Watercolor Tape Resist Spider Webs

Making watercolor spider webs after reading children’s books about spiders and spider webs is a fun, non-scary project to do with children as Halloween approaches. Try reading, “Mrs. Spider’s Beautiful Web” by Beverly Randell and “Spiders” by Gail Gibbons to help the child learn about how amazing spiders can be, how beautiful webs are, and […]

Scissor Skills Autumn Tree 

It’s Autumn in my neck of the woods, making it a great time to read children’s books about autumn and the changing colors of the leaves with the little ones in my care. I also had the kids practice their scissors skills while making autumn trees out of construction paper. I recommend reading children’s books […]

“Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” by Kenard Pak

Weekly Trip to the Library I absolutely love the changing seasons from summer into fall. “Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” by Kenard Pak captures all the delights of the changing seasons perfectly.  In “Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn” we join a young girl on her walk from her house, through the woods and country, and into her […]

Origami Butterflies

A girl I babysit on the weekends loved making these origami butterflies I found for free on the itsalwaysautumn web site. I simply printed the two templates and allowed her to color them in with her favorite markers. The instructions on how to fold the butterflies is available on the itsalwaysautumn web site.  You Will […]

“My Book of Beautiful Oops!” by Barney Saltzberg and Activities 

I love the book “My Book of Beautiful Oops!” by Barney Saltzberg. One part of social emotional development is the ability to “go with the flow.” Allowing ourselves to make mistakes and to adjust is a key part of maturity and a personality trait that can be difficult to teach unless given examples and practice. […]

5 Children’s Books to Help with Separation Anxiety 

In over 30 years working as a nanny I have known many children that suffer from separation anxiety. It’s a common form of anxiety and worry can happen with children of all ages.  But, separation anxiety disorder is when a child becomes excessively anxious when separated from parents. Separation anxiety differs from normal clinginess. Children […]

“Coyotes All Around” to Teach Rounding Numbers and Coyote Craft

“Coyotes All Around” by Stuart J. Murphy is perfect for teaching rounding numbers to first, second, and third graders. Clever Coyote thinks it’s time for lunch — and also time to show her friends how, with some simple rounding, she can add up numbers in her head. If only she were as good at hunting […]

9 Best Children’s Books for Father’s Day Gifts

Children’s books make great, inexpensive Father’s Day gifts because they offer a unique opportunity for bonding between fathers and their children. Children’s books share heartfelt messages about love, family, and life lessons, making them a meaningful way for children to express their appreciation for their dads. These children’s books make great Father’s Day gifts that […]

“Grandma’s Purse” by Vanessa Brantley Newton and Quilted Purse Craft

This is an adorable project to do as a literary connection to the picture book “Grandma’s Purse” by Vanessa Brantley Newton. In the book, when Mimi’s Grandmother comes to visit she always brings warm hugs, sweet treats, and her purse. Mimi never knows what her Grandmother have in there — fancy jewelry, tokens from around […]

Realistic Flowers from Coffee Filters Craft

My youngest Nanny Kid loves flowers. I borrowed these 8 great children’s books about flowers from the library and helped her make these realistic looking flowers from coffee filters. I found the idea from the One Little Project website and adjusted it to make it a little easier for a 7-year-old to make. The flower […]