Have Your Own Olympics with the Kids

Weekly Trip to the Library The winter Olympics have started in Sochi and I recommend reading books on the topic to the children in your care. Then, be sure to have your own pint-sized Olympic games in the house you work in. When you are finished, hand out medals and serve up dishes from around […]

Sorting Games

Teaching Classifying, Comparing and Patterns Children benefit from having lots of experiences sorting, comparing, and classifying objects before participating in patterning activities. Provide opportunities for children to sort or group things by shape, number, color, or texture. As children play sorting games, vocabulary such as classifying, groups, sets, categories, same, different, fewer, longer, heavier, lighter […]

Charlie and Lola: Snow is My Favorite and My Best by Lauren Child

Weekly Trip to the Library Nothing is sadder for my four-year-old charge then when her snowman starts to melt after a fun day of playing in the snow. Luckily we found a great children’s book discussing the same feelings. One of my favorite children’s books authors is Lauren Child. This week while at the library […]

Caterpillar Pencil Topper

Creative Projects to Do With Kids The teen I care for made this pencil topper for his little sister using a hot glue gun. I don’t recommend young children using hot glue guns. But, you can easily and safely use white glue instead if you are making simple pencil toppers. Hot glue works better than […]

Activities to do With Kids on MLK Day

How to Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day To honor Martin Luther King, Jr. many schools have are in recess today. So, there is no better time than to engage the children in activities and age-appropriate discussions about the civil rights movement in American history. Here are our suggestions: COMPARE BROWN EGGS & WHITE EGGS: […]

Puffy Paint

Getting Creative with Kids There is something magical about the three-dimensional appearance of Puffy Paint. Puffy paint is easy to make and you can simply find the ingredients already at home. Allow the kids to use the Puff Paint recipes as finger paint as well — although I don’t like adding color to the puffy […]

Pomander Balls Make Great Homemade Gifts

Christmas Scents A pomander is a lime, lemon, or orange covered with whole cloves. Pomanders can be given as gifts to be used year-round in closets and drawers or displayed in a bowl. They can also be hung on a tree or included in potpourri. In the traditional pomander, cloves are placed so close to one […]

Inspiring Learning Thru Everyday Activities

Supporting Success in School at Home Success in school requires support at home. As nannies we have a unique opportunity to teach children in important ways that cannot be taught in school. It is up to us to make learning experiences in everyday activities. We can even help children too young for school to develop […]

Line Dropping

Art with Kids To help kids develop a love of art history this week I introduced my preschooler the works of Franz Kline. All children begin to express themselves by using line. Given a writing implement all kids scribble and upon examination of the lines the kids draw it is often possible to determine what […]

Art with Kids

Kandinsky Tree I love the subject of Art History and hope to inspire my Nanny Kids to appreciate art as well. I introduced my three-year-old charge to abstract art by showing her Kandinsky Trees. Wassily Kandisnsky was a famous Russian artist who had a gift called synaesthesia cognate which gives him the ability to hear […]