“Playing with Lanterns” and Make Paper Lanterns for Chinese New Year

The Lantern Festival is held on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year holiday. It marks the last day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. My six-year-old nanny kid and I made several simple and colorful paper lanterns to adorn her room in preparation for Chinese New Year. In snowy northern China, children celebrate […]

“The Other Side” by Jacqueline Woodson

It is understandably hard for children who currently live in diverse neighborhoods to understand racial segregation — but it’s an important part of American history children should be taught about. In The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson, the young African-American narrator named Clover, lives beside a fence that segregates her town. Her mother instructs her […]

“Those Shoes” by Maribeth Bolts

My 7-year old, 8-year-old, and 9-year-old nanny kids and I absolutely love the book Those Shoes by Maribeth Bolts. Although there are some important morals taught in Those Shoes, the book isn’t too preachy. The main character in Those Shoes, is a boy named Jeremy who lives with his grandmother. At school all the other […]

Indoor Snowman with Homemade Cloud Dough

I love trying different types of homemade play dough with kids. Could dough feels amazing and is a great boredom buster anytime of the year. But since it is winter where I work and live in New Jersey it is the perfect time to read “Charlie and Lola: Snow is My Favorite and My Best” […]

“Be a King” by Carole Boston Weatherford

Every year at this time as Martin Luther King Day approaches I try to find a children’s book I never read before about him to share with my Nanny Kids. This year I borrowed Be a King: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and You by Carole Boston Weatherford from the library. Be a King: […]

“Martin Rising” by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

If you care for school-aged kids they have undoubtedly read and loved books by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney already. “Martin Rising: Requiem For a King” by Andrea Davis Pinkney and illustrated by Brian Pinkney begins with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth, then jumps to his birthday in 1968, just three months before […]

“Shante Keys and the New Years Peas” by Gail Piernas-Davenport

Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport is a story of diversity and traditions that children will really enjoy. Shanté Keys loves New Year’s Day! But while Grandma fixed chitlins, baked ham, greens, and cornbread, she forgot the black-eyed peas! Black-eyed beans represent good luck. Shante doesn’t want bad luck without them! […]

“The Lights in the Church” by Marilee Joy Mayfield

Merry Christmas! The Lights in the Church is a children’s books about the true meaning of Christmas. When a brother and sister get lost in the park, they stumble upon a curious sight; a church in the middle of the forest. As they walk closer, the doors won’t open, but as hymns are heard they […]

“‘Twas Nochebuena” by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

“‘Twas Nochebuena” is a bilingual retelling of “The Night Before Christmas.” The story takes readers into the home of a Latin American family during their Christmas Eve feast of Nochebuena. This family story conveys strong family bonds and traditions while offering non-Spanish speakers a way to learn some basic Spanish vocabulary. In “‘Twas Nochebuena” the […]

Read “Snowmen at Night” and Make Indoor Snowmen

“Snowmen at Night” by Caralyn Buehner is a hysterical book about snowmen that your Nanny Kids will want to reread over and over again. In “Snowmen at Night” while the children sleep, the snowmen the kids made during the day come to life. The snowmen have tons of winter fun including ice-skating on a pond, […]