Unicorn Books and Unicorn Craft

I love finding activities to do with kids that correspond to their favorite books. I also enjoy using recyclables to make crafts with kids. The Mini Mad Things Instagram page sells inexpensive templates to trace onto cardboard to make crafts. I recommend using pastels and paint sticks for these cardboard projects. I used the unicorn […]

Earth Day Window Sun Catchers

Making sun catchers is an easy project to do with kids of any age. The 18-month-old toddler, 4-year-old, and 7-year-old I babysit for all love making sun catchers for every holiday and season. I find using self-adhesive laminating sheets easier than using contact paper. I recommend purchasing some self-adhesive laminating sheets by tapping the links […]

Window Butterfly Sun Catchers

My Nanny Kids are addicted to making these simple, colorful sun catchers for every season and holiday. For spring, I printed out buttery templates (listed at bottom of page) and read children’s books about butterflies with the children in my care, (books listed below). Using self-adhesive laminating sheets is even easier than using contact paper […]

Easter Crowns

After 30 years of working as a nanny and family assistant I thought I had done every Easter project possible with children. But I found these beautiful and easy-to-make Easter Crowns on the Sassy Mamma web site to do with my Nanny Kids this spring. You can print the crowns for free on the Sassy […]

3-D Cardboard Easter Bunnies

I love the Mini Mad Things web site. For a very low cost you can purchase the templates for these bunnies to print out and trace onto cardboard from the recycling bin. After cutting them out I let the kids use paint, markers, or Sharpie Paint Pens to decorate the bunnies and use the bunnies […]

Easter Bunny and Egg Figurines

This is set of 5 do-it-yourself Ceramic Easter Figurines.The kit included 3 ceramic eggs, 1 sitting bunny rabbit, 1 crawling bunny, 5 sets of acrylic paint, and 5 paint brushes that are a great project and gift for Easter. The vibrant, acrylic paints are great to paint on the ceramic figurines and are translucent when […]

Science Fun: Rubber Eggs

Here’s a science project to do with the kids from the steamsational web site. The vinegar eats through the calcium shell, but cannot dissolve the egg’s membrane, which is how the eggs retain their rubbery appearance after the experiment is complete. The egg membrane is semi-permeable, which simply means that the liquid vinegar will pass […]

Shamrock Puzzle

Kids love Saint Patrick’s Day, puzzles, and learning to count. Combine the love of the holiday and learning with this super easy project. Check out our other Saint Patrick’s Day projects by clicking the links for how to make a leprechaun trap; how to play Follow the Leprechaun Footsteps; shamrock lacing; leprechaun puppets; how to […]

“The Paper Dolls” by Julia Donaldson and DIY Paper Dolls

Making projects with children that correspond with the books you read with them helps encourage the love of reading. For a fun indoor activity for kids that the whole family can enjoy, download this printable paper doll template, illustrated by Rebecca Cobb and based on Julia Donaldson’s “The Paper Dolls,” and also let the kids […]

Snowy Bubble Wrap Paintings

Winter is the perfect time to make snowy scenes with the little ones. I had the kiddos dip bubble wrap tubes in white paint and then roll the tubes on blue paper to use as a snowy background for pictures. They used markers to draw a snowman on the paper. I also drew a bare, […]