Craft - Happy Thanksgiving!

I posted about one of my favorite crafts being Crayola Model Magic Clay.  It's a great non-greasy craft that allows kids to be creative.  While doing this craft with the family for the last year I've realized the creativity with this clay is endless.

Here is a picture to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving Baskets & Turkey

Crafts - Bookmarks

Another easy craft would be making bookmarks.  It's an easy way to promote reading and using materials you will already have or extremely low in cost.

Supplies:
Foam or Paper Bookmarks - Dollar Tree
     I believe it was 10 Bookmarks for $1!
Flat (regular stickers) - Michaels
      Books of 200+ stickers for $1

I love to find activities that are gender neutral and can work for both girls and boys but this can be harder than you think.  Surprisingly, pirates is a GREAT concept to go with this idea - both boys and girls seem to love pirates.  Last summer Michaels had sticker books (600+ stickers for $1) and they were pirate themed.  These are great finds because they last for multiple jobs and most kids usually LOVE stickers!

Super Hero, Pirates, Fairy Princess

Kids can decorate their bookmarks using these stickers and it's a great activity to promote reading as well.  It could be paired with a great outing to the local library!

This activity would be less that 25 cents per child.  It's a nice low cost activity for nannies to include!

Nanny 101 - Planning Activities

When it comes to planning activities for various families there are many factors to consider.

• Do You Need to be Outside?

I've had jobs before where I was a Mom's Helper.  During this job it was important for me to keep the children outside while the mom could make dinner, take care of a new baby, and do the laundry.  When I would work this job I began to bring bubbles with me, have easy "outside crafts" like sidewalk chalk, or riding bikes. 

• Ages of the Children

The age range for children I have watched has been from about 5 months to 12 years old.  The activities for different ages vary very much.  Infants enjoy peek-a-boo and for development it's good to have tummy time around 5/6 months.  Also, one family had Baby Einstein videos which it seemed the baby enjoyed from the colors and objects.  Beginning activities I like are crafts, Play-doh, Memory or Go Fish.  Older children might like more involved activities like Crayola Model Magic clay or games like Disney's Scrabble Jr, Monopoly, or Life.

• Genders of the Children

I'll admit that for certain ages I do bring certain activities.  When I have jobs for girls ages 3-8 I usually bring my Princess and Hello Kitty activities and games.

Girl Activities and Games!

When planning activities for boys I like to bring Toy Story books and games.  Boys also like super heros and Transformers.  I have found a lot of luck with large sticker books from Michaels or finding coloring books from either the Dollar Store, or 99 Cent store.

Boys Activities and Games

While in college, I had a child development class and we discussed gender neutral activities.  I thought this made sense to have activities that could work for girls and boys.  While working for a family I found Pirates, Harry Potter, and Star Wars to be pretty gender neutral.  Stay tuned for information to come on my Pirate days!

Bookmans

Bookmans is a local Arizona chain which follows a Buy-Sell-Trade model in their stores.  They allow customers to trade media they are no longer using for store trade.  I have been able to trade magazines after I've already read them for store credit and build up my credit to buy more games and books for nannying.  Periodically, I will search around the house for more things Bookmans might like to build up my trade even more. 

Three books from Disney's Wonderful World of Reading "The Little Mermaid," "Peter Pan," and "Toy Story."  I found these three soundtrack CD's "Disney's Greatest Hits," "Tarzan," and "Aladdin."

On a recent job I discovered that my Ipod Touch can play music without headphones or speakers.  It's not very loud but worked to have some music playing while I colored with two children.  Since that job I began looking at Bookman's for Disney CD's like their greatests hits mixes or Tarzan.  I love the music in the Disney movie Tarzan.  I had one family where I would sing Phil Collin's "You'll Be In My Heart" and it would just melt my heart to sing the kids to sleep.  Now, I will be honest I'm not a singer but the thought is there!

Crafts - Crayola Model Magic Clay

Another of my favorite craft activities is to use Crayola Model Magic Clay to create creations with kids.  This pack from Michaels costs about $14, but I like to use the weekly coupon for 40% off one item.  That makes this pack about $7. 

 Each of these boxes contain 14 pouches of clay in various colors.  Inside the boxes, it even lists a cheat sheet for what colors to mix when you get low on a certain color.  Often, with the kids I use this for it becomes a game of what colors I have left and what we can make. 



Packets I currently have left!

Here are some examples of what we have made!



Aliens and Outer Space!



Firetruck, Submarine, Mummy, Volcanoe!



Happy Halloween!



Dragon!



Nanny 101 - Variety of Jobs

While working as a nanny there are a variety of things to consider with the jobs you accept.  You need to keep in mind the different responsibilities you may have while working as a nanny.  Communication is one of the most important qualities to have as it's important to talk about with parents of their expectations and make sure they match with your comfortability level.

• Mom's Helper - Taking a mom's helper job means that you may work while the parents are home.  I've done these jobs where the mom works from home and there is a child recovering from being sick with a small temperature.  The mom needs to focus on work but needs her child to stay home from school for another day.  Also, new moms might need help around the house to watch over their older children while they care for the newborn baby. 
• Does the family have pets? - I can be very allergic in some homes and then not experience any symptoms in other homes that have dogs and cats!  It's important to ask the questions and make sure allergies don't attack you!  I've also had to clean up many times after dogs, it has to be done!
• Does the family expect certain chores done? - Often families might expect a variety of things to be done before they return home.  They might expect dishes and laundry to be done, children to have baths, and activities to be put away.
• Does the job require you to drive children? - If a job requires you to drive children it's important to think ahead to the potential problems.  It wouldn't be wise to drive other children with liability insurance alone!  This was brought to my attention and if you talk to your insurance agent it's possible to add more medical coverage and it doesn't change your bill that much in the end.
• Will the children need baths while you are there? - Giving children baths can be worth mentioning just because it is a safety issue.  My tips are pretty obvious but worth mentioning just on the off hand people need to know!  You shouldn't worry about phone calls or text messages while giving a child a bath.  Don't let yourself become destracted for any reason!
• Does the family have any activities planned? - I have had some jobs where it's expected I can go swimming with the children.  Also, I have had a job at a horse ranch resort where I worked with the children during their horseback riding lessons.

Clear communication and asking questions is the best way to make sure parents and nannies are on the same page for what should be done and when it should be completed.

Card Games - Go Fish

The most basic game for all kids to learn is Go Fish!  I always love teaching this game to kids as they get excited when they start doing well.  I'm sure readers will know the basics of how to play but I change one thing.  Instead of having cards stacked in the middle, I make a "Go Fish Pond" where kids can pick any card they want.  It's just a small change but I think makes it a little bit more fun.

Also, how many times have you tried to play games with little ones and they just don't have the ability to hold their cards?  While on a job, I saw a family have a solution to this so I made a note to remember it.  I never found this "solution" in store so when my brother developed his hobby of wood-working I asked for his help.  I asked him to make me some "card-holders" for playing cards with kids.  Here's a couple pictures of the finished product.





Here are the card holders for you to see!





Here's how it looks when playing another person!
It's nice to just play and not see the other person's cards!



Nanny 101 - How to Get Started

Welcome to the beginning of my Nanny 101 posts where I explain more about the job and the variety of questions you need to ask to get started.  If you're interested in nannying read my posts under the labels "Getting Started" and "Nanny 101."

So you want to work with children and you find yourself asking, "How can I do that?"  While in college, I struggled with finding what to study and what to be when I grew up.  I thought about careers in pharmacy or in nursing but it just couldn't seem to fit.  It was like putting a circle in a square shaped hole and I was not happy.  Here are a few ideas that matched with my interests of childcare that I found along the way.

• College - I majored in Family Studies and Human Development at the University of Arizona.  This was a great major for myself of finding a program of family life classes, child development, and adolescent issues.
• Preschool - I worked at a preschool during college and it was a fantastic job where I learned more about kids and activities to help children learn and explore.
• Private nanny - After my job at the preschool ended, I ran into a family who needed a nanny and found I could do a "Job-Share" with another girl.  I worked in the mornings and she would work during the afternoons.  It let both of us work and continue with our college classes.
• Nanny agency - There are agencies out there that have a variety of employment options.  They can place nannies with full-time positions or daily positions as families need a sitter for the day.  This employment is more "on-call" and works for nannies with more flexible schedules.
• Word of mouth - It's true what they say, don't underestimate the power of the word of mouth!  When you find a family to babysit for they will likely recommend you to their friends.  I have received a lot of jobs based on recommendations from the families I already work for!

There are a variety of ways to get started with nannying and babysitting.  These are just a few ideas to help get you started!

Halloween Cookies =)

Last friday, right before Halloween, I had a job with a regular family (girl 11, boy 8) and decided to decorate Halloween cookies with them.  While shopping at Albertson's I had seen a package of cookies ready to decorate with frosting and sprinkles.  However, I thought a pack of Albertson sugar cookies, frosting, and sprinkles would be better and taste better.  I packed all these materials and then also brought food coloring, paper bowls, and plastic spoons.  I used food coloring to color the vanilla frosting in separate bowls.  The kids were able to frost the cookies using the mixing spoons - trying to cut down on dishes!  I also brought paper plates as it made a good tray for the kids to put their cookies on to keep the sprinkles in one spot. 

I have a picture on my phone but realize I don't have internet access on my phone to add in the picture.  I'll see if I can send it to another's phone and they can get it to me to upload.

With the kids, I had decided I would leave half the cookies with the family and half I would take home - yes, that was a good decision!!  =) 

Crafts - Doorhangers

One of my favorite (and easy) crafts to do with children would be to make a doorhanger decoration. 

Supplies needed:

• Doorhangers (can be found at Michaels or Dollar Tree)
• Foam stickers (could be any theme - Halloween, Christmas, or just fun stickers)

Two containers of Halloween foam stickers, alphabet foam stickers, and doorhangers.

Kids like the idea of doorhangers to help decorate and claim their rooms.  It's a fun and easy -very light mess- activity that can easily be altered to fit any theme you are currently celebrating or teaching the children.

In order to cut costs, it's wise to check our your local 99 cent store or Dollar Tree.  I believe at the Dollar Tree close to me they sell doorhangers in packs of 4.
Also, here in Tucson we regularly get coupons in our weekly ads for Michaels Craft Store where you can get 40% any one item.  Michaels does have more expensive doorhangers, but they are thicker and have more gender neutral designs.  I found heart and princess shaped doorhangers at the Dollar Tree and those are usually liked more by the girls I watch.  =)

Pack of 4 doorhangers = $1.00 + tax
Package of foam stickers = $2.49 + tax

This activity is less that $1 per child.  This is usually my goal when spending my own money back out on children I watch.  It's a balance between finding fun activities and also not breaking the bank in the process!

Here's an example of a doorhanger!

The Nanny Mobile

My boyfriend has teased me about my nickname really being "Lynn Poppins" in reference to Disney's Mary Poppins.  I bring activities with me in my "Nanny Bag" as I explained but I also have worked out another way to help me bring activities.

My car is now also nicknamed the Nanny Mobile.  I've taken the large boxes and organized my games to be in the back of my car.  Often, kids get tired of the same old games all the time so I like to have my games with me as back ups. 

Here are some pictures for you to see my setup!  I will include stores I found the games at and the approximate price that I remember.  Yes, this did take money as well as time but I have these games and can be reused unlike crafts!

Here is the Nanny Mobile!  The box on the left contains games for younger children ages 3-8.  The box on the right contains games for older children ages 7-12.



Younger box contains the games: SORRY! (Yard Sale $1), Handy Manny Picture Find (Target $3), Princess Monopoly Jr. (Yard Sale $2), Hi-Ho-Cherry-O (Target $2), Scrabble Jr. (Bookmans Free!), Disney Cars 10 Game Set (Target $7), Mancala (Yard Sale $1) 

 

The box for older children contains these games:  Apples to Apples-Kids (Bookmans-Free!), Outburst Jr (Bookmans-Free!), Disney Monopoly (Bookmans-Free!), Monopoly (Target $3), Life (Yardsale $1)

When I took out Outburst and Apples to Apples you can see more games:  2 Clue Jr games (Target $2, Bookmans-Free!), SpongeBob Cranium (Target $4), Yahtzee (Wal-mart $7), Cadoo (Goodwill $2)

Bookmans is one of my favorite stores where I can use store trade to buy games, so yes I claim this is FREE because I don't have to use real money for the games!  Stay tuned for a Post all about Bookmans!

The Nanny Bag

One basic aspect of nannying is bringing the games, crafts, or activities to the children.  I thought I would start with explaining how I put together my bags and decide what to bring to each family.

For a family I watched with two girls ages 5 and 7 here is a picture of what I would bring.

For babysitting girls:  Yahtzee Jr. Princess ($5 Target), Princess Coloring Book ($5 Walmart), Disney Princess 10 Game Kit (Target $7), Stickers ($1 Michaels), Crayons (Target), 3 Books (Free - Bookmans!), Hello Kitty Games-Go Fish, Old Maid, and Bingo ($5 Easter Sale - Big Lots)

I like to use the large reusable bags that I have found different places.  My two favorites are my bags from SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo because they are large but carry the supplies well.  Planning my bag depends on the children I will be watching for the day.  I have been able to keep a notebook on families either if it will be boys or girls and what kinds of activities they like - I can elaborate on this in another post. 

My re-usable bag from a trip to San Diego in February 2010!

Here is my packed nanny bag!

Target - Halloween Clearance Finds

A good friend of mine over at DesertDealsDiva.com has done excellent work to try to locate deals that work for her family.  It's a great blog to follow and is basically the reason I wanted to share my ideas on nannying and babysitting.  Often, in her blog, she will discuss her Target finds on deals and recently she made out with Halloween clearance.

Check out her post here!

Last year she had told me to check out Target after Halloween when the put things on sale.  Not only do they have candy and costumes, but they also have books, puzzles, stickers, and my *favorite* Play-doh!  I'm including a picture of my post-Halloween shopping spree for myself.

Shopping Score!
A.  Mickey Mouse Book - with *lift and see flaps* = $2.49... reg. $4.99
B.  Disney Puzzle Pouch - I love working with puzzles with kids! = $2.99... reg. $5.99
C.  2 packages of Mini-tubs of Plah-Doh - I use these with another game I have created - Stay tuned! = $2.49 each... reg. $4.98 each
D.  2 packages of Halloween Foam Stickers - I use these for a craft - Stay Tuned! = $2.50 each... reg. $5.00 each

Doing the math if I bought these things before Halloween it would have been about $32.00+ but buying after Halloween I spent about $15.00  I know many babysitters may see this as out of pocket costs (OOP) but the money does come back to you in the amount of jobs you get called back for AND the tips parents will give you.

Kids love Halloween and I feel it's the first in a string of holidays that can be celebrated with a variety of activities. 

The Beginning

I should begin at the beginning of my story and tell you how "Miss Lynn" came to be my name.  My babysitter as a child was amazing.  Her name was "Toby" and I remember idolizing her and thinking she was the coolest girl that I would ever know.  I was about 4 when my parents found her and had her babysit for my brother and I.  Sadly, we moved away after 2 short years of living year Toby.  After moving Toby  became my childhood penpal and we stayed in touch for about 8 years after my family moved away.


I don't have a lot of memories from when I was 4 being with Toby.  I remember small things really - like how she could braid my hair in really cool ways.  But I do remember when we would be able to go visit Toby and how she would take me more places as I got older.  I remember going to the MU at Oregon State (yes! I grew up in Oregon) to go bowling with her when I was about 9 or 10.  She was an older girl, who took an interest in being nice to me and helping me to grow into the person I am today.


If I fast forward a few years into middle school, I have a confession to make.  I can remember I was obsessed with the Babysitter's Club books by Ann M. Martin.  I read over a hundred of the books and drove my mom nuts with tracking down books from Powell's Bookstore in Portland, OR or the library.


For those of you that don't know, the girls in the Babysitter's Club would book babysitting jobs and bring along kits of toys, games, and crafts for kids to do while the parents are away.  This is the model I follow when I nanny.  I love to bring toys, games, special movies, or crafts for children to do.  I have found in my experience the more you can keep kids engaged and active, the less likely they are to have temper tantrums and fight with one another.  Also, parents are happier when they come home and realize their kids didn't watch tv all day - or night!


This blog will help give recommendations for finding or creating games, scoring children related deals, and craft ideas that won't break the bank. 


Enjoy and let me know how these ideas work for you!