“The Tiny Seed” by Eric Carle and What Direction Does a Seed Grow Project

Weekly Trip to the Library “The Tiny Seed” By Eric Carle is the perfect book to read in the Spring. The short board book follows the life of a seed. This mini-book includes a piece of detachable seed-embedded paper housed on the inside front cover. Readers can plant the entire piece of paper and watch as their […]

Novels Both Boys and Girls Love

photo from dreamstime.com Weekly Trip to the Library I make a very conscious effort to allow the kids in my care to play with any toy they want to and to avoid creating strict gender roles. I want the girls to be independent and strong and encourage them to play sports. I want to encourage […]

It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton

Weekly Trip to the Library Working as nannies and au pairs the readers of this blog already know they play an important role in helping raise happy, healthy, secure, and thriving children. This week I recommend caregivers read It Takes a Village because it further validates the importance that people outside the family unit play in […]

The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss

Book Review by Kids for Kids Book Review by Alena 10-Years-Old Can you imagine being locked up, hiding from the Nazis in the time of the Holocaust? If you read The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss you will learn that’s what two Jewish sisters, Annie and Sini, had to do for years. The sisters had […]

Black History Month Books for Kids

February is Black History Month so there is no better time to read books about our individual uniqueness to the children in our care. When I was a kid I remember reading biographies of the first African American to play in major league baseball for Black History Month. I remember learning about jazz, the civil […]

A Blizzard of Snow Lesson Plans for Nannies and Au Pairs

Teaching Kids About Animal Tracks One of the greatest joys for kids is when they first walk outside after it snows and they leave footprints in the snow. Kids love comparing the different size and shapes of the footprints of their family members. So this week we recommend borrowing The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack […]

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 […]

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff

Book Reviews by Kids for Kids Book Review by Jordan, 8-Years-Old If you were a mouse and you had a glass of milk what would you want with it? In this story a mouse wants everything and he is never satisfied. The characters of this story are a mouse and a boy. They live in […]

10 Best Children’s Books for Hanukkah

Weekly Trip to the Library Books may be the best quality gift caregivers can give to the children in their care. Not only will the children and their parents enjoy the book, they are affordable for nannies or au pairs on a budget. Books are quality gifts because a love of reading increases academic success. […]

Children’s Books that Teach the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Trip to the Library In the spirit of Thanksgiving (coming up on Thursday) I borrowed some books from the library about thankfulness and the many blessings we have, rather than specifically about the holiday of Thanksgiving. I think these are great choices for children to share the spirit of Thanksgiving. Of course if you prefer […]