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Chinese New Year Fans
February 18, 2026 Leave a Comment
After reading “Our Lunar New Year” by Yobe Qiu children will love creating their own Chinese New Year fan because it’s bright, hands-on, and lets little artists explore bold colors, practice fine motor skills with folding and decorating, and learn about traditions connected to Chinese New Year. Best of all, when they’re done, they don’t just have a craft, they have something they can wave, dance with, and proudly show off as they celebrate the New Year.
You Will Need:
3 Pieces of Paper
Markers
2 Craft Sticks
Glue Stick or Hot Glue
1 Tiny Hairband
What to Do:
1. Read “Our Lunar New Year” by Yobe Qiu.
2. Allow the children to decorate paper with markers.
3. Score each paper every 1/2 inch. You can fold it without scoring, but scoring will help children get even folds all the way across.
4. Accordion fold each piece of paper. Then, fold each paper in half.
5. Using a glue stick or hot glue, paste each of three fan pieces together until you have one seam left.
6. Glue a craft stick to each side. Close with a mini hairband.
7. Once the glue is dry, open up the fan and enjoy! Tip: use the mini hairband to hold the craft sticks together when your fan is open
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References:
“Our Lunar New Year” by Yobi Qiu
Fan project idea by Little Passports
Photos by Stephanie Felzenberg
Heart-Shaped Tortilla Pizza for Valentine’s Day
February 13, 2026 Leave a Comment
As a nanny, I know the fastest way to a kid’s heart is through their stomach especially when dinner shows up in the shape of one. This Valentine’s Day, I’m turning tortillas into heart-shaped mini pizzas that are fun to make, fun to eat, and guaranteed to earn me major cool-nanny points. This tortilla pizza […]
[Continue reading...]Dried Flower Valentine’s Sun Catcher
February 11, 2026 Leave a Comment
Over the summer a child I care for and I used a microwave flower press to dry flowers quickly and efficiently to make crafts during the year. This week we used some of the pink and red flowers to make a heart-shaped sun catcher as a Valentine’s craft. You Will Need: Small FlowersMicrowave Flower PressConstruction […]
[Continue reading...]Heart-Shaped Roasted Potatoes for Valentine’s Day
February 6, 2026 Leave a Comment
Heart-Shaped Roasted Potatoes are a total win for nannies to make for children for Valentine’s Day. The kiddos will love the cute shape and the crispy edges, while nannies love how easy and hands-on the potatoes are. This is a yummy, feel-good way to celebrate Valentine’s Day with smiles at the table with very few […]
[Continue reading...]Thumbprint Heart Salt Dough Necklaces for Valentine’s Day
February 4, 2026 Leave a Comment
Thumbprint Heart Salt Dough Necklaces are the perfect Valentine’s Day craft. Kids love mixing the ingredients, rolling the dough, cutting out the shapes with cookie cutters, using their fingers to make hearts, painting their pendants, and creating a heartfelt gift that their friends and family can wear all in one sweet activity. Check out how […]
[Continue reading...]Groundhog Day Puppets
February 2, 2026 Leave a Comment
Today is Groundhog Day. The celebration derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks. If the groundhog does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. The kids love making […]
[Continue reading...]Best Humidifiers for Babies and Children
February 1, 2026 Leave a Comment
Dry winter air, central heat, and low humidity can often leave tiny noses congested and skin feeling dry, cracked, and itchy. A cool-mist humidifier adds back moisture to the air, helping keep babies’ and children’s’ nasal passages clear, skin soft, and sleep deeper by easing irritation from colds and dry air. Choosing a cool mist […]
[Continue reading...]Pappardelle with Beef Bolognese
January 30, 2026 Leave a Comment
When dinner is Pappardelle with Beef Bolognese on a cold winter evening, it’s not just a meal, it’s comfort in a bowl. The wide, silky pasta is fun to twirl, the rich sauce is cozy and familiar, and the hearty flavors make even picky eaters feel at home. It’s the kind of dinner that brings […]
[Continue reading...]Heart-Shaped Bird Feeders
January 28, 2026 Leave a Comment
The children in my care loved making pinecone bird feeders so much this winter that I couldn’t resist finding a heart-shaped bird feeder activity to pair their love of feeding local birds with Valentine’s Day. I discovered this sweet idea on The Purposeful You web site, and it was a perfect fit. Watching winter birds […]
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