Mouse Shapes by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Weekly Trip to the Library What can you make with one oval, two circles, and eight triangles? Just ask three clever mice. In Mouse Shapes,the mice play with shapes while hiding from a cat. In the end, the mice build big mice to scare the cat away. After reading the book let the kids trace […]

Want to Help Your Nanny Kids Read Better?

Teaching Phonics Phonics gives us the tools to sound out and learn thousands of words without depending upon memorization. Phonics is simply the relationship between the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make. Use phonics to teach children the most common sound-spelling relationships so that they can decode, or sound out, words. This […]

Compound Caterpillars

Creative Wednesdays It is fun making Compound Caterpillars with the kids. Explain that a compound word is two separate words that are combined to make one word. Take turns naming compound words. Write the words on a chart. Then create Compound Caterpillars as we did below. You Will Need: Construction Paper Markers Circle to Trace […]

Foam Beehive: Bubble Science

Creative Wednesdays All children love bubbles. They will all love this bubble science experiment. When bubbles connect to one another, they create a shape with minimal surface area. If three bubbles unite, they arrange themselves into a 120 degree angle from one another to create a perfect hexagonal shape — exactly like a beehive. Bees […]

How Can You Protect the Earth?

Earth Day Project Earth Day will be celebrated this Friday, April 22 and this weekend in communities throughout the world. Some simple and tangible ways to help the kids in your care protect the world is by recycling; not wasting water; walking or biking to school and activities; turning off lights; and not littering. In […]

Color Bubble Painting: Bubble Science

Creative Wednesdays What kid doesn’t love bubbles? What child doesn’t love painting and science experiments? My youngest charge absolutley loves doing this color bubble painting project. There are two ways to make bubble painting. It’s very important that the child is old enough to be able to blow out of the straws and not suck […]

Lace a Mitten Filled with Animals and Read “The Mitten” by Jan Brett

Creative Children’s Book Project There are few books as loved by kids as The Mitten by Jan Brett. Winter is a great time to read this beloved children’s book and do this cute craft with the kids in your care. As you read the book the kids will love when a Ukaranian boy named Nikki loses […]

Penguin Fun: Crafts and Books

Weekly Trip to the Library What child doesn’t like penguins? And now that’s it is cold outside it’s the perfect time to read and doing indoor crafts. This week I borrowed books from the library about penguins and has the kids make some penguins from different shapes cut out from colored construction paper. If you […]

Thanksgiving Day Parade Book and Activities

Balloons Over Broadway The kids I care for are going to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on Thanksgiving morning so I borrowed “Balloons over Broadway” by Melissa Sweet from the library to prepare them for the fun and festivities. But if your charges aren’t goingto the parade they will still love watching the parade on television […]

Coffee Filter Butterflies

Creative Wednesdays Who doesn’t love butterflies? This is one of the easiest projects you can make with kids. The five-year-old I care for just loves making butterflies out of coffee filters. Plus, it is fascinating to learn how a worm-like caterpillar turn into a delicate creature with wings.  Be sure to check out the link provided below […]