Babysitter instructions template as a form

Updated 2026-10-30

A fridge note is easy to lose, and a text thread is hard to search. I like a form for this job. It keeps the instructions in one place, and it asks the questions parents forget when they are rushing to leave.

Use this when

  • You have a regular sitter, or several, and each one needs the same facts.
  • You run a small sitting service and want families to complete the sheet before a first booking.
  • A parent wants to type the details once and let their AI do the typing.

Skip it when

You only need a date and a time. A plain babysitter booking form is enough for that. Skip it too if your instructions include codes or keys, because those do not belong on a form.

What is asked, and why

  • Contacts and a backup person: so the sitter always has someone to call.
  • Allergies and needs: only the ones the sitter must act on.
  • Meals, bedtime and screens: so the evening runs like home.
  • Visitors and pets: the house rules people forget to say.
  • A plan for a child who feels unwell: the moment a sitter most needs a clear answer.

What a parent's AI would ask

"What are the children's first names?" Then "Which allergies should the sitter know about?" Then "When do you expect to be home?" It lists everything and waits for a yes before it sends. See agent-fillable forms.

One more thing

Sitters who also run a holiday workshop for children can take sign-ups with a workshop registration form. Find more in forms for tutors and childcare.

Questions

Should I put door or alarm codes on it?

No. Keep codes off any form. Tell the sitter in person, or in a message you trust, and use the form for the rest of the instructions.

How do I reuse it for every evening?

Submit a new response for each outing. Most answers stay the same, so copy them from your last one and change only the date and the time you expect to be home.

Can the sitter fill it in instead of the parent?

The parent should. The sitter reads the answers. A parent in a hurry can give the form to their own AI agent, which asks for each missing detail and shows them all.

Try the form

Live demo ยท nothing is saved

Instructions for tonight's sitter

Fill this in before you go out. Keep it short and clear, so the sitter has everything in one place.

Screen time
Visitors
Use this templateAll templates

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text
Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Instructions for tonight's sitter",
  "description": "Fill this in before you go out. Keep it short and clear, so the sitter has everything in one place.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "children_names",
      "label": "Children's first names",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "outing_date",
      "label": "Date of this outing",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "back_by",
      "label": "When do you expect to be home?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "parent_phone",
      "label": "Your phone number while you are out",
      "type": "phone",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "backup_name",
      "label": "Backup contact's name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "backup_phone",
      "label": "Backup contact's phone",
      "type": "phone",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "allergies_needs",
      "label": "Allergies or needs the sitter must act on",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "meals_snacks",
      "label": "What can they eat, and when?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "bedtime_routine",
      "label": "Bedtime and routine",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "screen_time",
      "label": "Screen time",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "No screens",
        "Until a set time (write it in the notes)",
        "Anything is fine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "visitors_rule",
      "label": "Visitors",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "No visitors",
        "Only people I name in the notes",
        "Ask me first"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "unwell_plan",
      "label": "What should the sitter do if a child feels unwell?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "house_rules",
      "label": "Other house rules",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "pet_notes",
      "label": "Pets and anything to know about them",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 300
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash
curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Instructions for tonight'\''s sitter","description":"Fill this in before you go out. Keep it short and clear, so the sitter has everything in one place.","fields":[{"id":"children_names","label":"Children'\''s first names","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":200},{"id":"outing_date","label":"Date of this outing","type":"date","required":true},{"id":"back_by","label":"When do you expect to be home?","type":"short_text","max_length":100},{"id":"parent_phone","label":"Your phone number while you are out","type":"phone","required":true},{"id":"backup_name","label":"Backup contact'\''s name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"backup_phone","label":"Backup contact'\''s phone","type":"phone","required":true},{"id":"allergies_needs","label":"Allergies or needs the sitter must act on","type":"long_text","max_length":800},{"id":"meals_snacks","label":"What can they eat, and when?","type":"long_text","max_length":800},{"id":"bedtime_routine","label":"Bedtime and routine","type":"long_text","max_length":800},{"id":"screen_time","label":"Screen time","type":"single_choice","options":["No screens","Until a set time (write it in the notes)","Anything is fine"]},{"id":"visitors_rule","label":"Visitors","type":"single_choice","options":["No visitors","Only people I name in the notes","Ask me first"]},{"id":"unwell_plan","label":"What should the sitter do if a child feels unwell?","type":"long_text","max_length":800},{"id":"house_rules","label":"Other house rules","type":"long_text","max_length":1000},{"id":"pet_notes","label":"Pets and anything to know about them","type":"short_text","max_length":300}]}'

JSON definition

json
{
  "title": "Instructions for tonight's sitter",
  "description": "Fill this in before you go out. Keep it short and clear, so the sitter has everything in one place.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "children_names",
      "label": "Children's first names",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "outing_date",
      "label": "Date of this outing",
      "type": "date",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "back_by",
      "label": "When do you expect to be home?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "parent_phone",
      "label": "Your phone number while you are out",
      "type": "phone",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "backup_name",
      "label": "Backup contact's name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "backup_phone",
      "label": "Backup contact's phone",
      "type": "phone",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "allergies_needs",
      "label": "Allergies or needs the sitter must act on",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "meals_snacks",
      "label": "What can they eat, and when?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "bedtime_routine",
      "label": "Bedtime and routine",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "screen_time",
      "label": "Screen time",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "No screens",
        "Until a set time (write it in the notes)",
        "Anything is fine"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "visitors_rule",
      "label": "Visitors",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "No visitors",
        "Only people I name in the notes",
        "Ask me first"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "unwell_plan",
      "label": "What should the sitter do if a child feels unwell?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 800
    },
    {
      "id": "house_rules",
      "label": "Other house rules",
      "type": "long_text",
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "pet_notes",
      "label": "Pets and anything to know about them",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 300
    }
  ]
}