Fourth of July Crafts

Independence Day Fun In the United States is America the 4th of July is filled with parades, barbecues, and fireworks to celebrate the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Here are some easy crafts I made with my nanny kids  to bring with them to their local holiday parade. The finished projects may look […]

Cardboard Box and Roll Maze

This is a very easy project to make with recyclable products that promote creativity and helps develop motor skills. We made a simple maze that preschoolers will enjoy. But you can easily make it harder for older kids by adding numbers to the tubes in the order the ball needs to go through the tubes. […]

Straw and Pipe Cleaner Geometry

Creative Wednesday Teaching shapes is fun. Using simple materials, my 8-year-old charge created squares, triangles, diamonds, quadrangles, and more. Older kids can be more creative and make 3-D shapes such as cubes. Build them, take them apart, and start all over again. You Will Need: Pipe Cleaners Straws Safety Scissors What to Do: Show the […]

Melted Crayon Easter Eggs

Creative Wednesdays I thought I had tried making all kinds of eggs working as a nanny for the past 25-years until I heard about melting crayons on hot boiled eggs. First, I let the kids sprinkle crayons shavings onto eggs. Then they used crayons to draw on hot eggs. Drawing on hot eggs works much […]

St. Patrick’s Day Counting Fun

Creative Learning Saint Patrick’s Day is coming up making it the perfect time to make this easy counting game. A common symbol of the Irish holiday is the pot of gold protected by leprechauns at the end of rainbows. So we made this simple counting game of putting paper coins on a paper pot. You […]

Saint Patrick’s Day Necklace

Creative Projects Saint Patrick’s Day is March 17. In Irish mythology, a pot of gold is hidden at the end of a rainbow by a small member of the fairy family called the leprechaun. This is an easy rainbow colored necklace to make with the kids with a pot of gold at the center of […]

The Hat by Jan Brett and 6 Learning Activities

Weekly Trip to the Library Read Jan Brett’s fun book The Hat then do some fun corresponding activities with the kids. In The Hat: Oversized Board Book Lisa’s woolen stocking flies off the clothesline, Hedgie finds it and pokes his nose in. He tries to pull it out, the stocking gets stuck on his prickles […]

Walking Water Science

Here’s an easy science experiment with simple ingredients found in everyone’s kitchen. We found that cheap, non-absorbent paper towels actually work better. Try the experiment with different types of paper products (such as napkins or toilet paper) and glass containers (such as test tubes or mason jars) to see which works best. You Will Need: […]

Valentine’s Day Puzzle

Valentine’s Day Project Kids love Valentine’s Day, puzzles, and learning to count. Combine the love of the holiday and learning with this super easy project. You Will Need: Craft sticks Duct tape Red and black markers Heart cookie cutter Straight edge What to Do: Line up 10 popsicle sticks with a ruler or straight edge. […]

I Love You to Pieces

Valentine’s Day Project Here is a super easy project to let your nanny kids of any age make for their parents and friends for Valentine’s Day. You Will Need: White, red and pink paper White glue Paint brush Marker What to Do: 1. Tear up pieces of red and pink shades of paper. 2. With […]