Fun with Nature from the Creative Nanny

Summer is in full swing and the little ones are looking for things to do. Get outside and connect with nature. Here are some ideas for learning and appreciating all that nature has to offer - many in your own back yard!

Baking with seeds

Discuss how plants come from seeds. Open a bean seed and show the tiny plant inside. Explain that there are some seeds that we plant to grow food and other seeds that can be eaten just as they are (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and caraway seeds).

Make some muffins and top them with seeds.

(Sample recipe – Mix one package of dried yeast with 1 cup warm water. Mix 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar together. Add yeast mixture. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Break into balls and put into greased muffin tins. Sprinkle with poppy and sesame seeds on top and let the dough rise. Then bake at 350F for twenty minutes).

Sweet Potato Plant

Fill a small jar 2/3 with water and place a sweet potato (narrow end down) into jar. Secure the potato in place with toothpicks. Place jar in a warm, dark place and add water when necessary. When a stem appears, place the jar in a sunny window and observe the growth occurring each day. Can record the growth in a small book by drawing pictures, pasting cutouts, or colouring in the number of leaves on a sweet potato picture.

For all the fun filled summer nature ideas, read the entire article at Creative Nanny.

Creative Nanny Wednesday: Simple Things to do on a Road Trip

Car Games

It’s that time of year when families load up the kids and head for the beach or the mountains or the lake.

Entertaining children on a road trip requires a little planning ahead, a little organization on your end but the end result provides a happier vacation for everyone.

Now I could just tell you to buy a DVD player hook it into the back of your car (one per child) sign up for Redbox and be on your merry way but if I did that it would be too easy and this article would be too short, plus……….in my opinion…..that isn’t fair to your children.

To read the rest of this article, visit the Creative Nanny.

Creative Nanny Wednesday: Recipe For A Playdate Party!

Creative Nanny Wednesday: Recipe for a Playdate Party!

Today we are sharing a wonderful blog post by the Michigan Professional Nanny Association on the Recipe for a Playdate Party!

Are your charges counting down the days until summer break begins? Or perhaps they are too little for school and you are gearing up for lots of sun soaked summer fun!

For the past few summers, our group has had a tradition of summer "playdate parties" that have been a roaring success...so much so that we've carried them into the rest of our year. This summer, we have three such playdate parties planned for our paid members. (as per MPNA policy, events held at private homes are open only to paid MPNA members and specific guests of the hostess).

to read more please visit:  

Creative Nanny  

  Recipe For  A Playdate Party! 

Creative Nanny Wednesday:Stamped Paper Cube: Great idea for Fathers Day from Nanny Gael Ann and her "creative assistant"

This stamped Paper Cube is a fun and easy project for Fathers Day.

For directions on how to make your own go to www.thecreativenanny.com

Happy Father's Day - Creative Gifts Dad will Love!

This year, give dad a gift he’ll love to show off. Let kids be creative while making this Best Ever BBQ Apron.

Take the poem below, print it out for younger children, or have older children write it out, add a favorite photograph and frame it for dad to display on his desk for all to see.

Daddy, I Love You

Daddy, I love you
For all that you do.

I'll kiss you and hug you
'Cause you love me, too.

You feed me and need me
To teach you to play.

So smile 'cause I love you
On this Father's Day.



These cute printables can be personalized and customized by your little Picasso’s for a wonderful Father’s Day treat.


Need more ideas? Check out Enchanted Learning for great tips and creative ideas to make this Father’s Day the best!

Water, Water Everywhere!

The Creative Nanny brings you an array of amazing Water activities you can do with many ages of children. From books to experiments - these ideas are sure to keep all the kids happy and busy!

Read the entire article on The Creative Nanny.

Creative Nanny Wednesday: Variations on traditional handprint gifts for Mother’s Day

Variations on traditional handprint gifts for Mother’s Day by Glenda Propst

A classic Mothers Day activity to do with children is the ever popular hand print with the traditional poem. As many times as I have done this project either with a group or with my individual charges as a professional nanny, it still makes me cry. If you would like some variations on the traditional Mothers Day idea, go to www.thecreativenanny.com