How old do you have to be to babysit a five year old for a day?

In most cases you have to be at least the age of 12 in order to babysit someone. However if you live in Maryland, USA you will need to be at least 13 years old to babysit someone. As I said, there are generally no legal age requirements as long as you as mature and know how to look after a child. As a preteen, it is better to babysit somewhat close to home, with the agreement of your mother. That way, an adult can step in if the situation changes from playtime.