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Find an emergency babysitter in Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica families count on UrbanSitter for same-day emergency child care. In most areas, average response time for urgent needs is under two minutes.

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118 available babysitters in Santa Monica, CA

Families in Santa Monica turn to UrbanSitter for emergency and same-day babysitting.
99 available today | Avg hourly rate: $26.96/hr

Every babysitter on UrbanSitter completes an annual background check, and every profile is individually reviewed by our Trust and Safety team. Learn more.

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Sophia $30 per hour for 1 child
Booked by 1 family in Santa Monica, CA

Hi! I’m Sophia 🌿 I have twenty years of experience working with children in a variety of settings—supporting kids on the autism spectrum (ages 2–18), working as a summer camp counselor teaching kayaking, and spending summers working at a beach camp in Santa Monica with kids ages 3–13. As well as an away camp working with kids of all ages for a summer when I was 18. I’ve also assisted in a Montessori classroom for ages 3–6 and have two sweet nephews (Ray Ray, 12, and Theo, 8) whom I adore and have helped care for regularly. I have been babysitting for different families since I was 12 years old. I studied psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder, where I developed a deep love for the outdoors. Whether I’m hiking, biking, or surfing, being in nature is a big part of my life. I love working with children because it brings out my playful and nurturing side. I’m known for being calm, kind, and grounded, and I bring a lot of presence and care into the spaces I hold with kids. Friends and colleagues often describe me as genuine, patient, and full of heart. Fun facts about me: I love swing dancing, singing circles, and playing the ukulele. I’m also a certified Reiki Master and integrative health coach and run a coaching business focused on healing and personal growth. I bring emotional attunement, nervous system regulation and loving presence into my childcare. I’m currently looking for a summer position and am available until mid-September. Looking forward to connecting with you and your family!

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Kat
Booked by 170 repeat families
136 reviews
$35 per hour for 1 child
Booked by 255 families in Santa Monica, CA

Welcome! My name is Kat - I am pleased to make your virtual acquaintance. Please make sure and scroll to the bottom for my posted policies. My experience as a seasoned executive assistant in both New York City and Los Angeles' entertainment industries translates wonderfully into the world of childcare. An adaptive, organized and resourceful professional, who is great at anticipating needs and juggling multiple priorities simultaneously, my experience as a sitter is advanced and extensive with children starting as young as less than 2 weeks old. Via Urbansitter I have done everything from simple date night sitting to a 24-hr overnight booking with both parents out of town. Growing up in the Chicagoland area as the older sister to a younger brother and sister, I have enjoyed looking after children most of my life (I worked my first summer nanny job for a 2 year old at age 15!). Friends, family, employers and even complete strangers are always touched by my way with children. What can I say, I am a child at heart! Like children, I am imaginative, playful and always curious to learn more. I immerse myself in the arts and healthful living (cooking, especially) and am eager to share and enjoy culture with your child(ren). I respect and embrace my families' household traditions and/or approaches whether its following RIE parenting, incorporating vocab whenever possible from a second language spoken in the home or helping keep a kosher kitchen. Hiring me is about so much more than "watching" your child(ren). I will stimulate their imagination(s) and explore their interests, contributing to their curiosity and ambition. I am most proud of my results expanding children's palates, vocabulary and autonomy (from separation anxiety) to help them reach developmental goals and milestones. Thank you for your time and consideration. TDAP vaccinated 10/17 Lifeguard, CPR, first aid, AED certified 8/17 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME: -I am currently pursing TV writing on spec, but when I first joined Urbansitter I balanced babysitting with fulltime work as a Producer's Assistant working in TV and Film development and production. Sometimes my job and childcare overlap, like the time I accompanied a boss's 3 children (ages 2-7) on an 18+ hr international flight. - I graduated with a BA in Television/Radio/Film (Newhouse) and Women's Studies (College of Arts and Sciences) from Syracuse University. At SU I was involved with many organizations, including the alpha chapter of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. - In the summer of 2015 I adopted Garçon, a young bichon frise-miniature poodle mix. I was pleasantly surprised how much my work with toddlers helped me to train him. He loves children and has successfully joined me on numerous bookings, should you want a special playdate with your child(ren) and him. - I play recreational soccer in a charity league and enjoyed being a "Soccer Nanny" escorting one of my charges to his all-day soccer tournaments. - In the fall of 2013 I completed a 12-performance/month-long run of a local, independent production of the broadway musical, Urinetown: The Musical - For fun, I study musical improv, improv and sketch comedy writing at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatres (LA and NYC). I am eager to take a class at the Groundlings Theater. - I am self-taught on the piano, ever since my early childhood when my grandmother used to pay me a dollar for every song I learned. I am currently teaching myself the ukelele. - I enjoy creative writing, dancing and photography whenever (and wherever!) inspiration strikes. I am actively working on both a screenplay and tv pilot, taking classes at the Writing Pad. - One of my favorite adventures around SoCal is whale watching: I have seen blue and gray whales --as well as dolphins and sea lions-- off of Newport Beach. - I lived for 6 months in London, traveling extensively throughout the UK and Europe, utilizing my fluency (at the time) in French whenever I could. I do have a couple of families in which French is their children's first and only language and I help them learn English. I? am currently learning Spanish via app Duolingo. - In high school I had an impressive resume of vocal and theater work. I was a member of 7 choirs, including one that toured nursing homes and convalescence centers; received honors in solo and ensemble vocal competitions; was a professional cantor in Chicago; performed in several musicals and musical reviews; was selected for the make-up and costume department for Illinois All-State Theater (The Pirates of Penzance) and attended the renowned Interlochen Arts Camp for voice. - My older brother is a Veterinarian currently at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium and Abbott Oceanarium (before that he was at the Columbus Zoo)! Growing up, he always had a menagerie of pets. - My father is an Editor at The Chicago Tribune. For most of my life he worked there as a criminal courts reporter. 2016 marked 30 years with the Trib. POLICIES, please note: - My $25/hr rate is reflective of my certifications, professional resume and experience as a "fixer nanny" or "pitch-hitter nanny" when families are traveling to LA without a nanny, parents are away on business trips, nannies are ill or otherwise unable to work and/as "Camp Kat" during school holidays, closures, vacations and for parties or daycares. - I am happy to interview/speak in advance of a booking free of charge via Facetime/Skype, phone or text. For in-person interviews I require a minimum of one hour at my hourly rate but a working interview for closer to my minimum hours (see next bullet) in duration is preferred when possible. - I ask for 4 hrs minimum for any booking. This allows me to honor first-come bookings that are shorter than my average 6-hour bookings and justify commuting expenses. - In keeping with CA employment law, I charge time and a half ($37.50) for overtime hours which are defined as any hours additional to 8 consecutive hours of work. For example, a 10 hr day would be $200 for 8 hrs + $75 for the add'l 2. - I do not consent to be filmed by any recording device, hidden or in plain sight. All cameras must be disclosed. - I ask that any/all parking fees be covered should complimentary parking not be available. - I charge mileage (#miles clocked x $0.58), in keeping with CA law for 2019, in addition to my hourly rate for any driving done under your charge (excluding my commute). - Should my commute exceed 10 mi one-way I ask that families reimburse me the CA mileage rate per additional mile round trip. I calculate the mileage in advance for parents’ approval by averaging google maps routes and always share my calculations. For example, if the average mileage to a destination is 14 miles I would charge for the additional 8 miles (4 each way) and multiply that by $0.58= $4.64 commuting fee. - I ask for advance notice of any illness in your home and reserve the right to cancel should I deem myself at risk of catching something highly serious or contagious in nature. Children that are not vaccinated must be disclosed. - Since my work day often requires that I schedule around personal commitments or other booking requests, I ask for payment in full for the time frame you reserve even if you return home early or push the booking back to a later start time, thus a shorter duration, less than 48 hours prior. This applies to reschedules. - Since I often have to turn down booking requests for an existing booking, I ask for 48 hrs notice for any and all cancellations. If your cancellation is less than 48 hrs, but more than 12 hrs I request payment for half the booking. For 12 hrs or less I ask that you provide payment in full within the week. A rescheduled booking does not exempt you from payment of a cancellation fee. - I frequently work in hotels/Airbnbs/etc. Since options are often very limited in these scenarios I ask that water, snacks - and meals if the booking falls during a meal time - be made available to me. - I am severely allergic to guinea pigs, rabbits and horses. if you have them in your home it may, unfortunately, not be a good fit. I have very mild allergies to dogs and cats, but am v. happy to work with them so long as fur on the furniture and carpeting is minimal. Pets love me.

“We were visiting LA and needed a babysitter for the afternoon/evening. Kat was super flexible about hanging out at the hotel, keeping our busy 14 month old occupied and doing dinner and bedtime routine. She also kept us updated with photos and texts. Knowledgeable and professional all around, would book her next time we’re in town!”

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Evelyn
Booked by 12 repeat families
26 reviews
$35 per hour for 1 child
Booked by 22 families in Santa Monica, CA

‼️ Looking for FULL TIME end of Oct 5th on - Newborn-5yrs old Baby I nannie'd from 4mo-21mo is going into full-time school 😘👧🏽 Available Date Nights M-Th/Sat/Sun *My journey in childcare began early, as I started looking after toddlers in Sunday School during my teen years. Fast forward, I've raised my own children, who are now 23 and 21 years old, alongside caring for my niece and nephew from infancy until they were ready for kindergarten. I have families I steadily babysit for & have also been a full time nanny. I'm easy to get along with & am prepared to handle any child emergency situation with focused calm. Having been a freelance artist for 22 years I bring A LOT of creativity into babies/children's lives! I have a clean Trustline background/driving record and am open to light cooking and picking up after the kiddos. I also totally LOVE animals as they are also a part of the family! I do babysitting all over LA have have family in OC so it's an easy 2-for-1 being in that area! My references will be MORE than happy to speak with you and hope to hear from you soon! 📱FaceTime/Zoom calls welcomed!

“For the last 18 months, Evelyn has been an incredibly important part of our family, and it is hard to imagine our daughter's early years without her.As our daughter prepares to start school shortly after her second birthday, we find ourselves reflecting on just how much Evelyn has contributed to her growth, happiness, and development. Simply put, we could not have asked for a better nanny.From day one, our daughter (Baby A) absolutely adored Evelyn. She warmed to her immediately, and watching their bond develop has been one of the greatest joys of the past year and a half. Evelyn brings a special combination of warmth, confidence, creativity, wisdom, and pure joy that children naturally gravitate toward. What makes Evelyn so exceptional is that she truly understands children.One of the most impactful things she did was teach Baby A sign language before she could talk. The difference was remarkable. Our daughter was able to communicate her needs, feelings, and thoughts long before she had words, which dramatically reduced frustration and gave her an incredible sense of confidence. We now tell every parent we know that babies should learn sign language, and we have Evelyn to thank for showing us firsthand how transformative it can be.She also guided us through countless milestones and transitions. When Evelyn started, our daughter strongly disliked tummy time. Evelyn somehow knew exactly how to make it fun and engaging. Later, she helped us navigate getting off the bottle, potty training, and all the other developmental transitions that come with raising a toddler. She always approached challenges with patience, creativity, and a deep understanding of child development. Evelyn is wonderfully whimsical in a way that feels straight out of a storybook. She would create sock puppets out of nowhere, invent water-play activities, dream up art projects, and find creative ways to turn ordinary days into adventures. Her artistic talent is extraordinary, and she brought so much imagination and wonder into our daughter's life. As parents, one of the things we appreciated most was how communicative and trustworthy she was. Evelyn truly partnered with us. She listened carefully to our hopes and preferences for our daughter and always respected them. We never had to worry about what our daughter was eating, what activities she was participating in, or whether our wishes were being followed. We trusted her completely. The McKinney Family,”

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Chase
Booked by 12 repeat families
11 reviews
$30 per hour for 1 child
Booked by 24 families in Santa Monica, CA

Hi, I was born and raised in Honolulu. I attended La Pietra Hawaii School for Girls at Diamond Head from 6th grade to 12th. I graduated with my BS in Global Media from The New School in NYC May 2021. I graduated with my Masters in Liberal & Media Studies, May 2022 from The New School of Social Research. I grew up with a houseful of pets! I am Red Cross certified in pediatric first aid, CPR, AED and child care training. I have a fully clear background check. I love children and they love me! I have a car and can transport children as needed - with mileage reimbursement in addition to my hourly rate, or I can drive the family car. I do not have a car seat. I am looking for occasional daytime and/or weeknight sitting. Contact me if you think I would be a good fit for your family! Chase

“Chase is terrific! Our son took to her right away, and when she left he told us "we really really had a lot of fun". Chase was punctual, smart, friendly and of course, great with kids :). Look forward to working ith her again!”

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Ta'Janee
Booked by 28 repeat families
45 reviews
$20 per hour for 1 child
Booked by 97 families in Santa Monica, CA

If I sit for your family, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd rate me on my services to you. Hi! I’m a caring and dependable childcare provider with over 15 years of experience working with children from infancy through early elementary age. I’m currently studying Child Development and work on call as a substitute Teacher Assistant with children ages 0–5. I have a strong background in infant and toddler care and am comfortable with all parts of daily routines, including feedings, naps, diapering, potty training, and bedtime. I’ve cared for up to four children at once and enjoy supporting sibling relationships in a calm, positive way. I believe children thrive when they feel safe, understood, and supported. I aim to create a fun, nurturing environment while also following family routines and expectations closely. I’m reliable, patient, and communicative, and I love helping parents feel confident and at ease while they’re away.

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How much does an emergency babysitter cost in Santa Monica, CA?

  • Average hourly rate for 1 child: $26.96
  • Average hourly rate for 2 children: $32.07
  • Typical job length: 4.6 hours
  • Most requested times: Morning

As of October 2026

Recent babysitter activity in Santa Monica, CA

When it's urgent, trust comes first

All UrbanSitter babysitters are background checked every year. Profiles are individually reviewed by our Trust and Safety team.

1,092 sitters background checked in Santa Monica, CA

5.0 average star rating from total of 7,232 reviews in Santa Monica, CA

photo of quoted parent Hillary

"We were incredibly grateful that Maya was able to help us out with a last-minute childcare emergency. She matched our 9-year-old's energy with arts & crafts, some quiet reading, and a walk around the neighborhood. We'd have Maya back in a heartbeat!"

Hillary S., parent

photo of quoted parent Theresa

"We used Tania for a last minute emergency. She responded very quickly. My daughter seemed to enjoy herself. My son napped most of the time. I enjoyed how she kept me updated by text."

Theresa M., parent

photo of quoted parent Lauren

"Hannah was awesome. Went above & beyond to help me with a last minute emergency. She was really sweet & great with my 16mo old. Highly recommend!!"

Lauren D., parent

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Why families trust UrbanSitter for emergency babysitting

Trusted by Santa Monica families

See which babysitters have been hired by parents in your Santa Monica neighborhood, school, or parenting group.

Fast responses for urgent needs

Average response times for last-minute requests are under two minutes in most areas.

Background checked, every year

Every babysitter completes an annual background check, offering peace of mind when you need it most.

Reviews from local parents

Read reviews from local families, see repeat family counts, and compare profiles before you choose.

Frequently asked questions about emergency babysitters in Santa Monica

How do I find an emergency babysitter in Santa Monica?

Sign up for an UrbanSitter account, then share the date, time, and number of children who need care. Available sitters in Santa Monica can respond, and you can review full profiles before booking.

How much does an emergency babysitter cost in Santa Monica?

As of October 2026, babysitting rates in Santa Monica average $26.96 per hour for one child, and vary by experience, number of children, and job length. For same-day care, offering a higher rate can help attract interest and a faster response. See average babysitting rates in your area.

Are babysitters in Santa Monica on UrbanSitter background checked?

Yes. Every babysitter on UrbanSitter completes an annual background check, including those in Santa Monica, and each profile is individually reviewed by our Trust and Safety team. See what's included in the background check.

Can I find a babysitter in Santa Monica for today or tonight?

Yes. Same-day and tonight requests are common on UrbanSitter. Share your care needs and available sitters can respond. You can read reviews, watch profile videos, and choose the right fit.

What's the best way to find a babysitter in Santa Monica on short notice?

On UrbanSitter, when an urgent need comes up, share your timing, location, and care needs so available sitters can respond. See tips for finding last-minute child care for additional ways to find support.

What do I do if my babysitter cancels in Santa Monica?

Sign into UrbanSitter and submit a new urgent request with your timing, location, and care needs. Available sitters can respond, and you can compare reviews, profile videos, and response times before choosing.

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