Who needs synthetic paint bristles when the forest is full of flair? Inspired by “Wonder Art Workshop” by Sally Haughey — a magical mashup of art and nature — we’re making Nature Paintbrushes. So go on and gather eco-friendly, natural bristles, bind them to twigs, paint, and repeat. You Will Need: Sticks (aka nature’s handle)Leaves, […]
Outdoor Nature Sorting
Summer learning has never been so fun! Read “Hello Hello: Opposites” by Brendan Wenzel with the children In your care then sort items you find in nature into opposites outside. “Hello Hello: Opposites” by Brendan Wenzel is a vibrant and engaging picture book that explores the concept of opposites through a wide array of animals. […]
Sink or Float Game
Looking for a simple, engaging game that sparks curiosity and giggles? Try this Sink or Float Game. Why do kids love it? Because it’s science disguised as play. They get to gather random household items, make predictions (“Will this spoon sink?” “What about this crayon?”), and then test their hypotheses in water. It’s hands-on, a […]
Hopscotch With a Twist
You can get the kiddos active by drawing a typical foursquare court, an obstacle course, or hop scotch with sidewalk chalk. But we love this idea from JrImagination. Instead of playing a normal hopscotch game, add different activities to boxes. Use sidewalk chalk on your Nanny Family’s driveway or sidewalk to draw boxes similar to […]
Scissor Skills and Practicing Cutting

Creative Wednesdays It’s easy to make cutting worksheets on your own for your nanny kids. The photo shows some cutting strips I made myself. I simply drew lines, dashes, and dots on colorful paper with a permanent marker to draw lines where the kids should cut the paper. But if you prefer to print out […]
Craft Stick Patterns

Creative Play This is an inexpensive project to make for toddlers and preschoolers that just takes a few minutes to make. I start with making simple designs of triangles, squares, and rectangles for toddlers and make designs more complex as the children grow and develop their matching skills. Just google craft stick pattern ideas for […]
The ADHD Workbook for Kids

Weekly Trip to the Library I love the The ADHD Workbook for Kids. I originally just borrowed the book from the library but decided to buy a copy to keep in my nanny library to use for the rest of my nanny career. The workbook helps children learn new Emotional Intelligence. Emotional Intelligence includes the […]
Ball in a Funnel: Indoor Science Fun
Creating Low Atmospheric Pressure Here is an easy indoor science project to do with the kids. What will happen when you blow a ball in a funnel? No matter hard you blow the ball, the ball will remain inside the funnel. Logic suggests that the ball will hover or fly out of the funnel. But […]
Alphabet Cookies for Summer Learning

Cooking With Kids Summer is a wonderful time, but with it comes the “Summer Slide.” Learning slips and even basic knowledge takes a vacation. This is especially true with preschoolers and kindergartners who are just learning their letters, counting, and the like. Making alphabet cookies is a sweet way to keep learning in the home […]