How to Earn Money with Babysitting

Best Side Hustles in Canada to Earn Money with Babysitting

Babysitting is one of the most popular side hustles in Canada, offering flexible hours, good pay, and consistent demand. Whether you’re a student looking for part-time work, a stay-at-home parent, or someone who loves working with children, babysitting can be a rewarding and lucrative way to earn extra income. Below are some of the best babysitting side hustles in Canada to help you get started.

1. Standard Babysitting for Local Families

Overview:
Traditional babysitting involves caring for children in the parents' home while they’re away. This can be as simple as a few hours of supervision to more involved tasks such as meal preparation, homework assistance, and bedtime routines.

How to get started:

• Advertise on local platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Kijiji, or Nextdoor.
• Join babysitting networks such as CanadianNanny or Sitter.com to connect with local families.

Potential earnings: $15–$25 per hour, depending on your location and the number of children you’re watching.

2. Babysitting for Special Occasions

Overview:
Many parents need babysitters for special events like weddings, parties, or holidays. Special occasion babysitting can be more in demand during weekends and holiday seasons.

How to get started:

• Contact event venues, wedding planners, and hotels to offer your services.
• Advertise during high-demand seasons like Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and summer.

Potential earnings: $20–$30 per hour, with the possibility of higher rates for special occasions and holiday bookings.

3. Overnight Babysitting

Overview:
Overnight babysitting is ideal for parents who travel for work or need someone to watch their children while they are away for an extended period. This type of babysitting usually involves staying with the children overnight and performing morning or evening routines.

How to get started:

• Build trust with local families through regular babysitting gigs.
• Offer overnight babysitting services for weekends or extended work trips.

Potential earnings: $100–$300 per night, depending on the number of children and duties involved.

4. Babysitting for Vacationing Families

Overview:
Vacation babysitting involves traveling with families or providing childcare services for families visiting your city. You can work with vacation rental hosts or families staying in hotels who need extra help with their kids while they enjoy their vacation.

How to get started:

• Sign up on platforms like Care.com or Bambino.
• Contact local Airbnb hosts or hotels that cater to families.

Potential earnings: $20–$40 per hour, or $200+ per day, depending on the level of responsibility.

5. After-School Babysitting

Overview:
After-school babysitting includes picking children up from school, helping with homework, and supervising them until their parents return from work. This type of work can be a regular gig, giving you stable, part-time income.

How to get started:

• Connect with local schools or parent-teacher associations.
• Advertise in neighborhood groups or community boards.

Potential earnings: $15–$25 per hour, with potential bonuses for additional tutoring or transportation services.

6. Event Babysitting Services

Overview:
Parents often attend conferences, corporate events, or special occasions where childcare is not provided. Event babysitting involves creating a fun and safe environment for children while their parents are occupied.

How to get started:

• Reach out to event organizers and offer your services as a babysitter for group events.
• Market yourself to families attending large events.

Potential earnings: $25–$40 per hour, depending on the event and the number of children you’re responsible for.

7. Babysitting for Children with Special Needs

Overview:
Parents of children with special needs often require highly specialized childcare. If you have experience or training in working with children who have autism, ADHD, or other developmental challenges, you can offer specialized babysitting services.

How to get started:

• Obtain certifications in first aid, CPR, and specialized care (such as autism care training).
• Advertise your services to local support groups, schools, or clinics.

Potential earnings: $25–$45 per hour, depending on the level of expertise and care required.

8. Nanny Sharing

Overview:
Nanny sharing involves caring for the children of two or more families at the same time. This arrangement allows parents to share the costs of childcare, while you can maximize your earnings by looking after multiple children.

How to get started:

• Connect with families looking for shared babysitting services.
• Offer your services to groups of parents with children of similar ages.

Potential earnings: $20–$35 per hour, with families splitting the costs of care.

9. Mother's Helper

Overview:
A mother's helper assists parents with childcare while they are still at home. This can involve light household duties in addition to caring for the children. It’s a great option for those who are new to babysitting and want to gain experience while working with parents nearby.

How to get started:

• Advertise your services to new mothers or families with young children who need help managing their household.
• Join local community groups to connect with parents seeking assistance.

Potential earnings: $15–$20 per hour, with the option to increase rates as you gain more experience.

10. Pet & Child Sitting Combo

Overview:
Many families have both children and pets. Offering to care for both at once can make you more marketable and allow you to charge higher rates. This is ideal for families going on vacation or who need help managing a busy household.

How to get started:

• Offer your services on pet care platforms like Rover in combination with babysitting platforms.
• Advertise a pet-and-child sitting combo package to local families.

Potential earnings: $20–$40 per hour, depending on the services provided.

11. Summer Babysitting Camps

Overview:
Create a small “babysitting camp” for children in your neighborhood during summer vacation. You can organize outdoor activities, games, and educational tasks to keep kids engaged while parents are at work.

How to get started:

• Advertise through local community centers, schools, and social media.
• Create a weekly or daily schedule with activities, snacks, and crafts.

Potential earnings: $200–$500 per week, depending on the number of children and the activities offered.

12. Tutor Babysitting

Overview:
Combine babysitting with tutoring services to offer educational support for children, especially during the school year. Many parents are looking for babysitters who can also help their children with homework or learning activities.

How to get started:

• Market yourself to families with school-aged children.
• Advertise as both a babysitter and a tutor on platforms like Care.com or local tutoring services.

Potential earnings: $25–$50 per hour, depending on the subject and level of tutoring.

Conclusion

Babysitting in Canada offers a wide range of side hustle opportunities, from traditional babysitting to specialized services like vacation or event babysitting. By tailoring your services to meet the needs of different families, you can maximize your income potential while enjoying flexible work. Whether you’re looking for occasional gigs or more consistent work, babysitting is a reliable way to earn extra money across Canada.