Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar

Even if your Nanny Family doesn’t celebrate Diwali it’s important to teach children about other cultures whenever given the opportunity. Diwali starts this week so I picked up Binny’s Diwali at the library. Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. The festival […]

Hanging Bat

This is such a fun Halloween craft to make with your Nanny Kids I found at the buggy and buddy web site. Make many of these and hang them up by their feet as the bats hang upside down all over the children’s playroom and bedrooms. You can make them in other colors like orange […]

“The Leaf Thief ” by Alice Fleming and Nicola Slater

Make leaf rubbings after reading The Leaf Thief: (The Perfect Fall Book for Children and Toddlers) by Alice Fleming and Nicola Slater with the children in your care. The Leaf Thief is a funny picture book that teaches kids about autumn, adapting to change, and the seasons. The main character is Squirrel and he loves […]

Cardboard Roll Butterflies

I found this easy project on the patchwork parent blog. For little kids I recommend putting primary colored paint close to each other on a paper plate so they can play with mixing the primary colors to make secondary colors when making these butterflies. Older children can decorate the tubes with paint and markers in […]

“Are You a Bee?” and Honeybee Bubblewrap Painting

Lesson Plans Many people are afraid of bees but honey bees are incredible. Are You a Bee? by Judy Allen with illustrations by Tudor Humphries shows that — from the perspective of a honeybee — the backyard is a busy place. A young bee faces many challenges as it takes its place in the hive. […]

“Elmer’s Friends” by David McKee and Puppets

Creative Wednesdays David McKee’s most famous creation is Elmer the Patchwork Elephant which is published in more than 40 languages. In Elmer’s Friends we learn about the spotty, stripy, tall, and long elephant named Elmer and meet all of Elmer’s very best friends! This chunky board book with easy-grip toddler tabs on every page is […]

“Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book” and Puppet Project

This is such a beautiful book and perhaps my favorite children’s book about changing seasons and the animals that live in a tree. Through a hole in the book’s cover of Tree: A Peek-Through Picture Book, by Britta Teckentrup, an owl invites us inside to meet a majestic tree and all its forest inhabitants during […]

“How to Catch a Leprechaun” and Make a Leprechaun Trap

Irish folklore describes leprechaun as little fairies. Legend says they keep pots of gold at the ends of rainbows. Every Saint Patrick’s Day my Nanny Kids and I make leprechaun traps along with thousands of kids around the world. “How to Catch a Leprechaun” is a perfect children’s book for four- to ten-year-old kids, by […]

“How to Catch a Snowman” and Make a Paper Strip Snowman

Creative Wednesdays This week read How to Catch a Snowman by Adam Wallace and Andy Elkerton to the children and make a paper chain snowman I found it at buggyandbuddy.com. How to Catch a Snowman is a picture book that speaks from the perspective of a snowman as children try to catch him. Unlike other […]

“All the Little Snowflakes” by Cindy Jin and Crafts

Weekly Trip to the Library All the Little Snowflakes celebrates winter in this rhyming board book featuring die-cut snowflakes on every page! It is a wintry celebration full of snow and all things that sparkle, this novelty board book reminds us that everyone is one of a kind -— just like each special snowflake that […]