Free Babysitting Certification Finder & Course Comparison
To get babysitting certified, take a recognized babysitting course such as Red Cross Babysitting Basics Online, Red Cross Babysitter's Training, or Safe Sitter, add a hands-on infant and child CPR and first aid course, then list the certificate and its expiration date on your babysitting profile. Use the finder below to pick the right one for your age and budget.
Best-fit course for your ageSide-by-side course comparisonProfile checklist with renewal dates
Your best-fit path
Enter an age and your preferences, then choose Find my certification.
Facts checked October 2026; confirm current price and schedule with the provider.
Compare courses
Babysitting certification comparison
Red Cross, Safe Sitter, AHA, and local options side by side. Facts checked October 2026; confirm current price and schedule with the provider.
Babysitting and CPR course comparison
Course
Provider
Ages
Format
Hours
Cost
Validity
CPR included
Hands-on
Best for
Link
Babysitting Basics Online
American Red Cross
11 and older (designed primarily for youth)
Online, self-paced
About 4 hours
$45
2 years (printable certificate of completion)
No
No
Teens 11 and up who want a recognized certificate fast, on their own schedule
Babysitting Basics Online: A widely recognized course name parents know, but it is a course certificate with no hands-on CPR skills check
Babysitter's Training: Parents tend to value the in-person practice and the long-lasting certificate
Advanced Child Care Training Online: Shows professional training to nanny families, but it is not state child care licensing certification
Safe Sitter Babysitting Course (Essentials): Well known to parents and often hosted by hospitals, schools, and community groups
Intro to Safe Babysitting: A good first taste, but an intro only, not a full babysitting course
Pediatric (Child and Baby) First Aid/CPR/AED Online: Useful knowledge, but online-only with no hands-on skills check, and it does not meet OSHA workplace requirements
Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (Blended Learning or Classroom): The kind of hands-on CPR and first aid certificate many nanny families and agencies ask for
Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED (Blended): A widely recognized hands-on pediatric CPR card
Local babysitting class: Trusted when it uses a recognized curriculum; check the certificate name
Online-only certificates from non-recognized providers: Parents and agencies may not recognize the provider, and there is no hands-on CPR practice
What each course covers
Babysitting Basics Online: Infant and child care, emergencies, safety, age-appropriate activities, behavior, and starting a babysitting business
Babysitter's Training: Feeding, diapering, picking up and holding children, safety, and emergency response through hands-on activities, videos, and discussion
Advanced Child Care Training Online: Leadership, child behavior and discipline, professionalism, safety, and basic child care such as bottle feeding and holding Red Cross says this program is not intended as certification for state-licensed child care providers and does not meet all state requirements for such certification.
Safe Sitter Babysitting Course (Essentials): Babysitting skills, safety, and emergency response from an instructor who holds current CPR certification and uses infant and child CPR manikins Eligibility is grade-based, so ages are approximate.
Intro to Safe Babysitting: A short introduction to babysitting safety Intro only. Follow it with a full course before advertising yourself as trained.
Safe@Home: Home-alone safety: safe habits, injury and illness response, and handling emergencies
Pediatric (Child and Baby) First Aid/CPR/AED Online: First aid, breathing, and cardiac emergencies involving children and babies, in a virtual simulation Red Cross says many workplaces do not accept online-only certificates and recommends its blended or instructor-led course instead.
Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (Blended Learning or Classroom): First aid, breathing, and cardiac emergencies for adults, children, and infants with hands-on practice
Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED (Blended): Pediatric first aid, CPR, and AED skills, finished with a hands-on session with an AHA instructor You only get the card after the separate hands-on skills session.
Local babysitting class: Often teaches the Red Cross or Safe Sitter curriculum; ask which one before you sign up
Online-only certificates from non-recognized providers: Usually short videos and a quiz with a printable certificate The link goes to Red Cross class search so you can compare with a recognized course.
After you're certified
Babysitting profile and flyer checklist
Enter your completion dates to get expiration and renewal reminder dates, then copy or print the checklist for your profile or flyer.
My babysitting profile checklist
Certification: Babysitting Basics Online (American Red Cross)
Completed: (add your completion date)
CPR/First Aid: Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED (Blended Learning or Classroom) (American Red Cross), hands-on
CPR/First Aid completed: (add your completion date)
Ages I'm comfortable with: (for example, toddlers to age 10)
Experience: (siblings, neighbors, camp, church nursery)
References: (2 families who will vouch for you)
Availability: (days and times you can sit)
Made with the Sitter Rank babysitting certification finder, https://www.sitterrank.com/tools/babysitting-certification-finder
Step by step
How to get babysitting certified
1
Check your age and goal
Babysitting courses have age or grade limits: Red Cross courses start at 11 and Safe Sitter is for grades 6 to 8. Decide if you want first jobs, more clients, or nanny work.
2
Pick a recognized babysitting course
Choose Red Cross Babysitting Basics Online, Red Cross Babysitter's Training in person, Safe Sitter, or Red Cross Advanced Child Care for older sitters.
3
Add hands-on infant and child CPR
Take a pediatric first aid and CPR course with an in-person skills session, such as Red Cross blended learning or AHA Heartsaver Pediatric.
4
Save your certificates and dates
Download each certificate and write down the completion date, expiration date, and a renewal reminder.
5
Show it on your profile
List each certificate, its provider, and expiration on your babysitting profile or flyer with your experience and references.
Good to know
Babysitting course vs CPR certification: what's the difference
A babysitting course
Teaches how to care for kids: feeding, diapering, holding babies, safety, behavior, play, and what to do in an emergency, plus how to find jobs. Red Cross Babysitting Basics Online gives a 2-year certificate of completion and Babysitter's Training gives a 10-year certificate. These are course certificates, not CPR certifications.
A CPR and first aid certification
Teaches lifesaving skills such as infant and child CPR, breathing emergencies such as choking, and AED use, and usually lasts 2 years. Blended and classroom courses end with a hands-on skills check on manikins. Online-only courses, such as the Red Cross Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Online course, teach the knowledge but skip the hands-on check and do not meet OSHA workplace requirements.
What parents look for
A recognized provider
Names parents know, like the Red Cross or Safe Sitter, or a local class that uses their curriculum.
Current hands-on CPR
Infant and child CPR and first aid with an in-person skills session, and a date that has not expired.
Experience with their kids' ages
Say which ages you're comfortable with and where you got the experience.
References
Two or more families or adults who can vouch for you.
Reliability
Clear availability, on-time arrival, and quick replies.
Proof on your profile
The certificate name, provider, and expiration date, so parents can check it.
Common questions
Babysitting certification FAQ
What certifications do I need to babysit?
None are legally required. No US state requires a license or certificate for informal babysitting. Most parents look for a recognized babysitting course, such as Red Cross Babysitting Basics, Red Cross Babysitter's Training, or Safe Sitter, plus current hands-on infant and child CPR and first aid. Licensed child care providers must follow their state's licensing rules.
How old do you have to be to get babysitting certified?
Red Cross Babysitting Basics Online is designed for ages 11 and older, Red Cross Babysitter's Training is for ages 11 to 16, and the Safe Sitter Babysitting Course is for grades 6 to 8. Kids in grades 4 to 6 can take Safe@Home, a home-alone safety program, while they wait.
Is the Red Cross babysitting certification online legit, and does it include CPR?
Yes. Babysitting Basics Online is an American Red Cross course that takes about 4 hours and gives a printable certificate of completion valid for two years. It is a course certificate, not a CPR certification. The Red Cross suggests adding a separate first aid and CPR/AED course; pick one with an in-person skills session for hands-on infant and child CPR.
How long does a babysitting certification last?
The Red Cross Babysitting Basics Online certificate is valid for 2 years, and Red Cross Babysitter's Training gives a 10-year certificate. Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED and AHA Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED certificates last 2 years. Safe Sitter does not list an expiration, so ask your class host.
Is babysitting certification worth it?
For most sitters, yes. A recognized course teaches safety, emergency response, and child care basics, and a current certificate plus hands-on infant and child CPR gives parents a clear reason to trust you. It also helps you answer interview questions with confidence. Compare price and schedule with the provider, since local class prices vary.
Disclaimer
Sitter Rank is not affiliated with the American Red Cross, Safe Sitter, or the American Heart Association. No US state requires a license or certificate for informal babysitting. Licensed child care providers, such as daycares and family child care homes, must follow their state's licensing rules; find your state's agency through childcare.gov. Facts checked October 2026; confirm current price and schedule with the provider.