MLK “I Have a Dream” Craft

One of the most famous speeches of all time was the “I have a dream” speech written and spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963. First read, “I Have a Dream” by Kadir Nelson to the children in your care. Then have them make this thoughtful project to correspond with the book and […]

Paper Plate Dinosaur Craft

This is a super easy dinosaur craft to make with girls and boys with a paper plate and toilet paper roll. Be sure to read “How to Catch a Dinosaur,” “Danny and the Dinosaur,” “How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight,” and “Dinosaur” while making this simple craft. You can purchase the children books and supplies needed […]

“Elmer the Elephant” by David McKee and Craft

Children love the Elmer the patchwork elephant book series by David McKee. I love the Mini Mad Things blog. After reading “Elmer’s Colors,” “Elmer and Butterfly,” “Elmer and the Rainbow,” and “Elmer’s Special Day,” by David McKee I let the child in my care use paint and pastels to decorate a cardboard Elmer. It might […]

“A Pet for Pete” by James Dean and Paper Plate Craft

Pete the Cat can’t wait to get a new pet! He gets a goldfish he names Goldie. Pete paints a cool painting of Goldie and now everyone wants a piece of it! But Pete doesn’t have enough time to make one for everyone. Will Pete find a way to have fun painting Goldie and have […]

Changing Color Chameleon

Chameleons are amazing reptiles that possess a wide variety of interesting features including their ability to change color due to their emotions and as camouflage. Children will love making and playing with this simple craft to make their chameleons change color with paper plates. Be sure to read these children books about chameleons while making […]

Rainbow Bird

I found a great blog Mini Mad Things with this template to make a rainbow bird. I used cardboard from my Nanny Family’s recycling bin to make this bird. I painted the cardboard with acrylic paint for the young child before before she decorated her bird. Older children can paint and decorate their cardboard bird […]

Teaching Phonics to Children

By ChildrenLearningReading.com Phonics is a necessary part of any good method of teaching children to read. Teaching children phonics and helping them develop phonemic awareness is the key to mastering words, which is the first key step toward successful reading. Children need to develop a knowledge of the letters, the sounds represented by the letters, […]

5 Children’s Books to Teach Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, as well as understanding the emotions of those around you. If you have ever cared for an extremely reactive child that seems unable to control their emotions, or reacts inappropriately towards others, you know that emotional intelligence is one of the most important […]

Handheld Butterfly Sun Catchers

This recycled craft is a simple and clever way to teach children about primary and secondary colors while recycling empty paper tubes. I allowed the children to decorate the craft sticks and choose what colored wings they wanted on their butterflies. But I used a glue gun to make all the wings without the kids […]

David Dolphin Worksheets for Preschool

Parents want their nannies to encourage learning with their children. Nannies should encourage leaning in everyday activities. But worksheets do play an important part of preparing children for school as well. David Dolphin Worksheets for Pre-School are created by a pre-school teacher and are great for parents and nannies to help ensure school readiness. School-aged […]