using breathing techniques — and understanding age-appropriate play activities with ordinary household materials.

"It's a very critical learning moment," Cope said. "They're getting prepared to care for young children, and that's kind of the goal."

Cope says the clinics are offered to youth as young as nine years old.

"I think it's just a wonderful opportunity for K-State Extension to help the community to fill in that gap in short-term care," she said.

Those interested in the clinic should reach out to their local K-State Extension office, or check their office's website and social media, for more details. Classes are often held between March and June, allowing participants to put their new skills to use during the summer months.

"I would love for every youth who is caring for young children to have the opportunity to go through these babysitting clinics," Cope said. "We're preparing them to be within the workforce if they want to go on and become a professional within the early learning system."