Looking for a fun, mess-free way to spark the children’s imagination? Kids will love diving into this spaghetti and meatball sensory bin made with soft white yarn for pasta and squishy red pom poms as meatballs! It’s a playful twist on a classic comfort food that encourages creativity, fine motor skills, and hours of giggles. […]
Why Kids Should Paint with Natural Paintbrushes
August 13, 2025 Leave a Comment
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
August 6, 2025 Leave a Comment
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. […]
Epic Water Balloon Sports!
July 30, 2025 Leave a Comment
Water balloons aren’t just for throwing. They are the secret to the coolest backyard games ever! First try playing water balloon baseball with a plastic bat. Then have the kids play water balloon badminton and volleyball. Just have the kids slip into their bathing suits, slather on sunscreen, and invite their friends over to get […]
Clay Shell Mosaics
July 23, 2025 Leave a Comment
Kids love collecting shells at the beach. There’s something magical about turning a handful of seashells into a little keepsake masterpiece. For children, making shell mosaics on air-dry clay isn’t just an art project, each shell is a tiny treasure, and pressing it into soft clay feels like discovering buried gold. I found this great shell […]
Sink or Float Game
July 16, 2025 Leave a Comment
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 […]
Squirt Gun Super Soaker Painting
July 9, 2025 Leave a Comment
As a professional snack distributor, argument negotiator, and CEO of Mess Containment (aka, nanny), I’ve seen my fair share of creative chaos. But nothing — nothing — prepared me for Squirt Gun Super Soaker Painting! From the brilliant brain of Louise McMullen in “Fun Painting Projects for Kids,” this fun activity is part Jackson Pollock […]
Patriotic Sensory Tray
July 2, 2025 Leave a Comment
Children love sensory trays because they provide a fun and engaging way to explore different textures and sights through hands-on play, stimulating multiple senses at once. I loved creating this 4th of July sensory tray theme for a toddler in my care. Although I could have easily purchased red, white, and blue colored sensory rice, […]
Hopscotch With a Twist
June 25, 2025 Leave a Comment
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 […]
Rainbow Slime
June 18, 2025 Leave a Comment
Kids love rainbows and slime. So I combined the love of both and the children in my care and I made 4 colors of slime. To make rainbows you will need to make 6 colors of slime from the recipe I found at thebestideasforkids.com. See how to make slime with laundry detergent by tapping here, […]
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